At this year’s Rome-based MIA Market, Warsaw-based production powerhouse Madants is pitching The Lawyer, a feature documentary that explores one of the most unbelievable – yet entirely true – stories to come out of Kenya in recent years.
The film follows Brian Mwenda, a brilliant young Kenyan lawyer who seemingly rose from humble beginnings to become a rising star of the courtroom. Mwenda won case after case — defending suspected criminals, saving the innocent, and dazzling the media with his sharp wit and charm. He became a partner in a prestigious law firm and even won an impossible case before a military tribunal. But then came the twist: Mwenda had never finished law school.
He had forged his credentials, learned law from YouTube tutorials and episodes of Boston Legal, and carefully crafted a public persona — more actor than advocate. His story made global headlines, a blend of meme and scandal that exposed deep cracks in Kenya’s justice system and forced uncomfortable questions into the open. Was Mwenda a fraud or a genius? He was praised by clients, condemned by professionals, and is now defending himself in court — still undefeated, with a record of 26 wins.
“The story of Brian Mwenda fascinated me from the first moment I read about it,” says Maciej Bochniak in his director’s notes. “Here was a young man who had the courage to risk his future by taking on the world and going against the grain. Not having been born into the elite, who can afford any university education they desire, Brian took matters into his own hands. I don’t know if he used the methods of secret agents or if he was inspired by an actor’s process of getting into character — I just know that the result was genius.”
Bochniak adds that Mwenda’s case immediately reminded him of Suits, the popular TV drama in which a young man poses as a lawyer despite lacking a degree. “That series ignited the imagination of audiences worldwide, with many people wondering if this could actually happen in real life. Enter Brian…”
According to producer Kinga Tasarek of Madants, what makes The Lawyer unique is its combination of narrative intensity and documentary realism.
“The Lawyer tells a story so unbelievable it could be fiction — yet it’s entirely true,” she explains. “The film combines elements of crime thriller, courtroom drama, and moral investigation, following a self-taught Kenyan ‘lawyer’ who exposed deep flaws in the justice system. Through Brian Mwenda’s extraordinary case, the documentary explores universal themes: ambition, deception, and the blurred line between truth and performance. Its mix of real-life tension, global relevance, and psychological depth makes The Lawyer stand out as a true-story drama with the intensity of a scripted film.”
Visually, the documentary will blend observational footage shot in Nairobi with archival and media materials that chronicled Brian’s rise and downfall. “In-depth interviews with Brian himself, his lawyers, clients, friends, and family create a multi-layered perspective,” Tasarek adds. “We’re also using reconstructions to evoke the performative nature of Brian’s ‘acting’ as a lawyer. The tone merges realism with a stylised edge — echoing the duality of truth and illusion at the film’s core.”
Behind the project is a strong team with a track record of international success. Director Maciej Bochniak has moved fluidly between fiction and documentary throughout his career. His previous projects include Freestyle(Netflix, 2023), Magnesia (2020), and the HBO music documentary Ethiopiques (2017). He also helmed the Polish adaptation of The Office for Canal+ Poland.
Madants is among Poland’s most internationally recognised independent production firms, renowned for co-productions such as High Life by Claire Denis, Lamb by Valdimar Jóhannsson, and The Silent Twins by Agnieszka Smoczyńska.
As Tasarek notes, the project is being positioned as a globally appealing documentary with strong festival and streaming potential. “We are currently looking for international co-producers, a sales agent, broadcasters, and festival partners,” she says. “Our goal is to make The Lawyer a story that resonates far beyond Kenya — a reflection on how ambition, opportunity, and moral boundaries intertwine in today’s world.”
In the end, the film poses the question that made Brian Mwenda’s story so irresistible: does the end justify the means? And who, really, is The Lawyer?
