Kira Djoke presents his first film shot with €10 and an iPhone

Originally from Abidjan, Kira Djoke is set to present his debut feature film, “16 Mesures,” on Tuesday, September 15, 2026, at the Cinémathèque de Toulouse. At 26 years old, the Ivorian director has crafted a psychological thriller filmed entirely on an iPhone, with production costs reported at just €10.

The screening is scheduled for 7:30 pm, following a reception at 7:00 pm, and will be followed by a discussion with the film’s team. “16 Mesures” follows five young rappers from Toulouse as they encounter an enigmatic professor, unfolding like an investigation where the audience receives clues simultaneously with the characters.

However, the €10 figure does not capture the human resources involved. Kira Djoke explained to La Dépêche du Midi that a team of friends volunteered their time and that the project required significant time, thought, and sacrifices. “I do not make poverty an aesthetic; I make constraint a driving force,” he stated.

Born on May 7, 2000, in Abidjan, Kira Djoke left Côte d’Ivoire in 2018 and settled in Toulouse. He attended the Toulouse School of Economics and then EPSI, where he studied mathematics, statistics, and computer science, while also pursuing modeling and his audiovisual projects.

A thriller where rap serves as a language

The title refers to the sixteen measures of a rap verse. In the film, this musical culture primarily serves as a narrative language to explore themes of truth, memory, transmission, appearances, and education. The filming took place in various locations around Toulouse, including Empalot, Montaudran, the Canal du Midi, Place Saint-Pierre, and the Téléo cable car.

“16 Mesures” follows “Constellation,” a previous creation by Kira Djoke available on YouTube. The director is already working on another project titled “Les nouchi,” a more ambitious series he envisions between Abidjan and Toulouse, referencing nouchi, the popular Ivorian slang.

A free release planned on YouTube

After this presentation in Toulouse, an episodic version of “16 Mesures” is set to be offered for free on YouTube. Kira Djoke also mentioned the potential for the film to circulate in several Francophone regions, including Senegal, Belgium, Quebec, and Switzerland.

This potential tour remains a project at this stage without a detailed timeline. The evening of September 15 in Toulouse marks the film’s first announced public presentation, featuring a free screening and a discussion with the film’s team.