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Ugandan films set for big wins at Africa Academy Awards

Posted on by L. Dreeye
Ugandan films set for big wins at Africa Academy Awards

Tonight, the biggest names in African cinema will come together to celebrate a successful year at the Balmoral Center in Ikeja, Nigeria. Every year, filmmakers across the continent and the diaspora gather to toast the biggest films produced on the continent and look forward to the future.

Through talks, workshops and markets, some creative minds are trying to find ways to ensure that African cinema has a fraction of the market share that Hollywood has. The biggest celebration, however, is the AMA Awards, where filmmakers win and lose awards.

This year, three Ugandan films are nominated in two categories: Best African Language Film and Best Short Film.

“Makula”, “Unheard” and “The Last Shoemaker” by Ugandan directors Nisha Kalema, Polly Kamukama and Ali Musoke respectively have been nominated for the upcoming AMA Awards.

Makula, winner of the Best Feature Film category at this year’s Uganda Film Festival, is up for Best African Language Film. “Makula” is the story of a woman who marries a man involved in human and organ trafficking and tries to fight for her freedom.

The film received various nominations at the UFF Gala, winning many of them, and was screened at various festivals throughout the year, winning several awards such as Best East African Film and Best Actress at the Zanzibar International Film Festival. Best Feature Film at the Silicon Valley African Film Festival and several nominations elsewhere.

Then there’s journalist-turned-director Polly Kamukama, whose film Unheard, directed by Joseph Sebaggala Zenken, is based on a series of real-life events. The film follows one woman’s quest to save a fishing spot in a village where women are not allowed to fish.

The film was funded by the Uganda Communications Commission through the Content Support Program and failed to qualify for any awards at this year’s Uganda Film Festival. However, it emerged as a big winner at the iKon Awards held at Kampala Serena earlier this year.

The film will be competing against Nishi Kalema’s Makula for Best African Language Film, where they will go up against Netflix originals Jagun Jagun from Nigeria, Kaka and Breathless, also from Nigeria.

Ali Musoke’s short film The Last Shoemaker was no surprise in the Best Short Film category. Over the past many years, it is difficult to remember a single Ugandan film that has had a festival tour like this one. Since premiering at the Matatu Film Stage last year, the film has traveled from Kampala to Berlin and back. The Last Shoemaker follows a young girl’s quest to save her family’s legacy – a failed shoe company.

The film’s competition includes Dear Future Wife from South Africa, Seben from Mali, Sins of the Father from Zimbabwe, Isolated from Nigeria and others.

This is not the first time a Ugandan film has been nominated for this award.