According to the Africa International Film Festival (AFRIFF), Uganda’s film industry popularly
known as ‘Ugawood’ ranks 6th in Africa with an average revenue of 0.5 Million USD annually.
From the regional film clubs to Kampala’s fast-growing theater and acting space, the passion
and talent are undeniable. Tasked with the challenge of creating with so little, the success of the
industry is a testament to resilience and commitment.
‘Opportunities Are Here’, a business accelerator by the International Trade Centre and the
European Union set out to equip creatives in the film industry in Uganda. The project has
operated in Cote D’Ivoire, Kenya and Uganda supporting 3,531 young creatives in the music
and fashion industries, it has delivered masterclasses to over 47,000 creatives, connected
5,329 creatives with local and international networks and supported and created over 1000
jobs.‘Opportunities Are Here’ (OAH) has financed and produced 13 short films and 1 feature film
by talented young people.
The project selected 9 young Ugandan filmmakers who were taken through a rigorous training under
strong mentorship with industry leaders. They were offered access to equipment, mentorship and
funding to create short films. For the young people, this was an opportunity of a lifetime and
exposed them to more upskilling and networks in the industry. After their participation in the
program, the contestants achieved further milestones in the industry.
“Before Opportunities Are Here, I wanted to make a film but didn’t know how to. Opportunities
Are Here enabled me to immerse myself in not just acting but scriptwriting, directing and
everything filmmaking. It was the best chance for me.” remarked Nodryn Evanci Kabuye,one of
the finalists.
The beneficiaries’ films covered a range of different themes including AI, diversity and inclusion.
Despite the challenges of developing and producing their films, these freshly minted filmmakers
have received recognition and accolades for their efforts at film festivals not only in Uganda but
across Africa and beyond.
At the recently concluded Kitale Film Week in Kenya, Nodryn was awarded Best Emerging
Filmmaker for her short film, ‘Half Chocolate, Half Vanilla’. Mary Josephine Namirembe, another
season one finalist took home two awards; Best Animated Film and Best Short Film for
‘Fractured’ created during the OAH Project.
‘Half Chocolate, Half Vanilla’ was also selected for the Silicon Valley African Film Festival,
emerged winner for Best Short Film at the Pearl International Film Festival and was selected for
Best International Short film at the Mombasa International Film Festival. Nodryn was awarded
Best Emerging Filmmaker at the Kampala Slum Mobile Cinema Festival and was cast for a
leading role in a Rwandan TV Series.
Mary Josephine received a scholarship and is currently pursuing a Masters Degree in Design in
Russia. The ability to influence perceptions of reality is a big inspiration for her to tell stories through film. Creating connections and community through the OAH Project revealed to her that
there were aspects of film making that she didn’t even know she needed to know and
emphasized the importance of mentorship and collaboration which gave her the drive to bring
her animated film to life. ‘Fractured’ was selected for Animation Tanzania, Canex Shorts and
screened at 2024 Ngalabi Short Film Festival in Kampala.
A key aspect of the training for the participants focused on driving collaboration and building
creative communities. A huge challenge many young filmmakers face is limited access to
mentorship and shared creative spaces. During the Bootcamp training, the participants were not
only paired with successful and internationally acclaimed filmmakers in Uganda who mentored
them through the process of telling their stories but also encouraged to support each other on
their projects.
“You can never really lose out if you focus on fostering connections with your creative tribe.”
Joel Tugeinayo, one of the mentors said.
Joy Alisanyukirwa Matovu, a finalist for his futuristic sci-fi short film, Insanity, took this to heart
and is working on a short film with some of his contacts from the project. He has produced and
collaborated in various creative projects since the end of the show; featuring in a musical play,
‘She Loves Me’, and producing a film ‘Falling Out’ with funding from the Uganda Cultural
Center. He has plans to turn ‘Insanity’ ( the short film he created during his time with
Opportunities Are Here) into a web series.
Colline Manirahari who was one of four Season Two finalists, has received some early
recognition for his film ‘Hero at the Skull Island’, Colline’s short film highlights environmental
conservation and the impact of climate change and reflects on the effects in the Ugandan
context He was awarded Best Director 2025 at the Mumbai Entertainment International Film
Festival in India, monthly winner at the Green Academy Awards in February 2025 and has been
officially selected for the Nexus International Film Festival in California.
Now is the moment for Uganda’s film industry to soar to new heights! The passion and talent of
emerging filmmakers are undeniable, and with the right mentorship and skill development, the
possibilities are endless. The future of Ugandan film is bright—let’s nurture it, celebrate it, and
watch it thrive!
