Masaka and Mbarara Film Makers Commended for Resilience

In Summary
  • Uganda Film Festival will celebrate 10 years in June this year
  • Filmmakers encouraged to formalize their businesses
  • The Awards Gala Night will take place on 02nd June
Brian Mulondo the Local Content manager hands over cash and Multichoice gift hamper to the Masaka region winner (2nd L) in the presence of Hudu Hussein the RCC Masaka and Eng Irene Kaggwa Ssewankambo the ED Uganda Communications Commission.

Uganda Communications Commission and MultiChoice Uganda have recognized and rewarded filmmakers in Masaka and Mbarara in the Uganda Film Festival regional filmmakers competition.

The film competition has seen participation from North, East, Central, and Western Uganda recording participation from over 100 submissions.

In her remarks, Eng. Irene Kaggwa Ssewankambo the ED Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) revealed that the Uganda Film Festival will celebrate 10 years in June and in a bid to recognize and support local talent, they sought to hold regional film competitions.

“It is impressive to see that our regional filmmakers have progressed and gained remarkable skills over the years. I would like to encourage each one of you however to embrace and vigorously work towards getting better at filmmaking,” she said.

Ssewankambo further stated that UCC is committed to working together with partners like MultiChoice Uganda in improving and elevating the Ugandan film industry.

“With collaborations and partnerships with entities like MultiChoice Uganda, we are confident that our industry in due time will favorably compete with international industries like Hollywood, Nollywood, or Bollywood,” Ssewankambo added.

 “MultiChoice Uganda is deliberate on empowering and improving the Ugandan film Industry. We currently have over four channels dedicated to telling the local story:

Pearl Magic, Pearl Magic Prime, Pearl Magic Loko, and Maisha Magic Movies,”  Brian Mulondo the Local Content Marketing Manager of MultiChoice Uganda noted.

He also encouraged filmmakers to formalize their businesses, register them officially and adopt the habit of running professional film production houses.

“If we are to take on your content, MultiChoice mandates that we should work with fully registered law-abiding filmmakers. I, therefore, urge each of you to register your production houses and get into the habit of transacting as professionals,” Mulondo noted.

The winners of both Masaka and Mbarara regions walked away with cash prizes of UGX 2,000,000, while the 1 st runners-up took home UGX 1,000,000 per region.

The short film competition is part of the activities that the Uganda Communications Commission and MultiChoice undertook building up to the 10th anniversary of the Uganda Film Festival.

The Awards Gala Night will take place on 02nd June 2023 at UICT Nakawa grounds.