Mira Nair is an Indian-American filmmaker based in New York City. Her production company, Mirabai Films, specializes in films for international audiences on Indian society, whether in the economic, social or cultural spheres. Among her best known films are Mississippi Masala, The Namesake, the Golden Lion–winning Monsoon Wedding, and Salaam Bombay!, which received nominations for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film and the BAFTA Award for Best Film Not in the English Language.
Alex Heffes is a British film composer. His film scores include those for the BAFTA-winning Touching the Void, and Oscar-winning movies One Day in September, The Last King of Scotland, and Inside Job. Heffes was nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Best Original Score for his work on Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom.
Katwe is an area in the city of Kampala, Uganda's capital.
Phiona Mutesi is a Ugandan chess player. She has represented Uganda at four Women's Chess Olympiads, and is one of the first titled female players in Ugandan chess history. Mutesi is the subject of a 2012 book and a 2016 film called Queen of Katwe.
Mahmood Mamdani, FBA is an Indian-born Ugandan academic, author, and political commentator. He currently serves as the Chancellor of Kampala International University, Uganda. He was the director of the Makerere Institute of Social Research (MISR) from 2010 until February 2022, the Herbert Lehman Professor of Government at the School of International and Public Affairs, Columbia University and the Professor of Anthropology, Political Science and African Studies at Columbia University.
"Back to Life" is a song by American singer-songwriter Alicia Keys, released on September 1, 2016, for the soundtrack of the sports drama film Queen of Katwe, directed by Mira Nair. The song was written by Alicia Keys, Illangelo, and Billy Walsh. Production of the song was handled by Keys and Illangelo.
Lupita Amondi Nyong'o is a Kenyan and Mexican actress. Her accolades include an Academy Award and a Daytime Emmy Award, and nominations for two British Academy Film Awards, a Golden Globe Award and a Tony Award.
Maisha Film Lab is a Uganda-based non-profit training film initiative for emerging East African filmmakers and mentor ship programme for aspiring filmmakers and youth in Eastern Africa. It encompasses film production, screenwriting, directing, producing, cinematography, editing, sound recording, and acting.
The Reluctant Fundamentalist: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack is the film soundtrack to the film of the same name, originally composed, orchestrated and conducted by Michael Andrews.The soundtrack was released by Universal Music Group India in Asia and Internationally released by Knitting Factory under Universal rights on April 30, 2013.
Maurice Kirya born in Jinja and raised in Najjanakumbi to Tonny Munobbi and Sophie Baguma.
Queen of Katwe is a 2016 American biographical sports drama film directed by Mira Nair and written by William Wheeler. Starring David Oyelowo, Lupita Nyong'o, and Madina Nalwanga, the film depicts the life of Phiona Mutesi, a girl living in Katwe, a slum of Kampala, the capital of Uganda. She learns to play chess and becomes a Woman Candidate Master after her victories at World Chess Olympiads.
Esteri Tebandeke is a Ugandan filmmaker, actress, dancer and visual artist. She is a graduate of the Margaret Trowell School of Industrial and Fine Art at Makerere University.
Florence Kasumba is a Ugandan-born German actress. She is best known for her portrayal of Ayo in the Marvel Cinematic Universe films Captain America: Civil War (2016), Black Panther (2018), Avengers: Infinity War (2018), and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022), as well as the Disney+ series The Falcon and the Winter Soldier (2021). She is also known for her acting in German and Dutch films. She also played Senator Acantha in Wonder Woman (2017), Shenzi in The Lion King (2019), and the Wicked Witch of the East in the NBC television series Emerald City (2017).
Jackie Akello is a Uganda singer-songwriter and entrepreneur with a coffee brand Village Belle which she launched in 2017. She sings in Acholi, Luganda, Swahili, and English. She is known for her hit love ballad "Amari", the gospel hit "Samanya" with Levixone, and the war-themed pop hit "Apwoyo". Akello is an Acholi from northern Uganda, and most of her songs, like "Apwoyo" talk about the suffering of the Acholi both during and after the Lord's Resistance Army war that left Acholis out of their homes for a long time.
Gladys Oyenbot is a Ugandan actress, singer and producer professionally known by her mononym Oyenbot. She is known for playing Dorotia on Mpeke Town (2018), and as Beatrice on the award winning drama series Yat Madit Yat Madit (2016). In 2020 she starred in numerous films including a thriller film The Girl in the Yellow Jumper, in a legal drama film Kafa Coh, Family Tree, and Down Hill. She also had starring roles in a romantic drama series Love Makanika (2015) by Dilman Dila, Reflections (2018) by Nana Kagga and 5 @Home(2017) which aired on Fox Life Africa. Her other notable screen work includes a Haunted Soul (2013), Day 256(2017), Communion (2018), King of Darkness (2015), and Kyenvu (2018) the multi award winning short film she co- produced alongside Hedwyn Kyambadde.
Madina Nalwanga is a Ugandan actress known for her lead role as Phiona Mutesi in Queen of Katwe (2016). The film depicts the life of Mutesi, a Ugandan girl living in a slum in Katwe who learns to play chess and becomes a Woman Candidate Master. This role earned her the Most Promising Actor award at 2017 Africa Movie Academy Awards in Lagos, Nigeria. She also won an NAACP Image Award, a Women Film Critics Circle Award, and was nominated for a Critic's Choice Award.
Zohran Kwame Mamdani is a Ugandan-born American Democratic Socialist politician. He is the assembly member for the 36th district of the New York State Assembly, in Queens. Mamdani was elected after defeating incumbent Democrat Aravella Simotas in the 2020 primary.
Robert Katende is a Ugandan chess coach, footballer, and engineer. He is also the executive director of Sports Outreach.
Gloria Nansubuga is a Ugandan Chess player who became the youngest chess player in Ugandan history to be awarded a chess title of Woman FIDE Master by the year 2018.
