The emerging film industry in Uganda is known as Ugawood or sometimes Kinauganda by the locals. The 2005 production Feelings Struggle directed by Ashraf Ssemwogerere is credited with being the first Ugawood film. Many have asserted that this steadily growing film industry is derived from Hollywood, in the same manner as Nollywood and Bollywood. In a story that ran in a local newspaper in Uganda about the naming of the industry, filmmakers Kuddzu Isaac, Matt Bish and Usama Mukwaya were quoted as saying that Ugawood would be the most appropriate name for the industry.
Usama "Osam" Nyanzi Mukwaya is a Ugandan screenwriter, film director, producer, actor and former television host. He launched his filmmaking career with the short film Hello that won overall best film in the 2010 MNFPAC Students Awards.
Mariam Ndagire, is a Ugandan singer, entertainer, actress, playwright, film director, and film producer.
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.
Hello is a Ugandan drama short film directed by John Martyn Ntabazi and written by Usama Mukwaya. The movie was made under the MNFPAC workshop and won the overall best short film. It debuted its screening at the 2011 Pearl International Film Festival. It is Usama's first screenplay.
Bala Bala Sese is a Ugandan film directed by Lukyamuzi Bashir based upon a screenplay by Usama Mukwaya, starring Michael Kasaija, Natasha Sinayobye, Raymond Rushabiro, Ismael Ssesanga, Fiona Birungi, Ashraf Ssemwogerere and Ddungu Jabal. It's the director's, writer's and producers' debut feature film.
Joël Karekezi is a Rwandan screenwriter, film director and film producer. His short film The Pardon, about reconciliation after the Rwandan genocide against Tutsi in 1994, won the Golden Impala award at the Amakula Film Festival in Uganda. A feature version was made in 2011, and shown at the Göteborg International Film Festival, and later at other international film festivals including Seattle International Film Festival (2013), Chicago International Film Festival and FESPACO.
Laura Kahunde is a Ugandan performing artist and Reality T.V Show Host. She Hosts Our Perfect Wedding Uganda, a reality show that follows Ugandan couples from the wedding preparations to the actual wedding day events. She also currently plays Jussy on Kyaddala, a pan-African story told through the lives of university friends exploring sexual reproductive health, rights and challenges, among other social issues and; Catherine Musoke on Chapters series that shows on pearl Magic Prime. She portrayed the character Angella Byekwaso on the famous NTV Second Chance She is known to have starred in Mariam Ndagire's films Hearts in Pieces alongside Abby Mukiibi Nkaaga, Dear mum and most recently my husbands wife Where We Belong, and Dear Mum with Mariam Ndagire herself. She also starred in the Usama Mukwaya's Hello that won her the best actress in the 2011 MNFPAC students awards. She recently appeared in a Henry Ssali film Bullion with her sister Juliana Kanyomozi She is confirmed to work with Usama Mukwaya again on his upcoming film Love Faces alongside Moses Kiboneka Jr. and Patriq Nkakalukanyi and a Douglas Dubois Sebamala film Black Glove.
Love Faces is a Ugandan drama thriller film written and directed by Usama Mukwaya. It is Mukwaya's feature film directorial debut, and stars Laura Kahunde, Moses Kiboneka Jr., Patriq Nkakalukanyi and Salome Elizabeth in leading roles. The film had a special screening on 31 August 2017 at the Uganda Film Festival 2017. It had its official release on 4 January 2018.
New Intentions is Ugandan film written and directed by Kihire Kennedy starring Ife Piankhi, Sinovella Night, Kawooya Malcolm, and Joel Okuyo Atiku. The film was released on 3 May 2016 at Uganda National Cultural Centre (UNCC). The film is nominated in six categories at the 2016 Uganda Film Festival including Best Screenplay, Best Sound, Best cinematography, Film of the Year, Best lead Actress and Best Feature Film, Best film director/Film of year.
Rehema Nanfuka is a Ugandan film, theatre and television actress, director, and filmmaker known for her roles in Imani, Veronica's Wish, Imbabazi, The Girl in the Yellow Jumper, Queen of Katwe, Imperial Blue among other films.
Alex Ireeta Nabudere is a Ugandan Film editor and cinematographer.
94 Terror is a 2018 Ugandan war-drama film set in the Rwandan genocide of 1994. The film premiered on the 14th of December 2018 at a red carpet event at Theatre Labonita in Kampala and won Best Viewers’ Choice Movie Award at the 2018 Uganda Film Festival Awards in the first week after the release.
Kyaddala is a Ugandan drama television series by Reach a Hand Uganda. The first season was produced by Emmanuel Ikubese Films and Reach a Hand Uganda. Set in a present day high school life, Kyaddala a Luganda word for "It's Real", focuses on real life social issues that affect young people across Africa and their attempts to overcome those issues. The series features actors and actresses from Uganda, Kenya, Rwanda, and Nigeria. Kyaddala premiered on 27 September 2019 at Kingdom Kampala.
Imbabazi: The Pardon is a 2013 Rwandan film, the debut feature film of director Joël Karekezi.
The Blind Date is a 2021 Ugandan film written and directed by Loukman Ali starring Martha Kay, Michael Wawuyo Jr. and Raymond Rushabiro. The short film marks the second collaboration between Usama Mukwaya and Loukman Ali after Kyaddala TV Series which was released in 2019. The Blind Date is the first of the numerous episodes meant to make an anthology, with the follow-up episode already in the making. The film won Best short film at the 8th Uganda Film Festival awards. It had its African premiere at the 24th Zanzibar International Film Festival.
Loukman Ali is a Ugandan cinematographer, screenwriter, film director, producer and Graphic Designer. His directorial debut was Monday followed up by The Bad Mexican, released in 2017.The film was nominated in various festival including the Amakula International film festival. His other major films include The Girl in a Yellow Jumper, The Blind Date and Sixteen Rounds. He is known to frequently working with actor Michael Wawuyo Jr. and filmmaker Usama Mukwaya.
Sixteen Rounds is a 2021 Ugandan film written and directed by Loukman Ali starring Michael Wawuyo Jr. and Natasha Sinayobye. The short film premiered on YouTube on September 16, 2021 and marks the second installment to The Blind Date, an anthology of short films between Usama Mukwaya and Loukman Ali. The film's sound track is designed by long time collaborator, Andrew Ahuura and features songs by Keneth Mugabi and Fred Masagazi.
