Film Makers Shine at UCC & MultiChoice Regional Film Awards in Mubende

MultiChoice Uganda in partnership with the communications regulator, Uganda Communications Commission (UCC), and partners, marked the end of the Uganda Film Festival Regional Competitions central edition and training sessions across Mubende Uganda.

The competitions as held before across other regions was part of the activities to mark the 10th anniversary of the Uganda Film Festival which has been instrumental in promoting Ugandan films and talent and a demonstration of the commitment of UCC and partners like MultiChoice Uganda, the home of great Pay TV entertainment, towards building a thriving local film industry in Uganda, since its inception in 2013.

George William Nyombi Thembo the Director Rural Development Communications Fund, UCC expressed the Commission’s appreciation to partners and participants.

“We are delighted to host this Year’s 12th edition of Regional Film Competition as part of the UFF’s 10-year celebrations in which we recognize and award regional winners across the central region,” Hon. Nyombi said, adding, “Appreciation goes to all filmmakers who submitted their content within the specified timelines and ensuring their submission are of high quality and to our partners who have joined us in the quest to recognize Filmmakers across the country.”

Speaking about the competitions, Rinaldi Jamugisa, PR & Communications Manager, MultiChoice Uganda said, “We are thrilled to empower local filmmakers and promote the growth of the local film industry as a testament to our commitment to investing in local content.”

“As part of our hyper-local strategy, we aim to nurture the next generation of Ugandan filmmakers and to create more opportunities for local talent to shine through initiatives like the Regional Film Competitions and we are excited to see the creativity and talent that emerges from these competitions,” Jamugisa noted.

The film competition is hosted in each of the four regions and gives the existing and aspiring filmmakers the opportunity to showcase their talent and compete for cash and other prizes. The competitions focus on short films that capture the unique stories and experiences of people living in Uganda, providing a glimpse into the flora and fauna of the tourist attractions in the region as well as culture, shared values, and rich history.

The training sessions focus on the content acquisition processes of MultiChoice and Mnet for local films and shows that sit on Pearl Magic, Pearl Magic Prime, and Pearl Magic Loko on the DStv and GOtv Pay-Tv platforms.

At the closing of the regional Film competitions with a 4-day training, the best actors received prizes and awards at Joyce Hotel Mubende.

Awards & Prizes

AWARD CATEGORIES
The Award categories included the following;

Best Film Award:

This award is chosen from all film entries i.e. short Films, TV Drama, and documentary. This award was given to Jimbi a film with preferably excelled in creativity, script, production, cinematography, sound, set design, make-up, and post-production among others.

Best Community/Impactful Award:

This award is given to Emunyenye, a filmmaker whose film is educative, calls for action, positive behaviour, mindset change, and promotes positive living. This may include any of these genres Short, documentary, and TV Drama. This award is Voted for by the public after Jury selection.

Best Smartphone Film Award:

This award was given to I am Sonko a filmmaker whose film achieved technical and artistic excellence in film using only smartphone cameras.

Best Original Soundtrack:

This award is given to Jimbi a film that excelled with an original piece of audio composition that is tailored to guide and enhance the emotion and mood of a specific film that is relevant to the region.

Best Actor:

This award was given to Emmanuel Atuhaire a male who excelled in acting in any of the genres i.e. Feature, Short and TV Dramas.

Best Actress:

This award was given to Nodryn Evanci a female who excelled in acting in any of the genres i.e. Feature, Short and TV Dramas

Best Student Award:

This award was given to Natasha Jovia a student below the age of 18 years involved in the act of filmmaking. Her role was either in a leading or supporting acting role, directing, cinematography, screenwriting, and editing among others.

Special Recognition Award:

This award was given to Byamukama Brian who demonstrated notable singular or multiple achievements in the development, promotion, and marketing of the film industry in the region. This award is selected by the Jury and UCC