The emerging film industry in

Uganda }), is a landlocked country in East Africa East Africa, Eastern Africa, or East of Africa, is the eastern subregion of the African continent. In the United Nations Statistics Division scheme of geographic regions, 10-11-(16*) territor ...

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 Hollywood usually refers to: * Hollywood, Los Angeles, a neighborhood in California * Hollywood, a metonym for the cinema of the United States Hollywood may also refer to: Places United States * Hollywood District (disambiguation) * Hollywood, ...

, in the same manner as

Nollywood Nollywood is a sobriquet that originally referred to the Nigerian film industry. The origin of the term dates back to the early 2000s, traced to an article in ''The New York Times''. Due to the history of evolving meanings and contexts, there ...

and

Bollywood Hindi cinema, popularly known as Bollywood and formerly as Bombay cinema, refers to the film industry based in Mumbai, engaged in production of motion pictures in Hindi language. The popular term Bollywood, is a portmanteau of "Bombay" (fo ...

. In a story that ran in a local newspaper in Uganda about the naming of the industry, filmmakers Kuddzu Isaac,

Matt Bish Matt Bish (born 15 May 1975), also known as Matthew Bishanga, is a Ugandan filmmaker and the Creative Director at Bish Films. He directed the first Ugawood feature film, '' Battle of the Souls'', in 2007. Personal life and education The first o ...

and

Usama Mukwaya Usama () "Osam" Nyanzi Mukwaya (born 12 December 1989) is a Ugandan screenwriter, film director, producer, actor and former television host. His major films include ''Bala Bala Sese'', directed by Lukyamuzi Bashir with which Mukwaya is credited ...

were quoted as saying that Ugawood would be the most appropriate name for the industry. Audiences go to video halls where narrators called "video jokers" translate the dialogue and add their own commentary. Patrons also rent DVDs and watch feature films on prime-time TV. Some films are funded by NGOs through cultural grants. Other films are produced with DIY equipment and low production budgets. Despite low production budgets, Uganda's film industry is quite productive. Isaac Nabwana's Ramon Film Productions, based in Wakaliga near

Kampala Kampala (, ) is the capital and largest city of Uganda. The city proper has a population of 1,680,000 and is divided into the five political divisions of Kampala Central Division, Kawempe Division, Makindye Division, Nakawa Division, and Ruba ...

, has produced more than 40 low-budget action films over the last 10 years. The studio is best known for its 2010 film '' Who Killed Captain Alex?'', which cost $85 to produce. The Industry also has a strong and acclaimed film player since 2013. Jayant Maru of MAHJ Productions who has given Uganda gems at the BOX Office like '' The Route'', ''K3NT & KAT3'', and '' Sipi'', which have not only been nominated in several international festivals but have also brought back home a number of accolades, not forgetting having his films available on Amazon Prime plus in-flight entertainment platforms. The Uganda Communications Commission organizes the Uganda Film Festival to promote the film industry. In 2013, the film '' State Research Bureau'' swept four awards. In 2014, '' The Felistas Fable'' won four awards, including Best Director for Dilman Dila. The Pearl International Film Festival is held annually in

Notable people and companies

* Jayant Maru *

* Mariam Ndagire *

Wakaliwood Wakaliwood, also known as Ramon Film Productions, is a film studio based in Wakaliga, a slum in Uganda's capital of Kampala. Its founder and director is Isaac Godfrey Geoffrey Nabwana, a.k.a. Nabwana I.G.G., who has been called Uganda's Quentin ...

Notable people and companies

See also

References

External links