The just concluded ninth edition of the Uganda Film Festival saw several films win awards in the various categories.
The Kenyan movie Bangarang won Best East African Film at the gala night held on June 3. Ugandan Maynard Mulindwa’s debut film Foot Wine won Best Director (Film of the Year) and Best Production Design awards, and Loukman Ali’s The Girl in The Yellow Jumper (currently streaming on Netflix) won Best Sound Design, Best Post Production/Editing and Best Cinematography.
Foot Wine revolves around the story of Christine, who is an alcoholic, a proud bartender and full-time brewer of African traditional alcohol in her bar located in the slum where she lives.
The bar is her life, hobby, and office. It’s the street on which she toils and hustles.
Foot Wine depicts the good and bad sides of Uganda’s traditional banana beer commonly known as tonto, made from fermented mashed sour bananas mixed with sorghum.
“I was born and raised in the bar. And alcohol was the family’s source of livelihood,” Christine says in the one-hour-47-minute-long film which was released this year.
Christine (played by Sharon Atuhairwe), has to deal with police investigations and consequences in her community following the death of a man in her bar.
The annual festival is organised by the Uganda Communications Commission, and this year it received 282 submissions.
The jury comprised Njoki Muhoho as the chief jurist (Kenya), Ana Belen Asfura Fuentes (Canada), Oluwagbemiga Ben-Daniel (US), Dorothy Atuhura (Uganda), Cindy Magara (Uganda), Matthew Bishanga (Uganda), Philip Luswata (Uganda), and James Okoit Owaraga (Uganda).
Winners’ list
Best East African Film:
Bangarang – Kenya
Best International Film:
Opal – France
Best Short Film:
Meat by Asher Rosen
Best Student Film:
Ghetto Fist by Lubeera Saphina
Best Animation:
Sinza by Musisi Alex and Rita Kayeny
Best Documentary:
Little Faith by Ann Maria Nassanga
Best Actor in TV Drama Series:
Allan Kutos Katongole – Prestige
Best Actress in TV Drama Series:
Evelyn Kironde Namatovu – Prestige
Best TV Drama:
Prestige by Nathan Magoola
Best Costume Design:
Bedroom Chains by Costume Parlour and Sseremba IN Iryn