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Uganda: Country Movies Still Raw, But Promising
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The Weekly Observer (Kampala)
COLUMN
7 February 2008
Posted to the web 7 February 2008
Until the turn of the millennium, the FM stations were dominated by Congolese music before the dawn of a new era of Ugandan musicians. It would be foolhardy for anyone to even think of bringing down Awilo Longomba today.
Our local actors still face the dilemma their music counterparts suffered almost a decade ago; screens are dominated by Nigerian movies (Nollywood) but the local industry is on a mission to throw out the Ki-Nigeria movies.
For an industry still in its infancy, experts estimate 30 movies have so far been released since 2005 when Ashraf Ssimwogerere's first Ugandan movie Feelings Struggle was released.
In this second and last part of our entertainment analysis, DAVID LUMU and JOHN VIANNEY NSIMBE analyse some of Uganda's 'blockbusters'...
Dennis Josiah acting a scene in Nnabe Mub'oluganda
Movie: Omuswiiba
Starring: Abu Kawenja, Phillip Omwana Wabandi
Time: 90mins
Distributor: Video Kings
This, according to several movie dealers is the most popular Ugandan movie. Apart from lead actor Kawenja, the cast is virtually unknown but they pulled off a great performance in an otherwise amateurish movie. The plot is typically Ugandan; motor mechanic Mugalu (Kawenja) lies to his wife that he's going for burial but instead hooks up a university student from a hostel for a night out, only to wake up the next morning to find the girl dead after the previous night's relentless sex escapade. Shocked, he packs the body in a bag and buries the girl in the village before the girl's mother hires Inspector Brown (Omwana Wabandi) to trace the whereabouts of her daughter. Mugalu is by now on the run and abandons his job before he is smoked out of a new garage.
He is severely tortured in a safe house (in one bizarre incident the ruthless inspector hangs a heavy stone on Mugalu's genitals) till he confesses to the crime.
Rating: 5/10 - creative but also amateurish
Movie: Down This Road I walk
Starring: Mariam Ndagire, Wycliffe Luyombya, Sheila Ategyeka, Jonan Kisibo
Time: 90mins
Distributor: Trends Videos
It was the most hyped movie last year but apart from the star cast, multi-talented Mariam Ndagire's maiden movie project falls short on sequencing. You have got to have seen the beginning of the movie to understand what is going on.
The plot is good; High school student Catherine (Ategyeka) is forced by her parents to marry rich young Begumisa (Luyombya) against her wish. Try as she could to re-unite with her school love Fred (Kisibo), her parents force her back in the rocky marriage. After the birth of son Begumisa Junior, the baby is taken away by its grandmother (Ndagire) who allows Catherine limited visitations for breast feeding only.
Catherine's ex is hired as the family driver and the two lovebirds reignite their high school love until a suspicious Begumisa finds out.
Ndagire's drama has some attempts at adrenaline-pumping scenes such as a car-chase in which Begumisa's mum is arrested with a dead body and Fred's car crashes during a fight for the steering wheel, in the process killing both Begumisa and his son.
Bloopers: The fairytale ending with Fred and Catherine marrying is too predictable.
Rating: 5/10 Plot too similar to several Nollywood movies
Movie: Battle of the Souls
Starring: Matthew Nabwiso, Mike Draman, Joel Okuo
Duration: 100 minutes
A real life story inspired by self confessed former devil worshiper Roger Mugisha, the movie centres on Ryan's (Nabwiso) underworld life in his quest to become rich and successful. Acted in English, unsettled Ryan thinks 'manna' has fallen when he lands on a loaded briefcase while in a bar with close friend Eric (Draman).
But due to their strong faith, Ryan and colleagues agree to hand it back to the owner Wycliffe (Okuo), who is an underworld tycoon.
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Surprised, Wycliffe extends the generosity by inviting the young men to join him. The rest reject the satanic lifestyle but Ryan finds the offer too good to resist. The trick seems to pay off until he realises the demands of the underworld are beyond his effort. Among others was to sacrifice his best friends!
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