The Uganda communications commission (UCC) has announced its contribution to the first ever Nile Diaspora International Film Festival (NDIFF) to be held in Kampala this weekend.

Unveiling a Sh10m sponsorship package for the event at UCC House, the Executive Director of UCC, Mr Godfrey Mutabazi, said the event would supplement UCC's efforts in streamlining the film industry in Uganda.

The festival, which will run from Dec 7-15, will attract film makers, producers, directors, actors and actresses from across the film industry in Uganda, Africa and the rest of the world.

Internationally theatre goers will rub shoulders with the likes of Tonya Lee William (Hollywood) Jim Iyke (Nigeria) and Nadia Buari (Ghana), among others.

The patron of the event, Maggie Kasozi, said NDIFF will use the event to showcase and distribute the work of emerging and established artistes in Africa and the Diaspora.

She said NDIFF will become an annual festival, where independent films of all genres will be screened, along with new media installations, African fashion exhibitions, video performance and video art."

NDIFF was founded by Canadian-based Ugandan film producing couple Xena Bantarizah and Phad Mutumba of Simpli Phaz Entertainment, an indigenous not-for-profit cultural organisation whose mission is to transform the way people see the world through film.