By The 12th Uganda Film Festival (UFF) Awards held recently celebrated a landmark year for local filmmaking, with independent creatives dominating the night.
Nkinzi, directed by Rehema Nanfuka, took home top honours including Best Feature Film, Best Director, and Best Screenplay, while Kimote swept technical categories such as Cinematography, Production Design, and Costume. Actor Mendez Kintu and actress Nakafeero Suzan Shamirah won top acting awards for their roles in Kimote and Lama, respectively.
The awards, hosted by the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC), saw over 360 submissions, most from independent Ugandan filmmakers — a notable shift from the dominance of MultiChoice-commissioned works in previous years.
Other highlights included:
Best Documentary: Masaka to Toronto by Busulwa & Akello
Best Short Film: Boundary Mwisho by Hakim Zziwa
Best Animation: Lia and Origa by Sister Dominic Dipio
Viewers’ Choice: At the Edge
Rising Star Award: Kisakye Passion
Critics praised the festival’s recognition of short films and documentaries, while also calling for better time management and balance across award categories. The festival’s growing support for grassroots storytellers is seen as a positive step toward a more inclusive and dynamic film industry.
