Nigerian actor and director, Ramsey Nouah was on Wednesday part of the audience at he premiere of the 2024 Ikon Young Filmmakers Fellows short films and the Unveil of Kwiso TV at the Reach A Hand headquarters in Lungujja, Kampala.
This event crowned the 2024 Ikon Fellowship program after a series of masterclasses that the fellows underwent following which they received a $500 grant in pairs to produce five 5-10-minute short films themed around sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) among young people and other social issues.
These short films which were premiered will be distributed on Kwiso TV, a streaming platform which is aimed at increasing the availability of content that reflects Uganda and East Africa’s unique cultures, languages, and stories while providing opportunities for emerging talent to gain exposure.
Humphrey Nabimanya, the Founder of Ikon Awards and Reach A Hand Uganda encouraged Ugandans to register and join the wait list of Kwiso Tv and promote the Ugandan film industry.
“We are buying content, if you have your film, documentary, TV Series, approach us to buy your films,” he said.
“I’m proud to say that the majority of these films have more representation of female issues because we had 60% representation of women in this year’s fellowship.”
In his remarks, Ramsey made commitment to filmmakers in Uganda that his Ramsey Films will support the integration of the Ugandan film industry and the Nigerian film industry as a way to ensure that filmmaking is global regardless of the language.
“I believe that film is a global language,” he said.
After the premiere of each of the short films, each of the filmmakers was given an opportunity to share with the audience their journey and experiences shooting the film.
These moments were emotional as the filmmakers recounted the challenges, triumphs, and personal growth they experienced throughout the production process.
Many spoke about the invaluable lessons learned from the Ikon Young Filmmakers Fellowship masterclasses, and the deep passion that drove them to tell impactful stories.
Some of the fellows became emotional as they reflected on how their films mirrored real-life struggles faced by young people in their communities.
“Participating in the IKON Fellowship Program was a unique and transformative experience for me. I enhanced my skills in ways I never imagined. I polished my scriptwriting and gained new skills in film production and directing through insightful masterclasses and the unique opportunity to bring a vision to life by shooting a movie. I can’t wait to experience more wins from this amazing program,” said Rhoda Nansubuga Ssegane.
Solomon Otengo said shooting the documentary about people living with vitiligo was an incredible and eye-opening experience for him.
“ I’m deeply grateful to the Ikon team for empowering young filmmakers in Uganda with such opportunities. This was my first time directing, a challenging but rewarding journey. Connecting with the interviewees was emotional, as I feared saying something that might hurt their feelings. Yet, through their stories, I gained a deeper understanding of vitiligo and I feel inspired to learn even more. There’s so much to share, but some things are best spoken from the heart,” he said.
The event culminated in the voting of the Viewers Choice after screening the five short films.
The winning film was Ssuubi, a documentary that tells the real life story of Ssuubi Abdurahman, a young man living with vitiligo.
Growing up, he faces relentless bullying and stigma which takes a toll on his emotional and psychological wellbeing, subjecting him to the pain of isolation, the struggle for self-acceptance, and the resilience it takes to rise above discrimination.
The short films will now be distributed on Kwiso TV, a streaming platform with African movies that is coming soon.
The best film will get an award for the Ikon Film Fellows Of The Year at the iKON Award Night happening on Saturday, March, 29 ,2025.
The filmmakers of the winning film will be given a grant to produce a feature film.