Wednesday, December 19, 2018

‘VERONICA’S WISH’ GRABS NINE ACCOLADES AT 2018 UGANDA FILM FESTIVAL AWARDS


 Rehema Nanfuka holds the film of the year award. Photo by ROLLAND MANZI.
The cast and crew members of the ‘Veronica’s Wish’ with their accolades. Photo by ROLLAND MANZI.

BY BAMUTURAKI MUSINGUZI

THE film Veronica’s Wish dominated the 2018 Uganda Film Festival (UFF) awards gala night by winning nine accolades out of the 12 categories it had been nominated in.

The drama is acted in English and written by Nisha Kalema is directed by Rehema Nanfuka. Veronica’s Wish portrays a clash of love and terminal illness between two lovers Veronica (Nisha Kalema) and Michael (Housen Mushema).

Michael and Veronica are living their soulmate life and engaged to marry but their journey takes a drastic turn when Veronica gets hit by mysterious illness days away from her wedding. Veronica must choose between love and saving her life and that of others.

Veronica’s Wish won the following nine categories; Best Cinematography, Best Costume (Production Design), Best Sound, Best Script (Screenplay), Best Feature Film, Best Actress (Nisha Kalema as Veronica), Best Post Production/Editing, Film of the Year (awarded to the Director), and Best Supporting Actor (Simon Base Kalema).

As to how does it feel like winning the Film of the Year award, Nanfuka told me: “It feels so good. I feel like I have won it for all the women in the film industry. I truly hope it inspires many to start directing and producing their own projects.”

Explaining the process of directing Veronica’s Wish, Nanfuka, said, “It was a complicated process. So many limitations we had to overcome. I’m glad we triumphed.”

As to why Veronica’s Wish is so appealing that it won nine awards, Nanfuka, observed: “It’s a beautiful love story that many people relate it to. It was well shot. The acting is brilliant. The music score is perfect and the audience relates to it emotionally. It tags on the heartstrings. It makes you love and cry and hope to be alive. It inspires and empowers. Finally it is directed by a woman, produced by a woman and the lead is a woman. Many women relate to it. It is a story that was best told by women.”

The film Bella by film producer and director Matt Bish could only manage to scoop one award after getting nine nominations. Stella Nantubwe took home the Best Supporting Actress award for her role as a prostitute in Bella.

The annual festival organised by Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) was held from November 26 - 29 in various cinemas in Kampala and Entebbe. The Awards Gala Night was held on November 30 at the Kampala Serena Hotel.

Awards came with cash prizes ranging from Ushs5 - 10million ($1,333 - 2,666).

“We must now see all that of television stations air 70 per cent local content away from the Telenovelas and Indian movies that have been dominating the television content. I will make sure they comply or they face the consequences,” the UCC executive director, Godfrey Mutabazi said at the awards ceremony.

THE LIST OF ALL WINNERS:

Best Student Film:
Idi Amin’s Boat

Best Animation:
Chebet

Best Short Film:
Kyenvu

Best Documentary:
Your Music Your Voice

Best Script (Screenplay):
Veronica’s Wish

Best TV Drama:
Mistakes Galz Do

Best Actor in a TV Drama:
Paul Ejule – as Frank (Pastor) in Taste of Time

Best Actress in a TV Drama:
Juliet Nantambi – as Lisa in Mistakes Galz Do

Best Cinematography:
Veronica’s Wish

Best Costume and Production Design:
Veronica’s Wish

Best Sound:
Veronica’s Wish

Best Feature Film:
Veronica’s Wish

Best East African Film:
World Ttoufauti

Best Post Production/Editing:
Veronica’s Wish

Best Actor (Film):
Raymond Rushabiro – as Robert in Five Days To Live

Best Actress (Film):
Nisha Kalema – as Veronica in Veronica’s Wish

Best Supporting Actress:
Stella Nantubwe – as a prostitute in Bella

Best Supporting Actor:
Simon Base Kalema in Veronica’s Wish

Best Viewer’s Choice:
94 Terror

Life Achievement Award:
Abbey Mukiibi

Film of the Year (awarded to the Director):
Veronica’s Wish by Rehema Nanfuka

Best African Film:
Sometimes in Yesterday

Ends