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
