Usama Mukwaya

Usama (/ʊˈsɑːmə/) "Osam" Nyanzi Mukwaya (born 12 December 1989) is a Ugandan screenwriter,[1] film director, producer, actor and former television host. He launched his filmmaking career with the short film Hello that won overall best film in the 2010 MNFPAC Students Awards.

Usama Mukwaya
Mukwaya at the 2020 YELP Graduation
Born
Usama Mukwaya Nyanzi

(1989-12-12) 12 December 1989
Mulago, Kampala, Uganda
NationalityUgandan
EducationCavendish University (Diploma in Business administration)
MNFPAC (Diploma in film directing and screenwriting)
Occupation
  • CEO of O Studios Entertainment (2014–present)
  • Film director
  • screenwriter
  • film producer
  • actor
Years active2010–present
Parent(s)
AwardsFull list
Websiteusamamukwaya.com

His directorial debut was Love Faces,[2] released in January 2018. His other major films include Bala Bala Sese, directed by Lukyamuzi Bashir; Mukwaya is credited as the film's writer and producer.[3] The film was nominated by the Africa Movie Academy Awards for Best Film in an African Language. As of November 2018, he currently serves as the chief content officer for Stream Afrique, a subscription-based streaming platform which offers online streaming of majorly African content.[4]

Early life and background

Born in Mulago Hospital, Kampala, Uganda, Mukwaya has ancestry from Ganda, Ankole and Rwanda. He is the son of religious leader Abdullah Mukwaya and Aziidah Mariam. As of 24 April 2019, Abdullah serves as the Qadhi of Mbarara District.[5] After the death of his mother when he was 8, Mukwaya's aunt took him in; when she died too, Mukwaya had to move in with his father and later on with his grandfather.

He has 4 siblings from his mother and numerous from his father.[3]

Education

Usama started Pre-Education from Saidat Aisha Nursery School and later to Buraaq Infants School then in Bwaise. After the death of his mother, he was then shifted to Victoria Christian School in Ndeeba and later went on to attend Linnet Primary School in Nabweru, Wakiso District, for his final primary school education. In 2012, Usama joined Shuhada'e Islamic Secondary School for his O-Level and achieved his Advanced Certificate of Education from Nyamitanga Secondary School, both schools in Mbarara.

In 2008, Mukwaya studied Cisco Career Certifications Networking, and LAN/WAN Management under the faculty of information technology at Makerere University. Usama holds a diploma in film directing from MNFPAC.[6] He is currently pursuing a Diploma in Business Administration at Cavendish University.[7]

Career

Early work (2010–2014)

Mukwaya standing in front, first from right with fellow 2011 Maisha participants and mentors. Third on the same row is lab founder, film director Mira Nair.

According to Usama, he started his writing as a child. He made his film Industry entry in 2009 through Dan Kiggundu's Maryland Productions where he debuted as a script editor and supporting actor in the TV drama Pain of Lies, which premiered in 2011.[3][8]

Through Uganda Film Network, he later joined Mariam Ndagire Film and Performing Arts Center, where he worked on his first short film, Hello,[9] which won the overall best film at the 2010 MNFPAC Awards. In July 2011, he made it to the final selection of the 12 screenwriters from all over East Africa to participate in the 7th Maisha Film Lab, ending up with a collaboration with Diana Karua in the making of the movie She Likes Prada.[3][10]

Later in 2011, Mukwaya won the Young Achievers Award[11][12] in the film and television category, the youngest among the recipients of the award in the newly introduced category alongside Rwandan president Paul Kagame, who won the lifetime achievement award.[13]

Kinna-Uganda (Ugandan film) has something to do with mediocrity. We should follow the trends of other industries like Hollywood, Bollywood and Nollywood; let us call our industry Ugawood.

– Usama Mukwaya via The Observer[14]

Amidst other four young directors in August 2012, he directed his first film, Smart Attempt, written by Julian Nabunya and Abel Mwesigwa during the first season of the Movie Furnace programme. He went on to participate in the program's second season with his short film In Just Hours; emerging the season's winner for best short film director.[15][16][17][18]

He has worked as a general secretary and treasurer of the Screenwriter's Guild of Uganda Film Network and as general secretary of the Pearl International Film Festival before being appointed festival programmer for the 7th, 8th and 9th editions consecutively.[3][19]

He was quoted by The Observer newspaper alongside Ashraf Ssemwogerere in an interview about naming the growing film industry in Uganda, in which he stated that Ugawood could have been the appropriate name, citing that Kinna-Uganda had to do with mediocrity.[14]

In July 2014, Mukwaya started his own film production company O Studios Entertainment, based in Uganda that immediately opened with the production of the short film Tiktok, written and directed by himself. The studio has continued to produce various films including his directory debut, Love Faces.[20]

Film breakthrough (2015–2018)

Immediately after Maisha Film Lab in 2011, Usama met video director Lukyamuzi Bashir of then Badi Films and began working on Bala Bala Sese, marking his first feature film as producer and writer. The film which also doubles as Lukyamuzi's directory debut was released on 3 July 2015 at theatre Labonita.[21][22] It became one of the first Ugandan projects to receive a professional marketing structure and continued to top the best Ugandan films of 2015 and the following year.[23][24] It was nominated at the 12th Africa Movie Academy Awards for Best Film in an African Language.[25] Bala Bala Sese also went on to feature in various international film festivals, including the Luxor African Film Festival in Egypt, where it held its African premiere and competed in the Long Narrative category with 13 other African films.[26][27] It was the opening film at the 10th Amakula International Film Festival, automatically qualifying for the Golden Impala Award in the best African film category, which was won by De Noir.[28][29] The film debuted its European release at the Helsinki African Film Festival in Finland.[30] It features former celebrity couple Natasha Sinayobye and Michael Kasaija as on-screen lovers, first time film actor and former The Ebonies member Raymond Rushabiro with veteran stage actor Ashraf Ssemwogerere as the story teller.

After the release of Bala Bala Sese, Usama joined Allan Manzi as writer and producer to make the coming-of-age provocative short film Rehema. The film made its debut screening at the 38th Durban International Film Festival and also won the best short film at the 2017 Uganda Film Festival[31]

In 2018, after a successful collaboration with Bobby Tamale on Tiktok, Mukwaya and Bobby released Love Faces, Usama's feature directory debut where he teamed up again with Laura Kahunde (Hello) and Patriq Nkakalukanyi (Tiktok), alongside first timer Moses Kiboneka Jr.[32] The film was co-produced by Tamz Production and Usama's O Studios Entertainment. Love Faces won best picture at Viewers Choice Movie Awards and was nominated at the 2017 Uganda Film Festival for Best Costume Design and Production Design, 2018 Amakula International Film Festival for best feature film among other nominations.[33][34]

Television

Usama on Set of Movie Digest Show in 2013

In July 2013, Mukwaya had his television debut as a host on the second season of the Movie Digest Show on Record TV Network Uganda, with actress Monica Birwinyo replacing pioneer host and former Tusker Project Fame 3 contestant Jacob Nsaali.[35] Mid 2018, Usama joined the production of Kyaddala television show as a producer, his debut television drama with Humphrey Nabimanya as Executive Producer and Emmanuel Ikubese as the show's creator. The series, set in a present day high school life focuses on real life social issues that affect young people in Africa and stars actors from Nigeria, Kenya and Uganda.[36]

Philanthropy

Mukwaya began his philanthropy work in January 2015 with Empowerment of Disadvantaged Youth and Children (EDYAC) when he traveled to Tororo in Eastern Uganda to share life experiences. He and Bobby Tamale later made a documentary available on YouTube about the experience with the video, directed and narrated by Mukwaya.[37]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Credited as Notes
Director Producer Writer
2010 Hello No No Yes Also credited as First assistant director
2012 Smart Attempt Yes No No
2013 In Just Hours Yes No Yes
2012 Tiktok Yes No Yes
2015 Bala Bala Sese[38] No Yes Yes
2017 Rehema[39] No Yes Yes co-producer with Allan Manzi
2017 Love Faces[40] Yes Yes Yes Directorial debut; co-producer with Bobby Tamale
2021 The Blind Date[41] No Executive No
TBA Love Faces II No Yes Yes

Acting credits

Year Title Role
2010 Iron Love Student
2011 Pain Of Lies Osama
2016 New Intentions Bruno

Television

Year Title Credited as Notes
Writer Director Producer Executive Producer
2012–2013 Movie Digest Show No No Yes No Also Host for 2013 Season
Since 2019 Kyaddala[42][36] No No Yes No Miniseries
2021 Sanyu No No Yes No Television series

Frequent collaborators

Artist Hello (2011) In Just Hours(2013) Bala Bala Sese (2015) Tiktok (2015) Rehema (2016) Love Faces (2017) Kyaddala (2019) The Blind Date (2021)
Laura Kahunde
Raymond Rushabiro
Alex Ireeta
Patriq Nkakalukanyi
Mariam Ndagire
Allan Manzi

Awards and nominations

Personal life

Mukwaya currently lives in Kampala.[3]

References

  1. "Ugandan film maker: I am living my dream". www.newvision.co.ug. Retrieved 23 November 2017.
  2. "6 Ugandan movies you should watch before 2018 ends". www.pulselive.ug. 21 December 2018.
  3. Kamukama, Polly (12 April 2012). "Mukwaya, the self made filmmaker". The Observer. Uganda. Retrieved 31 October 2012.
  4. "Usama Mukwaya".
  5. Trumpet, Admin. "President Commends Muslims' Unity in Mbarara - Trumpet News".
  6. https://usamamukwaya.com/mnfpac-holds-first-graduation-ceremony/
  7. https://www.cavendish.ac.ug/students-life/news/article/cuu-students-exhibit-remarkable-talent-in-the-popular-kyaddala-its-real-tv-series
  8. "African Film Producers: Ugandan Producers Nana Kagga and Usama Mukwaya". filmlinkafrica.com. Retrieved 12 September 2018.
  9. http://www.amakula.com/archive.html
  10. http://maishafilmlab.org/maisha-alumni/usama-osam-mukwaya/
  11. "Young Achievers Awards Uganda – Rewarding Innovation and Excellence". Youngachievers.ug. Archived from the original on 20 September 2012. Retrieved 31 October 2012.
  12. "Previous Awards - Africa Young Achievers Awards". africayoungachievers.com. Archived from the original on 23 March 2016. Retrieved 9 July 2016.
  13. "The Achiever Magazine 2011". Youngachievers.ug. Archived from the original on 2 February 2012. Retrieved 31 October 2012.
  14. "The Observer – Ugawood or Kinna-Uganda? Film stars split over name". Observer.ug. Retrieved 31 October 2012.
  15. Mulumba, Abu-Baker. "The Observer". observer.ug. Retrieved 9 July 2016.
  16. "Nurturing local film talent". Daily Monitor. Retrieved 23 November 2017.
  17. LLC, Stage 32. "Julian Nabunya: Actor, director and producer in Kampala, Uganda". stage32.com. Retrieved 9 July 2016.
  18. "Artist 101: Usama Mukwaya - StageBrief". stagebrief.net.
  19. "About PIFF".
  20. https://filmhackers.org/artists/usama-mukwaya/
  21. Kaggwa, Andrew. "Natasha, Michael set to relive romance on screen". observer.ug. Retrieved 9 July 2016.
  22. "Glitz and Glamour At The Premiere Of Bala Bala Sese Movie". chano8.com. 4 July 2015. Retrieved 9 July 2016.
  23. "Ugandan cinema slowly getting deserved attention - News24 Africa". news24africa.com. 6 July 2015. Retrieved 9 July 2016.
  24. "Bala Bala Ssese movie premieres". monitor.co.ug. Retrieved 9 July 2016.
  25. "Africa Movie Academy announces full list of 2016 Nominations". filmcontact.com. Archived from the original on 31 May 2016. Retrieved 9 July 2016.
  26. "Bala Bala Sese". luxorafricanfilmfestival.com. Retrieved 9 July 2016.
  27. Kaggwa, Andrew. "Ugandan films for international festivals". observer.ug. Retrieved 9 July 2016.
  28. "Bala Bala Sese - Uganda - Amakula". amakula.org. Retrieved 9 July 2016.
  29. "AMAKULA International Film Festival Returns - Proggie - Events in and around Kampala!". proggie.ug. Retrieved 9 July 2016.
  30. "Bala Bala Sese • Haff". haff.fi. 3 April 2016. Retrieved 9 July 2016.
  31. https://observer.ug/lifestyle/53813-a-look-at-rehema-uganda-s-hope-in-durban.html
  32. "Bala Bala Sese Movie Producer Working On New Film - Chano8". chano8.com. 17 May 2016. Retrieved 9 July 2016.
  33. "Love Faces - Amakula". amakula.org. Retrieved 23 May 2018.
  34. https://observer.ug/lifestyle/58743-love-faces-bags-13-viewer-s-choice-nods
  35. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 4 May 2014. Retrieved 4 May 2014.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  36. https://matookerepublic.com/2019/09/28/multitudes-turn-up-for-season-one-premiere-of-kyaddala-at-kingdom-kampala/
  37. Usama Mukwaya (19 November 2015), Tales from EDYAC, retrieved 23 November 2017
  38. Kaggwa, Andrew. "Ugandan films for international festivals". observer.ug. Retrieved 9 July 2016.
  39. "Durban International Film Festival - Rehema". durbanfilmfest.co.za.
  40. http://ugandafilmfestival.ug/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/OFFICIAL-LIST-OF-NOMINEES-UFF-2017.pdf ||
  41. https://www.sqoop.co.ug/202009/news/events/loukman-releases-blind-date-delays-girl-in-yellow-jumper.html
  42. https://thetowerpost.com/2019/09/18/reach-a-hand-uganda-emmanuel-ikubese-films-partners-set-to-premiere-kyaddala-its-real-a-pan-african-tv-series/
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