Glasgow Film Festival Film Review: “Once Upon a Time in Uganda”
By: Joseph Perry (Twitter - Uphill Both Ways Podcast)
Once Upon a Time in Uganda
Fans of action movies and cult films may already be familiar with Ugandan movie director Isaac Nabwana and his vision of turning his self-described “ghetto” neighborhood of Wakaliga into his vision of “Wakaliwood.” It is there that former brickmaker Nabwana has spent years making comedic action films using local volunteers as cast and crew members, turning out such titles as “Who Killed Captain Alex?” and “Bad Black.” Director Cathryne Czubek shows how Nabwana has tried to better his community through making these films in the fun, inspirational documentary Once Upon a Time in Uganda, and how he received assistance from a highly likely source.
American film programmer Alan Hofmanis, just off of a bad breakup with his fiancée, traveled unannounced and on a whim to Uganda to meet Nabwana without so much as even contact information nor a way to find him. The two do get together, becoming fast friends over their love of film, with Nabwana taking on Hofmanis as a partner in the former’s Ramon Film Productions in a producer role, which includes Hofmanis doing everything he can to find worldwide recognition — and funding — for Nabwana and his films.
It’s not a spoiler to say that most of Once Upon a Time in Uganda is feel-good stuff, with the two men bonding like brothers and Nabwana doing his best to involve as many adults and children in his area as possible with his ventures. Most good friendships and partnerships have their bumps in the road, though, and the unlikely pair of Nabwana and Hofmanis is no exception, adding dramatic weight to the proceedings.
Shot mostly in fly-on-the-wall style with interviews and plenty of footage from Nabwana’s work, which includes insane microbudget trailers that have gone viral, Czubek has crafted an uplifting story of the creative process and following your dreams.
Once Upon a Time in Uganda screens at Glasgow Film Theatre, Saturday 5 March and Sunday 6 March 2022.
Once Upon a Time in Uganda screens as part of Glasgow Film Festival, which takes place March 2–13, 2022 in Glasgow, Scotland. For more information, visit https://glasgowfilm.org/glasgow-film-festival.
#OnceUponATimeInUganda
@BlueFinchFilms
Joseph Perry is one of the hosts of When It Was Cool’s exclusive Uphill Both Ways podcast (whenitwascool.com/up-hill-both-ways-podcast/). He also writes for the film websites Diabolique Magazine (diaboliquemagazine.com), Gruesome Magazine (gruesomemagazine.com), The Scariest Things (scariesthings.com), Horror Fuel (horrorfuel.com), and B&S About Movies (bandsaboutmovies.com) and film magazines Phantom of the Movies’ VideoScope (videoscopemag.com) and Drive-In Asylum (etsy.com/shop/GroovyDoom).
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