When the Uganda Film Festival Regional nominations were announced, something surprising happened. Five of the Sisi Film Collective short films were nominated in different regions of Uganda. That is Western region, Northern region and Central region. These were nominated in different categories including best short film. These short films are Kwak, Lamyel, Lies of Our Lives, Not Mine and Murder Chose Me.
Seeing all five films on the same list meant a lot to us. It made us think about the journey behind each one. The long nights, the pressure, the budgets and the many people who worked hard to bring these stories to life. Each film is very different, but they all talk about real issues people face in society.
Kwak
Kwak is a psychological thriller about a young girl who becomes pregnant by her teacher and is pushed to stay silent. The story looks at abuse of power, fear, and the way society sometimes protects authority instead of protecting victims.
The film was shot very quickly. We filmed everything in two days. Everyone on set had to stay focused because there was no time to waste. The editing was also fast. The final cut was completed in three days. It was stressful, but the pressure helped us focus on the heart of the story. Kwak was nominated for Best Short Film, and the actors in the film were also recognized.
Ongom Tommy Olem was nominated for Best Actor. He said:
“This makes me feel like the hard work is beginning to pay off. It feels like I have taken a significant step forward in my acting career, almost like a prayer answered. This will push me to do even better in my next productions, especially as an actor.”
Beatrice Atoo Manash also nominated for Best Actress for her role as Lakaraber. She shared:
“I am truly humbled and deeply grateful to God, my mentors, my team members, and everyone who supported me throughout this journey. This nomination means so much to me. Portraying Lakaraber in Kwak was a reminder of how storytelling can shine a light on societal realities that are often overlooked. Thank you to the entire team behind Kwak and to everyone who believed in its message. This recognition belongs to all of us.”
Lamyel
Lamyel tells the story of Nicholas, a dancer in Gulu who dreams of winning a big dance competition. At the same time, his mother is very sick, and money is a big problem. Because of the pressure, he ends up getting involved in crime. When he finally wins the competition, it comes with a painful loss.
This film took much longer to make than Kwak. We filmed for four months and spent three months editing, making the total production about seven months. Many of the people working on this film were students from Sisi Film Lab. The set became a place to learn, make mistakes, and grow together. Lamyel was also nominated for Best Short Film
Quote from one of the directors, Ocacakon Raymond:
“I am truly overwhelmed and deeply grateful for the nomination of our film in the Best Film category at the Regional Film Awards, Northern Region. This recognition means the world to me as a director from Northern Uganda. It’s validation that our stories of resilience, truth, and everyday life in Kwak, Lamyel, and Lies of Our Lives are resonating far and wide. My heart is full of pride for my entire team, cast, crew, and the communities who inspired these works. Thank you to the organizers and judges, this fuels our fire to keep telling powerful local stories!”
Lies of Our Lives.
Lies of Our Lives tells a more personal story. It follows Precious, a young woman who avoids responsibility and keeps hiding behind lies. She struggles with motherhood and relationships until the truth begins to catch up with her. The story focuses more on emotions and personal choices than action. The actors had to bring a lot of honesty to their roles, and the editing focused on slow moments instead of dramatic scenes.
Charlie Kobong, one of the directors and editor shares:
“This project was an interesting challenge from the start. We lost about a third of our footage, so we had to mix existing scenes with reshoots and create connecting moments to make the story work. In many ways, we had to rebuild the film and rewrite parts of it along the way. The project originally started as a TV series, but due to production challenges we were not able to complete it in that form. Instead, we focused on the story arcs of two of the main characters and reshaped them into different stories. A lot of that rewriting happened in the editing room.
One of the most special parts of the experience was the team. We had a large crew made up of past Sisi Film Lab trainees coming together to work on the production, which was a first for Sisi. Seeing that many people who trained together return to collaborate on a project was something meaningful”
The film was also nominated for Best Short Film, and several actors were recognized. Odwong Sunday received a nomination for Best Actor. Keinembabazi Guinevere was nominated for Best Young Actor. Alimo Florence was nominated for Best Actress.
Not Mine
Not Mine follows a story of a young schoolgirl accused of abandoning an infant at a gate, yet the baby belongs to a stranger who disappeared after asking her to help carry the baby. This was nominated for best short film, and the actors were also nominated.
Murder Chose Me
Murder Chose Me is a thriller that follows a boy obsessed with serial killer films, this obsession drives him into trying out what he sees on Tv. The boy acting as Torak in the film was nominated for Best Young Actor.
All five films were made through teamwork. The productions did not have big budgets or luxury resources. What we had was dedication and people who believed in the stories. Each film took a different amount of time: Kwak took 2 days shooting, 3 days editing. Lamyel took 4 months filming, 3 months post-production. Lies of Our Lives took longer production with careful editing. Not Mine took 2 days shooting, 7 days editing. Murder Chose Me took 2 days shooting and a month of editing. Together, these films represent months of work and learning. Each story also looks at the consequences of people’s choices.
The girl in Kwak faces the silence forced on her by people in power. Nicholas in Lamyel struggles with the cost of survival. Precious in Lies of Our Lives faces the results of avoiding responsibility. The girl in Not Mine faces betrayal from her family and the stranger and the boy in Murder Chose Me suffers the negative consequences of media.
For us, filmmaking is not only about entertainment. It is also about showing real experiences and starting conversations. Having all five films nominated means a lot to the entire team. It shows that meaningful stories can still be told even with limited resources. These films also show the growth of our actors, students, and filmmakers and this moment feels like just the beginning.
owesome
Congratulations! So proud of you. This is a big step, keep shining.
Great work
Thanks to everyone for the efforts and hard work during the process of bringing out these movies.
Let us stand tall and stride on as we sensitive and solve societal problems through art.
Congratulations, Manash! Your portrayal of Lakaraber in Trapped (Kwak) is incredible. Proud of you and grateful for the entire team’s effort!🔥🔥🔥