Uganda. The heart of Africa. Famed for many a thing. From its stunning wildlife to its dubious position on Homosexuality. As with many places, escapism is key for many to survive. So when the locals watch film superstars like Chuck Norris, Bruce Lee, Rambo et al, they love them with the passion of a religious conviction. Isaac Godfrey Geoffrey Nabwana was such a convert. Well he was a convert in excess. He took his zeal a step further again and took on the mantle of spreading the cinematic word. Overcoming vast obstacles, from computers, equipment and even power supplies, he produced SFX’s, choreographed fight scenes and pulse pounding stories. All in the way to making Uganda have its own indie film studio, Wakaliwood (known officially as Ramon Film Productions.)

Seen mainly on bootleg DVDs and on Youtube channels, they have taken the country and some of the most surprising global locations by storm. From the halls in rural India, to the duplex’s of New York city. Which is where Alan Hofmanis, film curator, occasional film producer and rare actor, finds them and falls in love. So eager is he to get in on the action, he jumps a plane to Kampala and then hunts down Ramon Films from exhaustive searches in the markets and sidings of the capital. Finding the studio and making friends with Nabwana and his wife, it leads to a exceptional story of a future of world exposure and domination?

Directer Cathryne Czubek, needs little to energize such a persuasive story for film fans. We all dream of making it big, making films that have global reach and even having our films respected and adored. But what is so interesting about ONCE UPON A TIME IN UGANDA is that Czubek injects so much obvious passion for Wakaliwood that it amplifies the energy. Turning what is in essence a simple rags to riches story into a film about global cinema, influences and the resistance to globalisation. This story adds power when it discusses how economically Uganda is controlled by Non African sources (Western and Chinese). Czubek comes at the whole with a lot of respect. It is given to the works and equally those interviewed. It is tempered with a measure of the film making respect with adversity but it really reaches it zenith (and for me the reason I liked the film so much), in the little human scenes. Showing that this isnt a film that wants tears and celebrations. Its about Empathy and respect. Some other reviewers have got on their knees to appear sympathetic. Don’t do that. Respect is all Ramon productions wants. Now 101 films are a case in point of this respect and well done to them. They have released 2 WAKALIWOOD films in the UK. WHO KILLED CAPTAIN ALEX and BAD BLACK. Both films are great fun and especially valuable when watched with a VP to drop comedy and comments as you watch. I long for more…

http://Trailer: https://youtu.be/4ygUG7DlBfM

Once Upon a Time in Uganda in cinemas from 5 September