Once Upon A Time in Uganda (2023)

"Utterly Charming and Loads of Fun"

Did you know there was a Ugandan exploitation film industry? Well, perhaps industry is overstating it seeing as the films that have been made so far are the work of one man - writer / director Isaac Nabwana. Now his career so far has been documented in this extremely entertaining and heartwarming documentary which is getting a release in Odeon Cinemas in September from Blue Finch.

Nabwana grew up with a love of Chuck Norris and Rambo-style action movies and refused to let the fact that he had no money or resources stop him from putting together movies like WHO KILLED CAPTAIN ALEX? THE UGANDAN EXPENDABLES, and EATEN ALIVE IN UGANDA. In his 'studio' pretty much the only thing not homemade is the camera he films with. The rest, including lighting rigs, gantries and any and all props and special effects are homemade, with the acting 'talent' being unpaid enthusiasts.

With few of his target audience owning DVD players and no chance of cinema distribution, many of Nabwana's films have gone straight to YouTube (where you can still find them). The film takes as its starting point the story of how a man from New York saw one of the trailers and was so taken by it that he sold everything to come to Uganda and help Nabwana (he ended up as his publicist and as an actor) make movies, culminating in Nabwana being a guest at the Toronto International Film Festival. 

        It's one of those 'man with no money fighting against the odds to realise his dream' stories and the ghetto in which he has created his life's work provides a harsh, but understated, backdrop to what is very much a heartwarming story that's a joy to watch from start to finish. Well worth watching and if you feel you have the stamina you can check out Isaac's films on YouTube afterwards. Here's the fantastically exuberant trailer:

ONCE UPON A TIME IN UGANDA is getting a cinema release through the Odeon circuit from Blue Finch on Tuesday 5th September 2023 which will also include a recorded Q&A with Isaac Nabwana