Nyege Nyege festival organizers visit WakaliWood

Ahead of the 2026 Nyege Nyege Festival, organisers visited Ramon Film Productions, the home of WakaliWood in Wakaliga, Rubaga, to celebrate one of Uganda’s most unconventional filmmaking movements and its growing international appeal.

The delegation, which visited on Friday, was welcomed by WakaliWood founder Isaac G.G. Nabwana. They explored the studio’s creative world, where ingenuity, limited resources and unapologetically Ugandan storytelling have helped turn low-budget action films into a global talking point.

Roy Tumwizere, senior brand manager for mainstream spirits at Uganda Breweries Limited, said the visit celebrated homegrown creativity that continues to take Uganda’s stories beyond its borders.

“As we invite the world to celebrate the spirit of Ugandan creativity at this year’s Nyege Nyege Festival, we decided to stop by a true home of artistic ingenuity, taking our nation’s storytelling beyond our borders. So, here we are in Wakaliga today,” Tumwizere said.

The tour offered a glimpse into WakaliWood’s original filming locations, costumes, props and memorabilia, including “Maria”, the locally welded, improvised machine gun made famous by the viral action film Who Killed Captain Alex?

Visitors also encountered the studio’s distinctive collection of souvenirs, including a “Wall of Death” bearing the signatures of characters and performers who have met their fictional ends on the WakaliWood screen.

For Nabwana, the studio’s growing international recognition has not changed its founding vision: to tell uniquely Ugandan stories using the resourcefulness and creativity that have become its trademark.

“Action, fun and laughter remain the universal language we have spoken since we started,” he said.

The locally welded, improvised machine gun made famous by the viral action film Who Killed Captain Alex. Courtesy Photo

Having participated in the inaugural Nyege Nyege Festival, Nabwana said WakaliWood was looking forward to using the expanded festival platform to introduce more audiences to Uganda’s creative talent.

“We look forward to using this expanded platform to show more of our local creativity to the world, right from Kalagala Falls,” he said.

Mzee Isaac Bwanika, secretary of Pearlwood, the umbrella organisation for filmmakers in Uganda, urged local creatives to seize the festival as an opportunity to showcase their work and tell their stories on a global stage.

He pointed to WakaliWood as an example of how homegrown ideas, told through an authentically Ugandan lens, can attract international attention and create economic opportunities for local creatives.

Nyege Nyege  co-founder Derek Debru promised an extraordinary festival experience, with 96 hours of non-stop entertainment and a dedicated filmmaker zone. The zone will include on-site camping facilities provided by Adrift, creating space for filmmakers and other creatives to connect and showcase their work.

Meanwhile, festival co-organisers Talent Africa Group said the ‘So Ug’ Stage would celebrate Ugandan music and homegrown talent, featuring performances by Maro, Etania, Linus, King Saha, The Zonke Collective and other local acts.