Part of Midnight Movies
Welcome to Wakaliwood, Uganda: home of “DA BEST OF DA BEST MOVIES!” and the vanguards of DIY commando cinema. Under the guidance of writer/producer/director Nabwana Isaac Godfrey Geoffrey (IGG) and with producer/star Alan Ssali Hofmanis, this crack crew of self-taught filmmakers and martial arts aficionados produce dozens of gonzo action films in the Kampala ghetto with budgets that rarely exceed $200 USD. Utilizing scrap parts to build computers, machine guns and a full-sized Huey helicopter, these real-life superheroes inspire more heart, imagination and soul than a thousand Hollywood blockbusters.
ONCE UPON A TIME IN UGANDA
Dir. Cathryne Czubek | Uganda/USA | 2023 | NR | 94 min. | DCP
Follows the team who have catapulted Wakaliwood to worldwide stardom with their own gonzo action movies bringing joy to millions of people across the internet. In Film Threat, Bobby LePire writes: “A triumph on all levels. It is filmed with style, follows immensely likable people, and has an infectious, exuberant spirit that is impossible to resist. If you haven’t seen one of Isaac Nabwana’s films, I highly recommend checking them out.”
WHO KILLED CAPTAIN ALEX?
Dir. Nabwana Isaac Godfrey Geoffrey (IGG) | Uganda | 2010 | NR | 64 min. | DCP
Made for a mere $200, this riotous Ugandan DIY amalgamation of ‘80s meat-head actioners and golden age kung-fu flicks has more heart, imagination and soul than a thousand Hollywood blockbusters. Quoth the Film Stage, “WHO KILLED CAPTAIN ALEX? contains Ugandan commandos, kung fu, a MIDI version of Seal’s ‘Kiss from a Rose’, a rambunctious in-film commentary track, and some more supa action. It’s a bat-shit crazy milestone to be honored in the film history books.”
