By Guest Writer
MultiChoice Uganda, a CANAL+ Company, has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting Uganda’s growing film and television industry through its continued partnership with the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) at the 2026 Uganda Film Festival Awards Gala.
As a partner in this year’s festival, MultiChoice Uganda joined industry stakeholders, filmmakers, producers, actors, directors, scriptwriters and creatives in celebrating excellence in Ugandan storytelling and the continued growth of the country’s creative sector.
Over the years, the Uganda Film Festival has grown into one of the country’s most important platforms for recognizing talent, strengthening industry skills, and creating opportunities for local creatives to showcase their work.
At the Awards Gala, filmmakers and creatives were recognized across a range of categories for their contribution to Ugandan storytelling and film production. Among the evening’s winners was MultiChoice Uganda, who won the Festival Award, while Derrick Baka received the Best Actor in a TV Drama/Series for his performance in Damalie presented with support from MultiChoice Uganda.
Speaking at the Awards Gala, Colin Asiimwe, the Head of Marketing, MultiChoice Uganda, said the company’s partnership for the festival aligns with its mission of championing local stories and creating platforms for Ugandan talent to thrive.
“Tonight’s awards are a reflection of the talent and creativity within Uganda’s film industry and the strength of the stories our filmmakers are producing. Storytelling is one of the most powerful ways through which communities preserve culture and inspire conversations. Uganda’s film industry continues to demonstrate its ability to tell authentic stories that resonate deeply with audiences both locally and across the continent,” Asiimwe said.
He added that through platforms such as Pearl Magic and Pearl Magic Prime, the brand continues to invest in local productions that showcase Uganda’s culture, experiences and creativity to audiences across Africa.
Uganda’s creative industry continues to play an increasingly important role in economic and social development, contributing to employment creation, youth empowerment, cultural preservation, tourism promotion and entrepreneurship. According to UNESCO, Africa’s film and audiovisual industry has the potential to create more than 20 million jobs and contribute over USD 20 billion to the continent’s GDP. Uganda’s growing creative sector is increasingly positioning itself as an important contributor to this opportunity through film, television, music, fashion, and digital content creation.
The 2026 Uganda Film Festival has also featured industry trainings, workshops, mentorship engagements and film screenings of over 50 Ugandan films aimed at strengthening technical capacity and nurturing emerging talent across different areas of production. These engagements have brought together actors, producers, directors, cinematographers, editors, makeup artists, costume designers, sound engineers and scriptwriters, highlighting the collaborative nature of the industry.
Hon. Nyombi Thembo, the UCC Executive Director, reaffirmed UCC’s commitment to supporting the growth of Uganda’s film industry and thanked the Ministry, the UFF jury, the UCC team, nominees and winners for their contributions.
“The festival launched in 2013 and has grown significantly over the past 13 years, with increasing film submissions, improving production quality and growing international recognition of Ugandan films” Nyombi said.
Hon. Minister Justin Namere, representing the Guest of Honour, ICT Minister Justine Lumumba, in her absence, presented the Lifetime Achievement Award to Mr. Andrew Benon Kibuuka.
Through continued investment in local content, industry partnerships and talent development initiatives, MultiChoice Uganda remains committed to contributing to the growth and visibility of Uganda’s creative economy and ensuring Ugandan stories continue to reach wider audiences across the continent and beyond. (For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [WhatsApp line], 0779411734 & 041 4674611 or email us at mulengeranews@gmail.com).
