I have been immersed in documentary film and online content, which is the future of media content in Africa.
TV is dead abroad and it’s all about streaming now.
Caroline Kamya is a British-Ugandan multi-award winning film producer and director with productions like Imani, Fire Fly, A Peace Between, and Hot Comb under her belt. She spoke to The EastAfrican about the state of the film industry in Uganda and Europe.
You were the first woman to make a feature film in Uganda titled Imani in 2010. How has your film journey been like since?
I have been immersed in documentary film and online content, which is the future of media content in Africa. TV is dead abroad and it’s all about streaming now. We curate what we watch and decide when we want to watch it. Most under 30’s don’t watch TV, they are online. This is my area of specialisation even if I still work on cinematic long-form projects in Europe and Africa at my company ceekayfilms.com.
What are some of the challenges you have encountered in your work?
I am based in Amsterdam and the main challenges are stereotyping and lack of cohesion between Africans on the continent and Africans in the diaspora. But, this is changing especially after the George Floyd incident in the US and the rise in pan-African pride and awareness. Many of my college friends are looking to Africa as the place to live and work. Children of African families who moved to Europe are now interested in living in Africa.
Why are you committed to the development of cultural art both in Uganda and the Netherlands?
I am bi-cultural myself having been born in Uganda and raised in Europe. I was headhunted to work in Amsterdam straight after Imani and settled for supporting Europeans of African descent by giving them a voice and visibility, something that is limited in the mainstream over there.
Supporting Ugandan creativity is my passion. I love my roots and my people. We are some of the most talented and passionate people in the world and all we need is access and contacts to showcase this. I can help because I was supported by great mentors for over 15 years.
You recently launched the project NATIV, which supports young African creatives. How will this project run and who will benefit?
Yes, you can find us on www.iamnativ and you can subscribe as a “creative” or as a “buyer.” It is a platform connecting talented African media professionals with the international market. I and a group of Hollywood, Nollywood and “Britwood” talents are backing this project that we will launch officially next year.
I was in Dar es Salaam just before landing in Uganda and signed up the top talents there, I am looking to do the same here. If you have equipment, good training and some experience working with international clients (including local NGOS) we want you to get onboard and subscribe to our platform. We are connecting African talent to a global market.
You launched the Uganda Arts and Media Academy in 2006, which ran for three years. What are some of its achievements?
We trained over 100 young people who had never used a camera or edited a film before and I am really proud that you will find many alumni working on TV commercials, music videos, travelling abroad for further training or setting up their own production houses.
How best would you describe the state of the film industry in Uganda?
It has so much potential. The quality of image making is getting better, but there is still a lot to be done. Writing for fiction film or documentaries and having our own aesthetic is still something we are yet to find. Also there are many “rookies” in the industry who are not ready for the roles they have taken up, but with more training institutions of high quality like the Maisha Lab I attended, I am optimistic for the future. The talent is there for sure.
What got you interested in filmmaking?
I was frustrated by the stereotype of “the African” when I was growing up in Europe. It was during my years at boarding school in the UK where I discovered the huge disparity and stereotyping regarding African culture. When I showed photos to my fellow students, I was confronted with doubt and disbelief, “that isn’t your house, that’s a hotel, as people in Africa live in mud huts.” It was this false image of Africa, which fuelled my desire to change the attitude and preconceived notions that the West has towards Africa.
At the age of 15, I took over from my father in recording our family holidays and other events using his old video camera. Growing up in the UK, there wasn't enough African content on TV, and it made me miss home and the amazing diverse culture I was surrounded with as a child.
