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BRIAN KABOGOZA, 26, is a young filmmaker, who has already won awards for his work.
Kabogoza directed films including My Degree (2022), My Background, and My First Year (2023), earning nominations at Uganda’s Ikon Awards, Malawi International Film Festival, and a win at the Student World Impact Film Festival in the US.
He has also directed short horrors, such as Dinner for Three, Love Bite, and other short films that include Bound by Sacrifice, Kill List, The Journal, What Do You Want, Fathers’ Pain, and Shadows of Regret. He recently sat down with Quick Talk at Taa Angavu restaurant to share his passion.
Tell Quick Talk more about Kabogoza.
My name is Brian Kabogoza, I am 26, a filmmaker – initially self- taught – but I got an opportunity to be trained through the MultiChoice Talent Factory, which has made me the person I am today, who just loves making movies.
What drew you to the world of film?
I always enjoyed watching television. I always [fanaticized] about being the person either on TV or someone behind the [camera].
So, when I was 15 in form 2 at Namilyango College, I sneaked my uncle’s video camera into the school and we shot a couple of clips about certain scenarios that were a bit comedic; from that point my interest in film was lit like a fire
I remember we were able to merge all the clips with a couple of friends and sold the CDS to parents.
Were you ever caught with uncle’s camera by the school administration?
I remember I was caught by the headmaster of Namilyango College, who at the time was Mr Muguluma Gerald. But when he saw what we had done [with the camera], he actually just embraced us and realised that we were talented in what we were doing. He just asked us to take the camera back home.
So, how many sales did you make at school?
break off for holidays. I remember each CD sold for Shs 1,000 or 2,000 at the time. Unfortunately, the team I was working with took most of the the money and I didn’t get a shilling from the venture [a good introduction to the world of business!]
However, I took one CD home and showed it to my family. They were worried that [I was losing focus] on school. I was a child who has grown up with different relatives.
What is your creative process like?
I actually use my own experiences; for example, when I was working on the movie My Background, it was based on my very humble background. That film exposed me to the film industry and it got lots of recognition in Uganda and beyond, which also actually got me a scholarship to go to MultiChoice Talent Academy.
Do you delve into other genres of film besides those tailored to university or school settings?
Yes! Of late, I’m experimenting with doing dramas, horrors and thrillers. What awards have you won? The very first film I did titled My Degree, got a nomination in the Ikon Awards.
I won for Dinner for Three, the Best Student Film at the Uganda Film Festival last year. I won Best International Director in Malawi in 2024 and in Kenya’s Mombasa International Film Festival I was awarded for the Best International Short Film and was also nominated in Ghana for Best Student Film.
I also got a couple of nominations in South Africa, the USA, and others.
Why are your films in the five-minute range?
First, I am still learning. I started as a self-taught filmmaker and have not yet fully mastered the art of filmmaking yet. These short films give me a chance to learn from my craft.
They give me a chance to experiment, and also give me a chance to tell a story in the shortest time possible. So, I’m sort of creating pilots for films that can be made into feature films.
How was it growing up?
Growing up was tough. I was raised by a loving and respected grandmother. I did not get a chance to grow up with parents, but I thank God that my parents are alive.
My grandmother who really loved me and trusted me, took me to the best schools in this country and she always told people that she believes in me even when I was a kid.
It’s unfortunate that she passed on when I was just joining high school and before she passed on, she told me, “You can be anything you want to be. No one’s going to pick you up if you don’t pick yourself up”.
And I’m also grateful to say that my relatives took care of me very well after she had passed on. But that background shaped me, because moving from home to home pushed me so much. And you see, when you have nothing to keep you safe, you sometimes mature so fast because you want to become a survivor.
What schools did grandma enroll you in?
I went to Cornerstone Junior School, and for secondary education I went to Namilyango College and Makerere College School, and for my university education, I went to Uganda Christian University, although I didn’t graduate at the desired time.
I am working on finishing my Bachelor’s degree in Mass Communication.
How do you envision the future of film in Uganda?
The future of our film industry is so bright, because there are so many people who are coming up, who are self-taught but just need investment, exposure and confidence.
I would advise any upcoming filmmaker to know that their dream is so valuable and [as long as] you have that dream in your head, it’s already possible. People will call you crazy.
People will tell you, get a job. People will compare you to your friends. But when you keep waking up in the morning and keep doing that thing you love, which is film, one day it will make sense. One day the dots connect and you thank God that the process you went through paid off.
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