Directed By: Cathryne Czubek
Featuring: Alan Hofmanis, Isaac Nabwana
Plot Summary: The story of how Ugandan brickmaker Isaac Nabwana decided to make action films, drawing the attention of New York film programmer Alan Hofmanis. As Isaac Nabwana’s star begins to rise, the friendship between the two men becomes threatened.
It’s safe to say that everyone loves a great underdog story; the kind where the little person manages to succeed in a game that increasingly feels rigged. Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you know that there is a major strike taking place with members of the writer’s guild rightly fighting for better pay, and overall better quality of life. Now the Screen Actor’s Guild has joined, turning up the heat and hopefully creating major changes – especially with the ever-looming boogeyman of A.I.
With Hollywood being a shit show right now, it is refreshing to watch a documentary about filmmakers breaking free from large mega corporations. Enter Wakaliwood, the home of a ragtag group of filmmakers, led by Isaac Nabwana, a bricklayer with stars in his eyes. After one of Nabwana’s movie clips goes viral, it catches the attention of film programmer Alan Hofmanis. Hofmanis travels to Uganda and forms a friendship with Nabwana and his friends and family. We see the bond between the two men, and the rift that comes between them and the art of cinema.
Once Upon a Time in Uganda is first and foremost a straight from the heart love letter to the cinema. And, for those of us who have started to become jaded, this sincere journey will rekindle that passion. The biggest selling point is how Nabwana and his crew, comprised of friends and family, make magic out of what little resources they have. You cannot help but love the fact that Nabwana has a passion for making over-the-top action films. The sacrifice needed to make this dream a reality is highlighted and will sure to be having you cheering in your seats. All of this is amazing, yet the movie doesn’t quite live up to its incredible potential.
Had the movie been focused solely on Nabwana and his blood, sweat and tears to not only make movies, but the noble goal of putting Uganda on the map for filmmaking, this would easily be a 10 out of 10 review. No notes. Yet, when film programmer Alan Hofmanis is featured just as much, if not more so, it conjures an uneasy feeling. Sure, Hofmanis comes on board helping the crew and even acting (in a hilarious moment when the filmmakers need a white guy) in one of their movies. Still, it feels like at a certain point he tries taking over, which rightly leads to tension among Hofmanis and Nabwana.
This boils down to a huge ideological divide that separates them. Hofmanis is thinking of this in Western fashion. Meaning, make money, expand to more markets – rinse and repeat. Nabwana, on the other hand, wants to focus on keeping things local and using his art to prop up his homeland and ideals. It feels like Hofmanis, a Johnny-come-lately, comes and wants to capitalize on other people’s work, making a name for himself. He certainly takes every chance he can to do interviews with some big outlets. Despite this conflict being featured, the filmmakers never use this as an opportunity to reflect on, or better yet challenge Hofmanis’ choices. The director appears to not want to make Hofmanis look bad, so it soft peddles on what could have been provocative topics. The result is a very safe documentary that doesn’t dare upset the apple cart as it were. You can give Hofmanis the benefit of the doubt and say he had noble intentions, but why should he share in telling this story?
It very much feels like the documentary started out as one thing, then later, when Nabwana rightly gets upset, the filmmakers scramble to make it something else. This disconnect is felt, but seeing how this film is still holding a 100% freshness rating, what do we know? If critics were being honest, they could admit that while this film is refreshing, interesting and well worth a watch, it only scratches the surface on its themes.
Once Upon A Time In Uganda is an uneven but ultimately joyous film that is worth watching, even with its issues.
Once Upon A Time In Uganda is currently playing in select theaters courtesy of Yellow Veil Pictures and Drafthouse Films.
Once Upon A Time In Uganda is an uneven but ultimately joyous film that is worth watching, even with its issues.
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GVN Rating 7
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Big film nerd and TCM Obsessed. Author of The Ultimate Guide to Strange Cinema from Schiffer Publishing. Resume includes: AMC’s The Bite, Scream Magazine etc. Love all kinds of movies and television and have interviewed a wide range of actors, writers, producers and directors. I currently am a regular co-host on the podcast The Humanoids from the Deep Dive and have a second book in the works from Bear Manor.