Natasha Karugire’s debut film on the Ugandan bush war of the 1980s is about 27 guns and the 41 men who fought it, including her father, the country’s president Yoweri Museveni.
WHEN I FIRST MET HER at the Kampala Serena Hotel in Uganda exactly a year ago, the polite, soft-spoken Natasha Karugire, the eldest daughter of Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, had been visibly anxious about her debut film, 27 GUNS, the shooting of which had just begun with an all-Ugandan crew and cast.
She spoke passionately about the project, which literally had her living in the bush in Luweero, located two hours by road from Kampala, at the time for the filming.
Premiering in Uganda and South Africa in September, 27 GUNS recreates Uganda’s bush war of the 1980s, and Luweero is significant as this is where her father mostly went into hiding as part of the National Resistance Army (NRA). All they had was 27 guns, 41 men and hope.
Karugire says: “I believe it’s our time as Africans to stand up. It’s time for us to sing our own song, in our own unique voice; to tell our stories with our own words. I hear the rumblings of the awakened roar of a collective people. The world is going to hear the sound of Africa.”
The mother of four, who scripted and directed the film, under her production company Isaiah 60, says of the cast, including the lead actor, Arnold Mubangizi, who plays the young Museveni: “A big number of our cast had no prior acting experience, yet they gave amazing, very real performances.” She reveals more to FORBES WOMAN AFRICA ahead of the film’s screening:
What is the scale and scope of 27 GUNS? How long did it take to film and what was the investment?
27 GUNS is an independent film on a larger scale than the ordinary indie. So our budget is indie but the story is massive. You can imagine the struggle to marry the two aspects. Very much like the pan-African spirit in this film, our financial and human resource support is entirely from within the continent, and mostly from Uganda.
Bu hikaye Forbes Woman Africa dergisinin September/November 2018 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Giriş Yap
Bu hikaye Forbes Woman Africa dergisinin September/November 2018 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Giriş Yap
Well-Grounded
Coco Cachalia, whose mother Amina was among the 20,000 in the Women’s March of August 1956, made a decision to stay away from politics – and succeed in business instead.
Art Becomes Her
A celebrated international fine artist, Mmakgabo Helen Sebidi overcame the struggles of apartheid, and her work is grounded in her past.
'Not Just Pro-Women But Pro-Progress'
South Africa’s Minister of Women Susan Shabangu on the significance of the 61st anniversary of Women’s Day, and the role men can play in ending gender violence in South Africa and creating an equal society.
Diversity And Inclusion Are Part Of Baker Mckenzie's DNA
According to Law360’s 2017 Glass Ceiling Report, women make up around one-third of the attorneys in private legal practice. Among the law firms surveyed, just below 23% of partners are female.
We, Men For Women
South Africa still has a long way to go for gender justice in business and in life, but with more men openly stepping forward to be a part of the discourse, FORBES WOMAN AFRICA speaks to two male entrepreneurs, a CEO and a social activist. They acknowledge diversity makes smart social and economic sense that will benefit all.
What, After All, Does Feminism Have To Do With Men?
According to the seminal African-American writer bell hooks (her name is not capitalized), feminism is for everybody.
Blood, Setbacks And Tears
Two sisters with common failures and a dream to eventually succeed.
Fighting To The End
In May, 82 more Chibok girls were released in exchange for Boko Haram prisoners. Oby Ezekwesili, a strong advocate in the campaign to bring them back, has vowed to never stop fighting.
Not Just Hard Work, But Heart Work
As incidents of gender-based violence increase in Africa, those like Nigeria’s Kemi Dasilva-Ibru, are trying to bring relief to stigmatized victims.
Going Down The Spice Route
Essie Bartels worked several odd jobs she hated before opening a company selling mouth-watering spices and sentiments to the world.
