Even as Uganda`s Film industry remains underrepresented, several women have taken the bull by the horns and are making the relevant noise plus making sure to pave the way for many more women in the Industry.
The Ugandan movie industry has seen an influx of female producers in the last 8 years, a movement that has brought versatility and inclusiveness to our screens. Interestingly, such women continue to enhance our stories for global consumption. Through their work, we see why representation matters, they unapologetically challenge norms with authenticity, yet are compassionate in their delivery.
Doreen Mirembe is a Ugandan film director, award-winning actress, writer and producer of the award-winning film ‘A Dog Story’ and recognized for her indepth creativity. According to art critic Gabriel Buule, she is considered to be “one of Uganda`s’s most aspiring film maker being part of a new, vibrant crop of talents representing contemporary African culture”.
Mirembe was awarded best actress of the year 2016 at Pearl International Film Festival. She has acted in film; stage plays and adverts. She is highly disciplined and has respect for her work and very passionate about acting and film making. She has written, produced and acted in 2 short films; A Dog Story and Nector and already done working on a feature film ‘KAFA COH’ which showed at Century Cinemax, Acacia Mall on 8th October 2022.
Kafa Coh is the story of justice in the face of power. From an indigenous language in an African country meaning too much injustice, Kafa Coh is a story of the fight for power at the behest of justice. The fight hijacks a young naïve lawyer, Sandrah who finds herself in the center of a battle ground of two political heavy weights. Vice president Cedric takes on President Arima for unconstitutionally sacking him and as Vice President Cedric’s Attorney, Sandrah stands between the two men. She is awakened to deep dark realities of political deception, corruption and a hemorrhagic virus epidemic countrywide. She doesn’t know who to trust or who to bear allegiance to especially since she is new at all this. Worst of all, her allies come in the form of enemies, further pushing her to question herself, the case and the corrupt handling of the epidemic which could wipe her tiny nation off the face of the earth. Kafa Coh takes us through the political disingenuous nature of many an African nation and the price and/or collateral damage to its citizens.
Mirembe has also played a cameo role on the Mira Nair’s 2016 film ‘Queen of Katwe’. She has also worked in television and played Dr. Stephan on NTV drama series titled ‘Deception’. She also played Honorable Spe on another NTV drama series The Honourablez and on an NBS TV high school drama Kyaddala as Nurse Betty.
Mirembe has a passion for story telling since as far back as she can remember and wants to make a mark as a producer of stories that affect the African person. She vehemently believes that the current stories we tell miss a certain identity true to Africa and she intends to bridge that gap through spectacle, and story that fuse together to tell you Africa and Africa as is.
From the social political to the economic as well as the dreams and aspirations of the African man. This is why she jumped at the opportunity to produce Kafa Coh a story that aims to remind African leaders about service over anything else. In it we see greed suffering and the hope of that Africa of tomorrow that many dream of. In her own words; ‘I have always been a great fun of stories touching our social/political setup and strongly believe such stories will help give real perspectives to our lives. Who knows, that way film might just become a huge agent of that change we yearn for as a continent.
The Ebola angle makes it even more fascinating as it is close and relatable. It is such stories that shape film industries. From my research of the Academy awards since 2009, most films that have carried the day at the Oscars are inspired by actual events, based on a true story or Adapted from a novel. Human interest stories are an avenue we should seek as a region even as we flourish in our numerous fictitious stories. I will not overlook the challenges we face in our leadership and how such stories would be received especially as they touch on the very core of them that have used crude and selfish means and kept our continent in a state of constant need. These fears cannot and must not impede the strong tool that is film’.
Watch Kafa-Coh trailer below:
