Nollywood star Ramsey Nouah joins the premiere of the 2024 Ikon Young Filmmakers Fellows short films & the Unveil of Kwiso TV at the Reach A Hand headquarters in Lungujja. Ramsey came to Uganda on 24th March, 2025 for the Ikon Awards scheduled to happen on Saturday, 29th March, 2025.
This event crowned the 2024 Ikon Fellowship program after a series of masterclasses that the fellows underwent following which they received a $500 grant in pairs to produce five 5-10-minute short films themed around sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) among young people and other social issues.
These short films which were premiered will be distributed on Kwiso TV, a streaming platform which is aimed at increasing the availability of content that reflects Uganda and East Africa’s unique cultures, languages, and stories while providing opportunities for emerging talent to gain exposure.
While at the event, Humphrey Nabimanya, the Founder of Ikon Awards & Reach A Hand Uganda encouraged everyone to register & join the wait list of Kwiso Tv and promote the Ugandan film industry. “We are buying content, if you have your film, documentary, TV Series, approach us to buy your films”, Humphrey to all filmmakers.
Ramsey made his commitment to filmmakers in Uganda that Ramsey Films will support the integration of the Ugandan film industry and the Nigerian film industry as a way to ensure that filmmaking is global regardless of the language. “I believe that film is a global language”, Ramsey Nouah says.
After the premiere of each of the short films, each of the filmmakers was given an opportunity to share with the audience their journey and experiences shooting the film. These moments were emotional as the filmmakers recounted the challenges, triumphs, and personal growth they experienced throughout the production process. Many spoke about the invaluable lessons learned from the Ikon Young Filmmakers Fellowship masterclasses, and the deep passion that drove them to tell impactful stories.
Some of the fellows became emotional as they reflected on how their films mirrored real-life struggles faced by young people in their communities. They expressed gratitude for the opportunity to share their work with an audience that included industry veterans like Ramsey Nouah, whose presence further validated their efforts and dreams.
The event culminated in the voting of the Viewers Choice after screening the five short films. The winning film was Ssuubi, a documentary that tells the real life story of Ssuubi Abdurahman, a young man living with vitiligo. Growing up, he faces relentless bullying and stigma which takes a toll on his emotional and psychological wellbeing, subjecting him to the pain of isolation, the struggle for self-acceptance, and the resilience it takes to rise above discrimination.
About the five Short Films
The short films which have been premiered include: Zilabamuzaale with the narrative of Mental Health & Grief by Ligose Angela, Nankya Shamsa, & Nakabazi Lukia, Not Alone around mental health by Treno Lee & Nakabazzi Lukia, The Drought Girl around climate change by Layoo Ketty & Nakaibale Denis, Ssuubi, a documentary about the life of Ssuubi living with Vitiligon by Ssuubi AbdulRahman & Solomon Otengo, & Take My Hand about by Nansubuga Rhoda & David Mukama.
“I’m proud to say that the majority of these films have more representation of female issues because we had 60% representation of women in this year’s fellowship” – Humphrey’s remarks about the films.
Sentiments from the fellows
“Participating in the IKON Fellowship Program was a unique and transformative experience for me. I enhanced my skills in ways I never imagined. I polished my scriptwriting and gained new skills in film production and directing through insightful masterclasses and the unique opportunity to bring a vision to life by shooting a movie. I can’t wait to experience more wins from this amazing program” – Nansubuga Rhoda Ssegane says.
Shooting the documentary about people living with vitiligo was an incredible and eye-opening experience. I’m deeply grateful to the Ikon team for empowering young filmmakers in Uganda with such opportunities. This was my first time directing, a challenging but rewarding journey. Connecting with the interviewees was emotional, as I feared saying something that might hurt their feelings. Yet, through their stories, I gained a deeper understanding of vitiligo and I feel inspired to learn even more. There’s so much to share, but some things are best spoken from the heart – Otengo Solomon.
What next after the premiere
The short films will be distributed on Kwiso TV, a streaming platform with African movies that is coming soon. Join the wait list via: https://kwiso.tv/.
The best film will get an award for the Ikon Film Fellows Of The Year at the iKON Award Night happening on 29th March, 2025. The filmmakers of the winning film will be given a grant to produce a feature film. Humphrey promises the fellows continued support as they pursue their dreams of becoming renowned filmmakers.
