IKON AWARDS

About this year’s iKon Awards Film and Television

The nominations for the second edition of iKon Awards Film and Television came out last week on Friday, 26^th January. We look at those who took home the nominations, and maybe those categories to look out for.

The most nominated film of the day was Ken Ssebagala’s Unheard, which received over 11 nominations. The UGX 150 million budget Content Development Support Programme (CDSP) movie tells the story of a young mother played by Jackie Katusiime, who defies a deeply-rooted cultural tradition to become an unexpected hero within her community.

Unheard is set in a small fishing village called Rubaya in rural South Western Uganda. This emotional drama feature was nominated for all technical award categories except for Visual Effects, showcasing the strength that went into its creation. Jackie Katusiime, the lead actress, won the nomination for Best Actress in a Leading Role. Joseph Kahirimbanyi, another actor in the movie, also received a nomination for Best Supporting Actor.

Another movie that wasn’t surprising but received over nine nominations is The Kitara Chronicles. Set in ancient times, the movie tells the story of Buule, a young boy attempting to rescue Nangonzi, the love of his life, who has been captured by King Bukuku. Buule seeks the help of Ndahura, the last descendant of Isaza and grandson of Ruhanga, to regain his rightful throne.

The movie is competing for Best Film of the Year, Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best Costume, Best Makeup and Special Effects, Best Production Design, Best Visual Effects, and more awards.

he Kitara Chronicles Movie Poster. Courtesy Photo. 

Passenger by Hajjat Hadijjah Nankanjako also performed well at this year’s iKon Awards Film and Television. The movie tells the story of a young man who attempts to deliver a mysterious package to the city on a bus, but another passenger suspects him of being a killer carrying a mutilated body or bomb and is determined to stop him.

Passenger received nine nominations, including the iKon Award for Best Film of the Year, where it competes with Unheard, The Kitara Chronicles, and All for Love. Surprisingly, Maid of Honor, which received over eight nominations, wasn’t nominated in this category.

Other categories in which Passenger is featured include Best Director, where Hadijjah Nankanjako competes with Ken Ssebagala of Unheard, Yiga Sadat, the director of The Kitara Chronicles, and Maid of Honor’s Patrick Lorimo.

Henry Katongole Nathan was nominated for the Best Lead Actor for the same movie, with Allen Musumba scooping a Best Supporting Actress nomination, as well as several technical nominations like the Director of Photography Award, Best Screenplay Award, Best Editor Award, Best Sound, and Best Production Design.

The Passenger Movie Poster. Courtesy Photo. 

Other movies that received numerous nominations include Patrick Lorimo’s Maid of Honor, which garnered eight nominations, Okurut Nego Paul’s All For Love, which scooped five nominations, and Charles Luzinda’s Ganyana, which went home with three nominations.

Who performed well in Television Categories?

There are only three categories in the nominations for Television, and each category features three movies: Nathan Magoola’s Prestige and Beloved, and Doreen Mirembe’s Damalie.

Doreen Mirembe, who was the biggest winner in last year’s edition of the iKon Awards, dominates in this year’s TV categories, now being nominated as a producer of Damalie and for Best Lead Actress on Television.

Another notable dominant figure in the Television category is Nathan Magoola, who has two television shows featured in all nomination categories: Beloved and Prestige. Prestige remains part of this lineup despite not currently airing on its original channel, as it was still being broadcast for more than half of 2023, until around July. The submission requirements called for movies and shows released in late 2022 and 2023, so Prestige more than qualifies. We might witness its proper send-off (which we thought we had gotten last year).

Categories worth keeping an eye on.

There weren’t many good movies made last year, so only the very best made it into the Awards and dominated. However, there’s one category that stood out for having great films: the short film category. Among them is Ali Musoke’s The Last Shoemaker, a well-crafted satirical drama that premiered during the Matatu Film Stage, alongside other amazing shorts that I expected to see in this category. The absence of those films suggests there were equally great shorts to consider. This leads me to other contenders in the category: Arthur Nsubuga’s Taama, a Swangz Avenue production, Ziwa by Samuel Tebandeke, and Hakim Zziwa’s action short film, Building 62. This will likely be the tightest category, and it’s unclear who will come out on top.

The Last Shoemaker Movie Poster. Courtesy Photo. 

Another category that I believe is tight is the iKon Rising Star Award, featuring Faith Kirabo from Beloved, who made her acting debut in the series, Joseph Kahirimbanyi from Unheard, who received a nomination for Best Supporting Actor on his debut, and most notable one, the 1st runner-up of the Women In Film Monologue Challenge 2023, King Missy Ochola, who was the lead actress in The Last Shoemaker. While she has appeared in other movies, The Last Shoemaker was her breakthrough. This category is competitive because I believe all three have delivered extraordinary performances despite being new to the industry. Other factors will need to be considered to determine who takes home the “new kid on the block” award.

The rest of the categories have their favorites and underdogs, but as we’ve always witnessed in awards ceremonies, there are often surprises. So, we’ll just have to wait and see how it all unfolds in March at the Serena Hotel.

Here’s the list of nominees:

BEST FILM

• The Kitara Chronicles – Yiga Sadat, Kizito Sudaisy Sebbowa
• The Passenger – Meddy Sserwada, Hadijah Nakanjako
• Unheard – Polly Kamukama, Joseph Ken Ssebaggala
• All for Love – Okurut Nego Paul

BEST DIRECTOR

• Joseph Ken Ssebaggala – Unheard
• Hadijah Nakanjako – The Passenger
• Yiga Sadat – The Kitara Chronicles
• Patrick Lorimo – Maid of Honor

BEST ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE

• Fauziah Nakiboneka – Maid of Honor
• Jackline Katusiime – Unheard
• Rehema Mutesi – Ganyana
• Tania Shakirah Kankindi – All for Love

BEST ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE

• Kenneth Rukundo – All for Love
• Fenando Kamugisha – The Fallen Advocate
• Henry Nathan Katongole – The Passenger
• Masadde Isa Yusuf – The Kitara Chronicles

BEST ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

• Joseph Kahirimbanyi – Unheard
• Mathew Kavuma – Maid of Honor
• Blair Koono – Enkuba
• Sulait Mulimira – Ganyana

BEST ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

• Edith Baganda – Maid of Honor
• Allen Musumba – The Passenger
• Diana Kahunde – All for Love
• Florence Naiga – Ganyana

BEST DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY

• The Fallen Advocate – Benson Kamau Muigai
• The Passenger – Izaek Ekuka
• Unheard – Kitsha Kyasi Joseph
• The Kitara Chronicles – Kizito Sudaisy Sebbowa

BEST SCREENPLAY

• The Kitara Chronicles by Yiga Sadat, Masadde Isa Yusuf
• The Passenger by Meddy Sserwada
• Maid of Honor by Patrick Lorimo
• Unheard by Polly Kamukama

BEST SOUND

• Elly Musinguzi – Nkwanzi’s Slip
• Simon Agola, Michael Kavuma – Maid of Honor
• Isiko Abubaker – The Passenger
• Kaz Kasozi – Unheard

BEST EDITOR

• Emma Daka Waira – The Passenger
• Joseph Ken Ssebaggala – Unheard
• Derrick Taremwa – Enkuba
• Okurut Nego Paul – All for Love

BEST COSTUME DESIGN

• Nabanja Hikmah, Lukwago Paluku, Tumusiime Jackie – The Kitara Chronicles
• Kyosiima Ginny – Unheard
• Matilda Kavuma – Maid of Honor
• Julian Kirabo, Ali Musinguzi, Isaac Kyakoonye, Patricia Nabirye – The Tale of Our Times

BEST MAKEUP AND SPECIAL EFFECTS

• Esther Nakaziba – Maid of Honor
• Rose Lily Kebirungi – Unheard
• Lisa Sonia, Shadia Nakaddu, Cathy Kyokunda, Joana Nabakiibi – The Tale of Our Times
• Hikmah Nabbanja, Patience Nakibuka Shadia – The Kitara Chronicles

BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN

• Francis Byaruhanga – Unheard
• Rutaro Abel – The Tale of Our Times
• Yiga Sadat – The Kitara Chronicles
• Imran Musabeh – The Passenger

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS

• Cruz Abdullah, Faisal Mukalazi, Patrick Chris Black – The Tale of Our Times
• Tusingwire Alex – The Kitara Chronicles
• Wavamuno Caeser, Suuna Abubakar – Enkuba

BEST SHORT FILM

• Taama – Arthur Nsubuga
• Ziwa – Samuel Tebandeke
• Building 62 – Hakim Zziwa
• The Last Shoemaker – Ali Musoke

BEST DOCUMENTARY

• The Shadow Pandemic – Ssekandi Jimmy
• The Land of Peace – Ali Kibirige, Herbert Jjuuko, James Twino
• Dear Queen – Jamir Jamal Musenze

BEST ANIMATION FILM

• The Guardian – Denis Junior Dhikusooka
• Herderboy – Raymond Malinga
• Lost – Ashiraf Mulima

BEST TV SERIES

• Prestige – Nathan Magoola
• Damalie – Doreen Mirembe
• Beloved – Nathan Magoola

BEST ACTOR IN A TV SERIES

• Raymond Rushabiro – Prestige
• Dennis Kinani – Damalie
• Symon Base Kalema – Prestige

BEST ACTRESS IN A TV SERIES

• Doreen Mirembe – Damalie
• Sally Elizabeth Bwamimpeke – Prestige
• Faith Kirabo – Beloved

BEST STUDENT FILM

• Find Me Online – Brian “Vons” Mukisa
• I Sold Me Out – Lubeera Saphina
• Scold’s Bridle – Ssemwogerere Nurudeen
• Silent Scream – Otim Gerald

IKON RISING STAR

• Faith Kirabo
• Joseph Kahirimbanyi
• King Missy Ochola.

By Martin Kabagambe