For the past nine years, the Ugandan Film Festival has celebrated the best of Ugandan cinema. However, in those nine editions, there was no category that recognized the art of makeup. That all changed with the 10th edition. The festival organizers have finally acknowledged the significant contribution that makeup artists make to the film industry.

Makeup has always been an essential component of filmmaking. It helps to transform actors into their characters, making them look and feel like someone else entirely. From creating wounds and scars to aging actors, makeup artists play a crucial role in bringing a film to life. In many ways, they are the unsung heroes of the film industry.

Despite the vital role that makeup plays in filmmaking, it has often been overlooked in many film festivals, including the Ugandan Film Festival. For years, makeup artists have had to settle for recognition from their peers, and their work was not always appreciated by audiences or critics. That will change going forward.  This addition comes after several other events in the film makeup world that have happened this year so far, that is, Enakaziba Makeup Exhibition and the fact that the recently concluded iKon Awards has the category.

The addition of the Best Makeup category is a significant step forward for the Ugandan Film Festival. It shows that the festival organizers recognize the value of makeup artists and their contribution to the industry. By creating a dedicated category for makeup, they are giving artists the recognition they deserve and encouraging more filmmakers to pay attention to this essential aspect of filmmaking.

One of the main benefits of the new category is that it will help add efforts to already existing initiatives in raising awareness about makeup and its importance in filmmaking. This, in turn, will lead to more filmmakers prioritizing makeup in their productions, which will ultimately result in better-quality films.

When makeup is done well, it can add an extra layer of depth to a character and help to create a more immersive experience for the audience. By recognizing the importance of makeup, the Ugandan Film Festival is encouraging filmmakers to pay attention to this crucial aspect of filmmaking and to produce better films as a result.

For the filmmakers and the make-up artists, it’s your time to also shine at the Ugandan Film Festival with the faces you’ve created.