By Cinema UG | October 2026

What might Africa look like in the future?

What happens to love, memory and human connection when technology becomes deeply embedded in the way we create, communicate and understand the world?

These are some of the questions at the heart of Memory of Princess Mumbi, an ambitious Kenyan science-fiction romance written and directed by Swiss-Kenyan filmmaker Damien Hauser.

The film is coming to Kampala for two screenings at EMT Cinemas, offering Ugandan audiences an opportunity to experience a distinctly African vision of the future on the big screen.

A story set in the future

Set in 2094, Memory of Princess Mumbi follows Kuve, a young filmmaker who travels to Umata to document the aftermath of the Great War, a conflict that took place decades earlier.

While working on his documentary, Kuve meets Mumbi, a vibrant and free-spirited actress who sees the world differently from him.

Mumbi challenges Kuve's understanding of conflict, technology and storytelling. She also challenges him to make his film without using AI.

As their relationship develops, the story becomes more than a journey into a futuristic world. It becomes an exploration of love, memory, identity and the choices that define humanity. At the centre of the story is a love triangle involving Kuve, Mumbi and Prince, a royal figure whose character reflects both the strengths and contradictions of humanity. MEMORY OF PRINCESS MUMBI - Pres…

A different kind of African science fiction

One of the most interesting things about Memory of Princess Mumbi is that it does not attempt to imitate the conventional Hollywood version of the future.

Instead, it imagines a future through African locations, characters, culture and experiences.

The film was shot entirely in Kenya with a Kenyan cast, crew and production team, through a collaboration between Out of My Mind Films Ltd and Hauserfilm. It is a Kenya, Switzerland and Saudi Arabia production, with a runtime of 79 minutes. MEMORY OF PRINCESS MUMBI - Pres…

For Hauser, this is not about placing the film inside a particular label.

In his director's Q&A, he explains that he sees it simply as a science-fiction story made in Africa, rooted in African cultural heritage and part of a wider opportunity to tell African stories that have yet to be told. MEMORY OF PRINCESS MUMBI - Pres…

That perspective makes the film particularly relevant at a time when African filmmakers are increasingly imagining stories beyond the familiar genres and narratives traditionally associated with the continent.

When AI becomes part of the story

Perhaps the most intriguing element of Memory of Princess Mumbi is its relationship with artificial intelligence.

The film explores a future where AI-generated movies have become incredibly popular. Yet its central character, Mumbi, resists the use of AI in filmmaking.

This creates an interesting contradiction: a film that uses AI as part of its filmmaking process is also questioning what technology can never replace.

Hauser used AI primarily for set extension, shooting scenes in real locations and transforming their backgrounds to create the futuristic world of Umata. The production also involved different tools for image generation, upscaling, motion and compositing. MEMORY OF PRINCESS MUMBI - Pres… MEMORY OF PRINCESS MUMBI - Pres…

But the director's position is not simply pro-AI or anti-AI.

He acknowledges the possibilities AI creates for filmmakers while also expressing concern about how quickly the technology is developing and the consequences that are still not fully understood. MEMORY OF PRINCESS MUMBI - Pres…

For him, the bigger question is how humanity chooses to live alongside technology.

And that question is becoming increasingly relevant beyond the cinema.

A film born from memory and loss

Behind the futuristic world is a deeply personal story.

Hauser explains that the emotional foundation of the film came from the loss of his younger brother.

After the loss, he returned to footage he had captured over the years and found something unexpected: alongside the pain were countless ordinary, beautiful moments worth remembering.

That experience influenced the film's central interest in memory and the small moments that shape how we understand our lives and the people we have lost. MEMORY OF PRINCESS MUMBI - Pres…

The film therefore does not present a future defined only by war, destruction and technology.

It asks audiences to notice the quieter moments.

The moments of love.

The moments of connection.

The moments that make life meaningful.

Meet Princess Mumbi

At the centre of this story is Shandra Apondi, who plays Princess Mumbi and also serves as one of the film's producers.

Apondi brings together acting and filmmaking, making her involvement in the project particularly significant.

Her performance as Mumbi is central to the film's emotional journey, as the character challenges Kuve's pessimistic understanding of humanity and shows him that conflict is not the only possible way to understand the world.

The cast also includes Ibrahim Joseph as Kuve and Samson Waithaka as Prince. MEMORY OF PRINCESS MUMBI - Pres…

Why Kampala audiences should see it

Memory of Princess Mumbi sits at an interesting intersection.

It is science fiction, but it is also a love story.

It explores AI, but ultimately focuses on human emotion.

It imagines the future, but is deeply concerned with memory.

And while it takes place in a futuristic world, it was created from real African locations, African talent and African experiences.

The film's producer's statement describes it as a sci-fi romance and a love letter to cinema, arguing that while AI can be a powerful technical tool, human emotion and character remain at the heart of storytelling. MEMORY OF PRINCESS MUMBI - Pres…

For audiences interested in African cinema, filmmaking, technology, speculative fiction—or simply a good love story—there is plenty to discover.

Catch Memory of Princess Mumbi in Kampala

Ugandan audiences will have two opportunities to watch the film at EMT Cinemas, Kampala.

???? Thursday, 8 October 2026

Campus Thursday Offer: UGX 12,000
Time: 7:30 PM

???? Monday, 12 October 2026

Standard Ticket: UGX 15,000
Time: 7:30 PM

???? Venue: EMT Cinemas, Kampala

Memory of Princess Mumbi

Director: Damien Hauser
Cast: Shandra Apondi, Ibrahim Joseph, Samson Waithaka and others
Genre: Sci-Fi, Romance, Mockumentary
Runtime: 79 minutes
Language: English
Country of Origin: Kenya / Switzerland / Saudi Arabia
Country of Filming: Kenya MEMORY OF PRINCESS MUMBI - Pres…