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, 26th 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.
Unheard Movie Poster. Courtesy Photo.
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.
The 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.