‘Maama Wange’ bags 9 Uganda Film Festival nominations – Sqoop

In the narrow, bustling lanes of Namuwongo, where survival often overshadows dreams, a story was born, raw, painful, and deeply human. Today, that story has risen far beyond its origins, finding its place on Uganda’s biggest film stage.

Maama Wange, a gripping social drama born out of the 2023 iKON Awards Young Filmmakers’ Fellowship, has secured an impressive nine nominations at the 2026 Uganda Film Festival. It is a milestone that signals more than industry recognition. It marks the arrival of a film grounded in truth, purpose and lived experience.

At its heart, Maama Wange is not just a film but a mirror held up to society. It reflects the quiet, often unseen struggles of women navigating the aftermath of sexual and gender-based violence and teenage pregnancy. Through the story of a single mother in Namuwongo, the film unfolds with emotional honesty, capturing resilience not in grand gestures, but in the everyday act of surviving.

The project brings together a new wave of Ugandan storytellers. Directed by 11, and backed by Sauti Plus, the film began as a fellowship project but has since evolved into a production with both national and international resonance.

For Humphrey Nabimanya, Executive Producer and founder of the iKON Awards, the nominations speak to something deeper than cinematic achievement.

“Congratulations to Isa, Doreen, and the team on these well-deserved nominations,” he said. “At iKON Awards, we celebrate storytellers who use their craft to address real-world issues and inspire change. This work continues to embody the spirit of impactful filmmaking that the industry needs.”

The journey of Maama Wange has been steadily building. Before its recognition at the Uganda Film Festival, the film had already made waves internationally. It won Best Short Film at the iKON Awards and earned accolades at the Kaduna International Film Festival in Nigeria. Its impact stretched even further to South America, where it was recognised at the Black Cat Award International Film Festival in Bolivia for its compelling focus on children’s stories.

Yet, perhaps its most meaningful impact has been closer to home.

Through “Kwiso Mu Cinema,” an outreach initiative by Reach A Hand Uganda, the film has been taken beyond traditional cinema halls into underserved communities and ghettos. In these spaces, Maama Wange becomes more than a viewing experience. It becomes a conversation starter, a tool for awareness and, in many cases, a reflection of lived realities.

It is here, among the very communities that inspired it, that the film finds its deepest purpose.

Now, the story comes full circle. Maama Wange is set for its official theatrical premiere on Mother’s Day, May 10, 2026, at the Reach A Hand Uganda headquarters in Lungujja, a fitting moment for a film that centres motherhood in its most complex and vulnerable form.

From the streets of Namuwongo to international recognition and national acclaim, Maama Wange stands as a testament to the power of storytelling rooted in truth.