Upasuaji International premiered its award-winning documentary A Man Like Sam at Century Cinema Acacia over the weekend, bringing to Kampala the inspiring story of Samuel Mugabi, a Ugandan man with Down Syndrome whose journey is challenging societal perceptions about intellectual disabilities.
The premiere was hosted by Upasuaji International Founder and executive director Lynsay Balumuka, who also served as the film’s executive producer.
‘A Man Like Sam’ follows Samuel’s journey towards independence, highlighting the power of family devotion, community support and persistent parental advocacy in helping people with intellectual disabilities overcome barriers and live with dignity.
Told partly in Sam’s own voice, and complemented by personal insights from his family, Balumuka and Diana Mutoni, the documentary offers an intimate look at resilience while examining the continued struggle for meaningful and systematic inclusion.
For Balumuka, bringing the film home was an opportunity to celebrate Sam while using his story to spark a wider conversation about inclusion.
“Sam’s story demonstrates the vital role of parental advocacy and community support, and we are thrilled to bring this film home to Kampala to celebrate Sam and the ongoing push for inclusion,” she said.
The premiere was also a learning experience for musician and filmmaker Maurice Kirya, who admitted that working on the documentary challenged his own understanding of Down Syndrome.
“This documentary means a lot to me. I learnt a lot through this. So many people don’t know about Down Syndrome and I kept referring to it as autism,” Kirya said who is also the director of this film said.
He described the project as one of the most impactful he has worked on, acknowledging that he had previously been ignorant about the condition.
“I was ignorant. People need to see that people with Down Syndrome have a voice,” he added.
Sam himself used the occasion to challenge misconceptions surrounding the condition.
“Down Syndrome is not a disease. They need more support because of the challenges they get,” he said.
The documentary is the latest instalment of Upasuaji International’s ‘Advocacy on Screen’ initiative, a storytelling campaign aimed at breaking cultural stigma, correcting medical misconceptions and championing dignity and inclusion for people with Down Syndrome across East Africa.
Beyond its social impact, ‘A Man Like Sam’ has also made an impression on the international film festival circuit.
The documentary film won Best Short Documentary at the Alpine International Film Festival in Switzerland and Best International Film at the Brittany International Film Festival in France.
It was also named a semi-finalist at Cannes Indie Shorts in France and received a nomination at the New York Shorts International Film Festival.
While Maurice Kirya has secured multiple Best Director honours for the film, including wins at the Hollywood International Indie Film Festival and Cinema Royal Paris. The documentary also received an honourable mention at Scotland’s Scarlett International Film Festival.
Its festival journey continues with a nomination at the prestigious ‘I Will Tell’ International Film Festival in London, scheduled for September 2026.
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