Ugandan rapper and filmmaker Ernest Nsimbi, popularly known as GNL Zamba, and his creative partner Miriam Tamar have added another milestone to their growing film journey after their musical film Infinity won Best Local Short Film at the 2026 Uganda Film Festival Awards.
The win places Infinity among this year’s standout local productions, beating a competitive field that included Mfuko The Duffle Bag by Pascal Praise Mumbere and Ian Owora, Subliminal by Sharon Atuhaire Achire, Twisted by Namulindwa Myra Sharifah and Ntale Derrick Christopher, and Last Taxi To Kawempe by Walta Gabriel Busulwa and Akello Isabella Francisa.
Produced by the international creative duo Nsimbi GNL Zamba and Miriam Tamar, Infinity takes a deliberately unconventional route, bringing together music, fashion, poetry, dance and cultural storytelling to tell a distinctly Ugandan story.
The film also doubles as a visual celebration of Uganda’s landscapes and heritage, an approach that has helped it travel beyond the local scene, with screenings in the United States before its latest recognition at home.
For GNL, however, the award represents more than a trophy. It is the beginning of what he hopes will become a much bigger chapter in Ugandan filmmaking.
“Hey Uganda, how are you doing? Thank you very much to everyone who voted, everybody who believes in Ugandan stories,” GNL said during his acceptance speech.
He went on to recognise the team behind the production, including Miriam Tamar, who designed the film’s clothes alongside Abbas, as well as the film’s director, Mr Pest.
“This is our very first step in directing Ugandan films and I believe it is a seed that will later become a forest,” he said.
The victory came with a Shs5 million, giving the project both recognition and a financial boost as the Nsimbi duo looks toward bigger ambitions in film.
Infinity marks an interesting expansion of GNL and Miriam’s creative world. Known for crossing boundaries between music, visual art, fashion and storytelling, the pair have used the film to demonstrate how Uganda’s cultural identity can be presented through a more contemporary and multidisciplinary lens.
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