By Our Reporter

Amakula International Film Festival is back. Heralded as Uganda’s premier festival, it is returning for its 12th edition which is scheduled for March 15th to 17th this year at the Uganda Museum in Kampala.

According to the organisers,  this year’s festival boasts a diverse pool of films which include 19 shorts, seven documentaries and nine features – representing 17 nationalities which make up the selection this year, with majority of the films coming from across the African continent.

“We are proud to announce that the number of Ugandan films participating at Amakula has continued to increase over the years with this year’s section boasting a total of 19 local films which shall be screening – and ultimately competing – alongside some of the best independent films from across the world at the moment,” the organisers said in a press statement.

This year’s programme has been divided into two sections – The Day Section (Midday-7pm) and Evening Section (7pm-Midnight) to be hosted in the Museum Exhibition Hall and Museum Gardens, respectively. The Day Section will be open to the public free of charge and will mainly feature short/documentary film screenings and panel discussions, while the Evening Section will be marked by a Drive-in cinema experience where the feature films in selection will be screened. Audiences will part with UGX10,000 each to access the drive-in.

During the festival, the best films will also be honored in four categories – Best Short, Best Documentary, Best Student Film and Best Feature – with the ultimate winners to be unveiled by an independent three-member panel of film experts.

This year’s edition marks four years since Bayimba Foundation, a leading local arts charity, took over charge of the festival with the goal of repositioning the annual cinema showcase as a major platform for film and cultural development in Uganda.

By Our Reporter

In an industry dominated by men, and where music promoters, bars and club owners are likely to favour men over women, female deejays in Uganda have shown that they can break through and overcome these gender diversity challenges.

Talented and ambitious DJ Mary Jo proved no less on Thursday at Nexus Lounge as she hosted and headlined the 3rd edition of the Uganda Waragi Ladies’ Affair. Stepping onto the stage a few minutes after 11pm, the deafening cheers from the overflowing hyped crowd were enough to tell why the popular deejay is one of the country’s favourites.

The event was organised to celebrate the achievements of women in commemoration of International Women’s Day 2019.

The performances from the all-female deejay line-up of the night proved that the highly energetic and young deejays had risen to the occasion and fitted well into this male-dominated role. The female deejays XZYL, Lolah, Sheila ATS, Kathy and Nelly Rwaxxy, who have all grown to become as popular as they are influential, showed off three things that they have in common – girl power, the love for the decks and not being afraid to mix it up.

On what has made her successful this far, event host, Adero Marianne, popularly known as DJ Mary Jo remarked, “I have been in the industry a little over 10 years now and I am proud to see more and more females taking on the challenge. Deejaying is known to be the life of the party. You need to be able to resonate and understand your crowd, their mood and the music they love.”

DJ Mary Jo added that at the time she began, female deejays weren’t a thing. “Today, our hustle has become more respectable and popular,” she added.

Cindy and the Band, who starred as guest performers, were the icing on the cake as they thrilled the crowd with popular jams like Total Satisfaction, Amateeka and Onina.

The event went on till dawn.

A survey that took a full year finally reveals Uganda’s top music artistes based on radio and TV plays, number of songs, recall from a sample space of a million fans to mention but a few. Here’s the list of Uganda’s top music artistes as of 2019.

1. Bebe Cool
2. Chameleone
3. Sheebah
4. Bobi Wine
5. Eddy Kenzo
6. Gravity Omutujju
7. Vinka
8. King Saha
9. Ykee Bendah
10. Apass
11. David Lutalo
12. Chosen Becky
13. Mun G
14. Rema Namakula
15. Desire Luzinda
16. Cindy
17. Afrigo Band
18. John Blaq
19. Lydia Jazmine
20. Juliana Kanyomozi
21. Geosteady
22. Iryn Namubiru
23. Daddy Andre
24. Geoffrey Lutaaya
25. Levixone
26. Irene Ntale
27. Joel Ssebunjo
28. Haruna Mubiru
29. Winnie Nwagi
30. Pallaso
31. Spice Diana
32. Iryn Namatovu
33. B2C
34. Nina Roz
35. Maurice Kirya
36. Feffe Busi
37. Kalifah Aganaga
38. Chris Evans
39. Mathias Walukaaga
40. Fik Fameika
41. Wilson Bugembe
42. Dr Hilderman
43. Exodus
44. BigEye
45. Lilian Mbabazi
46. Beenie Gunter
47. Aziz Azion
48. Fille
49. Jackie Akello
50. St. Nellysade
51. Navio
52. Allan Toniks
53. Roden Y
54. Maureen Nantume
55. Carol Nantongo
56. Vampino
57. Nutty Neithan
58. Maro
59. Weasel
60. Victor Kamenyo
61. Isaiah Katumwa
62. Da Agent
63. Daxx Kartel
64. Ronald Mayinja
65. Eddy Yawe
66. Naira Ali
67. Amooti Omubalanguzi
68. Rabadaba
69. Mesach Ssemakula
70. OS Ssuna
71. Naava Grey
72. Jamal
73. Diana Nalubega
74. Peter Miles
75. Catherine Kusasira
76. Sasha Brighton
77. Coco Finger
78. Bettinah Namukasa
79. Stecia Mayanja
80. Bruno K
81. Nubian Li
82. Ganda Boys
83. Byaxy
84. Apio Moro
85. Brian Lubega
86. Kenneth Mugabi
87. The Mith
88. Henry Tigan
89. Mickie Wine
90. Viboyo
91. Hanson Baliruno
92. Zanie Brown
93. Mariam Ndagire
94. Mary Bata
95. Jamie Culture
96. Kezia Nambi
97. Hassan Nduga
98. Viola Nakitende
99. Willy Mukabya
100. Doreen Mutibwa