Divizionz at Cineplex

The rate at which Ugandan films are coming out, it's like they have become a way of life where entertainment is involved but it appears also that the country is on its way to becoming a hub of film making in Africa.

Just a few months after the showing, in Kampala, of Roses in the Rain, Murder in the City, and Battle of the Soul, yet another new film, Divizionz, will be premiering today at the Cineplex, Garden City at 7 p.m. courtesy of Alliance Francaise, Kampala.

The film digs into the life of aspiring musicians: Kapo (Kyagulanyi 'Bobi Wine' Ssentamu), Bana (Mark 'Buchaman' Bugembe), Kanyankole (Catherine 'Scarlet' Nakyanzi) and Mulokole (Olem 'Lot' Bonny).

The four friends, who originally hail from four regions of the country: eastern, central, western, and northern but find themselves staying in the same neighbourhood on the city outskirts, "Central Division" particularly in Zone B4, have landed a performance slot at a city pub that's starting "open mic sessions", known locally as "Karaoke."

At this time, Kapo quits his job and raises some money for the transport fare to the city, as well as to buy a track (instrumental) on which they will perform. But as fate would have it, they are cornered by "Graduated Tax Enforcement Officers" before they can get to the city. They find themselves with no money and no instrumental but with a burning ambition to accomplish their mission and see their singing dream come to life. Will they get to the city or will they go down in defeat?

This film comes with a solid plot that most people will identify with. Apart from the protagonists personifying the stereotypical traits associated with people from the regions they come from, they experience an unforeseen obstruction that is representative of the problems many folks are confronted with in the pursuit of their dreams and missions.

The 90-minute film is made truer to life by the use of characters we know. Bobi Wine and Buchaman who are musicians in real life portray roles they have lived with to the point where they have attained stardom. Thus with an inherent grasp of their roles, they convincingly project their virtues and faults in as much as they have done in real life.

The mixture of Luganda and English, and the use of a sound track made by Benon Mugumbya of the Benon and Vamposs fame plus music from other local artistes (Bobi Wine, Peter Miles, Akiiki Romeo) brings the film closer home.

Divizionz was co-written and co-produced by Donald Mugisha of the Kampala based Film Company, DEDDAC and South African filmmaker James Tayler. Donald Mugisha, whose short film, 610, won the Golden Impala Award at the 2006 Amakula Kampala International Film Festival, says that after the premiere at Cineplex, the film will screen free of charge in 30 local video halls (bibanda), in the five Divisions of Kampala city.

Then it will be screened at film festivals in East Africa, West Africa, South Africa and finally Europe.

-- Daily Monitor, Friday, June 1, 2007