By Our Reporter
South African actor, producer and media entrepreneur Thapelo Mokoena has held a masterclass for Ugandan filmmakers under the Africa Film Forum, an initiative of the iKON Awards.
The masterclass formed part of his official visit to Uganda ahead of the iKON Awards “Beyond Borders” engagements for the 2026 edition. It was held at the Reach A Hand Uganda offices in Lungujja on February 13, 2026, and was attended by renowned local actors, actresses, and producers, including Mathew Nabwiso, Nana Kagga and Sasha Vibes. The engagement followed an invitation by iKON Awards founder and CEO, Humphrey Nabimanya, as part of ongoing efforts to strengthen continental film collaborations.
During the session, Mokoena delivered an address that combined personal career insights with practical guidance on excelling in the film industry. His remarks dominated discussions at the forum as he outlined five key aspects filmmakers must embrace to succeed in an increasingly competitive and globalised creative economy.
At the heart of his message was a shift in mindset. He challenged Ugandan filmmakers to treat film not only as art, but as a long-term business, a continental bridge and a legacy industry capable of generating value for generations.
Film as business
“Film must be approached as a business,” Mokoena said, urging producers and directors to normalise conversations around return on investment, intellectual property protection, structured ownership and long-term monetisation.
He observed that while many African filmmakers invest heavily in production quality, less attention is often paid to distribution pipelines, cataloguing of content and the protection of rights. “You must create something that can still earn for you ten years from now,” he noted, arguing that a well-structured film should continue generating revenue long after its premiere.
For Mokoena, sustainability begins with recognising film as an investable asset, one that can be licensed, syndicated, resold and adapted across different markets. He encouraged filmmakers to think beyond box office returns and consider television rights, streaming deals and international partnerships. His remarks feed into a broader continental conversation about building a creative economy that is not dependent on one-off releases but on long-term value creation.
Collaboration as strategy
Another key pillar of his address was collaboration. Describing African cinema as “a family coming together,” Mokoena underscored the power of cross-border partnerships, particularly between Uganda, Nigeria and South Africa. He referenced ongoing projects emerging from relationships built through Ikon, including a forthcoming production commissioned by Netflix.
For him, collaboration is not optional, it is strategic. “South Africa is a journey we are embarking on together,” he said, explaining that meaningful partnerships open doors to co-productions, shared distribution networks, funding opportunities and technical exchange.
He praised Ikon’s efforts in connecting Ugandan cinema to broader African markets and urged established African creatives to actively watch and support Ugandan films on global platforms to strengthen continental visibility.
However, he also addressed a persistent challenge within the industry, the reluctance of smaller production houses to share resources or collaborate.
President of the Producers Guild of Uganda, Mathew Nabwiso, reinforced the call for unity. “We need to work together a lot more,” Nabwiso said. “Growth will not happen in isolation.”
Nabwiso further called on creatives to write stories that matter. “We need to write movies that have impact,” he said, noting that institutions such as the Uganda Tourism Board are looking for content that meaningfully showcases Uganda’s identity and potential.
He stressed the importance of guild membership and industry organisation, arguing that a sense of belonging enables proper data collection — which is critical in demonstrating the film sector’s contribution to the national economy.
“Without data, we cannot demonstrate our value,” Nabwiso added, emphasising that film must be understood not only as art, but also as a measurable economic contributor.
African stories, African voices
In his opening remarks, IKON Awards Founder, a champion of Uganda’s film industry and Chief Executive Officer Humphrey Nabimanya said the Africa Film Forum was created to ensure African stories are told by Africans — authentically and unapologetically.
“The reason we created the Africa Film Forum was simple: collaboration,” Nabimanya said. “We wanted to build a space where African creatives can come together to tell our stories — not have our stories told for us.”
Under the iKON Award, several platforms have been established to strengthen the ecosystem, including the Ikon Activate, the Ikon Young Filmmakers Fellowship, the Ikon Fund and the Africa Film Forum.
Nabimanya revealed that this year’s Ikon Awards attracted more than 200 submissions, with 40 percent coming from other African countries — a sign of the initiative’s growing continental footprint. The awards will take place in August.
Film and national development
Also present was Uganda’s Special Presidential Envoy on Tourism and Trade, Rosa Malango, who described the coming together of creatives across Africa as powerful. Her presence underscored the growing recognition of film as a driver of tourism, trade and national branding. Discussions at the forum reflected an industry increasingly aware that storytelling shapes identity, markets destinations and drives economic opportunity.
As Uganda deepens collaboration with South Africa and other African markets through Ikon Awards, the emphasis appears to be shifting from survival to sustainability — and from isolated production to continental movement.
“This is about building something that lasts,” Mokoena implied — not just for today’s filmmakers, but for the next generation.
With collaboration talks ongoing and new productions already emerging from these connections, the Africa Film Forum Masterclass signalled a strategic step towards positioning Ugandan cinema within Africa’s expanding creative economy.
