The 2008 Maisha Filmlab

By May 2008, I had somehow given up on the year's Maisha Filmlab till probably the next year - after applying around January - simply because selections had already been made and I wasn't on the list published on the Maisha Website, but was divinely satisfied when my dreams mysteriously came true on short-notice 2 days before the start of the 2008 Filmlab (Probably a tithe to KPC [Kampala Pentecostal Church] opened a door for me to replace Kenyan Gad Wesonga. I was the only male Ugandan screenwriter). I had to complete most of the things I was obliged to urgently do before going to the Royal Impala Hotel in Munyonyo, a few hundred metres away from the fantastic Commonwealth Speke Resort. Maisha is a Ugandan NGO that trains new filmmakers. I enjoyed so much during the 22 (actually 25) day workshop including Sudhir Ruparelia's Speke Resort Munyonyo (with Mark and David), Efendy's Turkish Restaurant; Ndere Centre where I danced to a Lugbara tune "Ama Woro Anji Mungu ni" meaning "We are all GOD's Children" with Vincho; Rides to town for National Theatre public workshops; The tea, buffet, and drinks at Royal Impala, Eating chicken daily at RIHM; The evening film screenings and discussions ... Vincho Nchogu (the Girl whom I got interested about most, I called her Leonardo da Vincho during the first days, you know, that Mona Lisa stuff, right? She was lively, social, incredibly knowledgeable about Kampala City's best spots, carefree and most of all very intelligent [Her screenplay was about how China wined Zimbabwe instead of his housemates Britain, Roafrica (Rest of Africa) and Usamerica] ... Don McKellor (the Don Guan or Don Corleone of Canadian Cinema, I actually want to become the Don McKellor of Ugandan Movies), Musarait (She is a very gifted manager, we should acknowledge her skills), Myles (Stalking us with his camera), Sabrina (Lovely Indian lady from Delhi married to Steve; Her baby son Kabir [Hebrew for 'Big'] was really fun to be with), Ami (Musarait's assistant on the management team without whom film screenings and editing work would be very hard, "You are so good to me, Edward!" just being kind), Steve Cohen, Semi Chellas (She made me believe in myself), Patricia (a Kenyan born Ugandan who writes for 'African Woman' magazine), David, Angela (like an angel), Pithon, Mark (very comedic and witty), Judith (the second female Ugandan representative), Rachael plus Craig (Editing) and Maria (Directing) - mentors who came later, plus the technical crew (participants Emmanuel, versatile riot - loving NTV cameraman Abubaker, Henry the Kenyan Artist, the Sound maestro on 'Team B' named George, Afro-styled Anthony and Tanzanian Richard also on 'Team B', Shantos who was involved in the production of Irene Kulabako's "All Our Children" movie shot in January 2008, Godfrey and Hoclay); actors: the artistically gifted John Mary Mukiza, lively Samuel Lutaaya, beautiful and upfront Maureen Nankya, Roger, Leroy and Eva plus technical mentors: the guile Giles Khan, authoritative Shenny, Annie, the wise Barry Braverman and hotel staff including Nabira, Hellen, Isaac, Alex and Kyeyune in addition to the receptionists Henry, Isaac & Joyce ... plus the actors who came last - Maurice, the soulful phenomenon, Prynce Joel Okuyo, John Mary Mukiza, Maureen Nankya, Eva Tumwesigye, Esther, Keloy, Roger and others, Runners Timothy Tabaaro, Paul Mugisha and elder Zippy's beautiful sister. Although my script wasn't among the shootable 3 out of 9, Life was still Beautiful. I had a wonderful boat cruise on Lake Victoria from the Kabaka's Landing Site with 6 of my fellow screenwriters after the 9 of us all decided to abandon our Speke Resort Munyonyo sojourn because of what we heard about cruise prices from the guards at the gate. Rachael stayed on shore while Mark had a storyboard to make with Richard and Barry at Nyakaana's site. I joined them after the ride where we got close to Bulingugwe Island - a 'suitable zone for romance' according to the boat captain (Actually paid the total 14,000 UgShs required from all of the Maisha passengers as a token of my appreciation for the family they had created though Angela gave me half of her fee); Wednesday evening on the 13th of August after the actors had left was Craig, the Editing mentor's birthday. We had a bash with delicious cake, drinks and photos. I won't forget the group snap with the Birthday Man. Shenny from Delhi, India was also saying farewell ...

Ask Don, he went back to Canada with the idea I gave him that "We were in a heavenly prison ... (Royal Impala is like a Garden of Paradise)"