The U.S. Embassy in Uganda announces an open competition for organizations to submit applications to carry out a program to empower 75-100 Ugandan filmmakers, journalists, and content creators by leveraging the power of smartphone technology to tell impactful stories.  Embassy funding will support training in up to three regions, coordination of a visiting American film expert, and participation of select films produced as part of the training in a local film festival.

Through comprehensive training and hands-on film production experiences, proposed projects are expected to provide participants skills on how to create engaging and socially relevant content using easily accessible smartphone technology. The U.S. Embassy is particularly interested in building connections between Ugandans and Americans, so the program must demonstrate how it will link American experts, and/or other U.S. connections in the Ugandan context.

Overall program goals:

• To inspire participants to create documentary and fictional films and that address social issues, foster community engagement, and advocate for change, using their newly acquired skills in smartphone filmmaking to influence public discourse and community development.
• To utilize film and TV as platforms for cultural exchange between Uganda and the United States, showcasing stories that reflect shared values and concerns, promote mutual understanding, and highlight the beneficial impacts of U.S. engagement in Uganda.
• To catalyze economic growth and create employment opportunities in Uganda’s creative industries by training individuals to become creative entrepreneurs. This includes not just content creation but also the potential for innovation in film production and distribution.
• To ensure the film and TV industry in Uganda becomes more inclusive by providing the tools and training so diverse groups can tell stories, thereby promoting diversity and inclusion in media content.
• To bolster media freedom in Uganda by equipping journalists with the necessary tools and ethical training to report using smartphones.