Mediavision Academy joins East African Filmmakers in Kampala for the 5th Film and Culture Market Expo

KAMPALA — The creative energy in Uganda’s capital has reached a fever pitch as the Film and Culture Market Expo kicks off its landmark 5th edition, drawing filmmakers from Rwanda, Nairobi, and Kenya’s Embu County.

Running under the theme “Reimagining African Narratives: Creatives as Catalysts and Accelerators of the Ten-Fold Growth Strategy Program for Uganda,” this year’s expo is cementing African storytelling as a serious commercial enterprise rather than art alone.

A central pillar of this year’s success is the continued partnership between Mediavision Academy and the expo. Since the event’s inception, Mediavision Academy has championed the platform, aligning its core mission of capacity-building with the expo’s vision of a thriving, professionalized sector.

Nkambo Robert, founder of Mediavision Academy, emphasized the festival’s vital role in industry development.

“The festival is playing a pivotal role by exposing our students and industry players to the right networks that will boost the growth of the industry,” Robert said, pledging the Academy’s continued support for the annual event.

Expo founder Godfrey Musinguzi reflected on the grit required to push the East African film industry forward over the past five years.

“The journey has been very challenging. It is still challenging. Every year at least we’ve had someone that believes in us and believes in a dream… But we are looking forward. We are happy. We are celebrating the 5th edition,” Musinguzi said.

The milestone event has delivered high-impact programming, notably the “Meet Your Distributor” session. Featuring industry heavyweights like Play It Loud, Stream East, Double D Studios, and veteran distributor Kihire Kennedy, the masterclass provided creatives with direct guidance on global distribution, negotiations, and monetization.

“We have had these platforms that speak about how filmmakers can distribute their content… and negotiations, who to talk to, what to do, so that you have business here,” Musinguzi noted.

Despite the growth, Musinguzi pointed out a critical bottleneck still facing the sector: a lack of commercial discipline.

“The filmmakers in the industry, one, need to first learn the business. They know, but they just don’t want to do the business. Because if we are building an industry that is commercial and high-end, one, you need to have the discipline and the mind for the business,” he stated.

Bridging this gap between raw talent and professional execution is where Mediavision Academy steps in. By combining rigorous training, technical skills, and a strong work ethic—bolstered by partnerships with organizations like Sony and the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC)—the Academy aims to equip the next generation of East African filmmakers for the global stage.

As the 5th edition sets a high bar for the region, organizers and partners like Mediavision Academy stress that sustainable growth relies on a unified front of networking, skilling, and commercial discipline.

Written by Annet Aloyo – Director of Studies at Mediavision Academy

Photos by Kiregga Owomukisa