FILM   

“Make good art and people will eventually sit up and take notice,” film director Loukman Ali tells me in an interview. “Improve your craft to the point where it cannot be ignored.” 

Well, his hard work, tenacity and self-belief are finally paying off. Uganda’s film fraternity is still on cloud nine after Ali’s thriller The Girl in the Yellow Jumper made it to Netflix, becoming the first Ugandan movie to do so. For those who have followed the trajectory of his artistic career, the mainstream and international recognition has been a long time coming. 

The 31-year-old cinematographer set himself apart, letting his art do the talking. 

Loukman Ali busy behind the scenes

Ali chose the long gritty road of painstakingly working each frame of his masterpieces, in contrast to the prevailing Nollywood model of throwing it all out there and seeing what sticks – churning out a movie every two weeks and flooding audiences with tacky tropes. 

He leaves nothing to chance, obsessively working on each intricate detail, taking his time to come up with unique ideas, writing the script, casting, building the set, setting up proper lighting for each scene, directing the acting, editing, colour grading, sequencing.

The result is something not seen before in Uganda – Ali’s films all too often elicit responses along the lines of “Wow, I cannot believe this was made by a Ugandan!” an inadvertently back-handed compliment. The general sentiment among urban film fans is, “Ali came to save us from Who killed Captain Alex?”, referencing the eclectic action-packed caricature that has defined Wakaliwood, Uganda’s most famous cinematic export.  

The crucible   

And to think this gem of a movie almost did not happen. The Girl in a Yellow Jacket was supposed to premiere in April last year, two weeks after 007’s climactic No Time to Die. Ugandan movie lovers were perched on the edge of their seats, waiting to see whether Ali’s thriller would outshine James Bond at Uganda’s box office. 

Then the coronavirus struck, a blow whose shockwaves reverberated around the world, casting an apocalyptic shadow over every sphere and almost burying the movie prematurely. Ali was at wit’s end. He considered releasing the film to YouTube, but one of the producers objected, apparently causing a bitter falling out. And it was just as well, because the film is now headed to the leading global streaming platform Netflix.   

The COVID-19 pandemic, however, was not even the start of the film’s woes. Ali says shooting the movie was the worst time of his life. 

“We had every single problem you can have on a film set,” says Ali. “Shooting in Uganda is not easy, every single location we go to, they chase us away.” 

Ali is known for his attention to detail

Ali was strapped for cash while making the movie. “There were times the actors went without food because we had used up all the money. We stopped filming for more than a year as we scraped together resources.” 

The length of time between shooting scenes introduced new problems. Continuity was a challenge. “The actors would return after months having changed, having gained weight, grown hair or a beard where there was only stubble in the previous scene,” reveals Ali. 

He had to find creative ways of patching these up during editing or weaving them into the storyline in order to make the movie flow. In the midst of these struggles, the youthful filmmaker could never have imagined the prominence his hard work and obsessive attention to detail would bring him.   

The cast   

Musicians are by nature entertainers, which makes the transition onto the big screen seamless for the most talented of the lot. 

The list of singers who have achieved astronomical success on the big screen, lending their storytelling talent to big blockbusters, is endless. From rappers Ludacris, Tupac Shakur and Ice Cube to soulful songstresses Beyonce, Whitney Houston and Rihanna, all have won numerous accolades in both music and film industries. 

It is hard to imagine Will Smith started out as a Grammy-winning rapper in the 1980s. 

For some reason, however, crossover success into cinematography has eluded most Ugandan artistes. Ugandan Soul sensation Maurice Kirya is breaking that mould in a bold way.

Maurice Kirya may be better known for his music, but he has a footprint in the film industry as well

Kirya has featured in acclaimed Hollywood films such as The Last King of Scotland and Queen of Katwe. But it is in The Girl in the Yellow Jumper that his star shines brightest and his remarkable talent comes to the fore. 

He strikes a presence, behind his ample moustache, putting up a remarkable performance throughout. 

Ali says working with Kirya was a lot easier than one would imagine. “People do not become that successful by being undisciplined. Even when I am working with a dollar millionaire, the actor understands and appreciates the role of a director and remains humble on set."

“I tell him ‘please do that again’, and they say ‘Okay sir’, without hesitation.”  

For Kirya’s co-star Michael Wawuyo Jr., ‘acting runs in the blood’, as Ugandans would colloquially say. His father is a veteran actor best known for his work in Last King of Scotland and Kony: Order From Above. Dark, brooding and intense, Wawuyo Jr. usually plays the troubled villainous protagonist you root for in Ali’s films such as The Blind Date and Sixteen Rounds. 

In The Girl in the Yellow Jumper, the father and son duo of Wawuyo Sr. and Jr. bring the graphic storyline to life with their spectacular talent.  

Filmmaker Loukman Ali and actor Michael Wawuyo Jr.

 

Multi-awardwinning actresses Gladys Oyenbot and Rehema Nanfuka complete the main cast. With a long list of local and international films under their belts, including Queen of Katwe and Yat Madit, their pedigree has been refined over time. 

The actresses team up with Wawuyo Jr. once again, having worked with him in Yat Madit, a performance for which Nanfuka won Best Actress at the Uganda Film Festival. 
With Philip Luswata playing Professor Mahmood Sali and Cleopatra playing a radio presenter, the film is not lacking for talent even in the minor roles. Working with such a talented cast made work easier for Ali. 

“Professional. The actors were so professional,” he says. 

"They understand the bigger picture, they understand exactly what you want, they give you so many options. They do not hesitate to do retakes, they know exactly what to do and they are really good at it.

“These veteran actors understand the process of filmmaking; they understand how editing works so when you are filming them they know not to sabotage your edit by doing things that may end up not working for you later on,” reveals Ali.

Hollywood heavyweights Ntare Mwine, as well Morocco Omari (best known for his roles in Empire, Prison Break, 24 and – for those old enough to remember – the popular sitcom Malcolm & Eddie) were involved in the production of The Girl in the Yellow Jumper.

Young filmmaker Ronnie Mubiru says Ali’s movie making it to Netflix will open the door for other filmmakers. 

“People have not been taking Ugandan movies seriously and consequently little money was invested into Ugandan film. This movie will open doors for better films," he says.

“I have followed Ali’s career for a while. 

"He has persevered, evolving year to year, learning more, getting better, and growing from strength to strength. Ali has, most importantly, shown us the importance of doing – many people have ideas, but do not have the faith that they can make it happen,” says Mubiru.

Plot   

A man is watching television when he is dragged and taken hostage. He manages to escape and returns home with the most unbelievable story to tell. 

That is the basic storyline of The Girl in the Yellow Jumper, not much else is given away.