Emotions galore at premiere of Ntare Mwine’s memories of love returned film
The documentary tells the story of how Ntare bumped into a small photo studio when his car broke down on the Masaka-Mbarara highway. The photographer, Ssalongo Aloysius Kibaate, had taken photographs of his community and across several districts for close to 50 years. He had kept thousands of negatives, both medium format and 35mm.
Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine, left, has a word with the Nnaabagereka of Buganda, H.M Sylvia Nagginda Luswata, at the Premiere of his documentary, Memories of Love Returned, at the Century Cinemax, Acacia Mall on Friday evening. Middle is former Finance Minister Maria Kiwanuka. (PHOTO BY KALUNGI KABUYE)
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It is a long way from the dusty streets of the small trading centre of Mbirizi on the Masaka-Mbarara highway to the air-conditioned Century Cinemax, Acacia Mall. But the family of the late photographer Ssalongo Aloysius Kibaate took it all in stride as they attended the VIP premiere of Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine’s award-winning documentary, ‘Memories of Love Returned’.
With the Nnaabagereka of Buganda, Sylvia Nagginda, as the chief guest, the sold-out premiere had guests very impressed with Ntare’s work.
Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine (left), with the Nnaabagereka of Buganda, H.M Sylvia Nagginda Luswata, at the Premiere of his documentary, Memories of Love Returned, at the Century Cinemax, Acacia Mall on Friday evening. (PHOTO BY KALUNGI KABUYE)
Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine (middle), with Prof. Sylvia Tamale (right), and Clare Byarugaba, at the Premiere of his documentary, Memories of Love Returned, at the Century Cinemax, Acacia Mall on Friday evening. (PHOTO BY KALUNGI KABUYE)
“Very interesting and well- done documentary,” said a guest.
“Very emotional,” said another. “It is amazing how Ntare got the story of a small-town photographer and turned it into a discussion of Uganda’s complex history regarding love and relationships. No wonder it has won awards all over the world.”
The documentary tells the story of how Ntare bumped into a small photo studio when his car broke down on the Masaka-Mbarara highway. The photographer, Ssalongo Aloysius Kibaate, had taken photographs of his community and across several districts for close to 50 years. He had kept thousands of negatives, both medium format and 35mm.
The Nnaabagereka of Buganda, H.M Sylvia Nagginda Luswata, (2nd from left, middle row) at the Premiere of Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine's documentary, Memories of Love Returned, at the Century Cinemax, Acacia Mall on Friday evening. (PHOTO BY KALUNGI KABUYE)
Ntare scanned many of the negatives and, in 2021, held an exhibition of the photographs in Mbirizi. The documentary tells the story of the effect of those photographs on the community and the stories of the people in the photographs.
The film won Best Documentary at the Zanzibar International Film Festival, the Audience Award for Best Documentary at the Pan African Film Festival, and the Best Documentary Feature prize at the Silicon Valley African Film Festival 2024. It also won Best International Documentary and the Special Jury Mention Prize at the Africa International Film Festival 2024 in Lagos, Nigeria, and was selected as one of the Top Ten African Documentaries of 2024 by OkayAfrica.
There is an additional screening on Saturday, March 14, at the Century Cinemax Acacia Mall at 7pm.