Uganda’s opposition leader, Bobi Wine’s film ‘The People’s President’ over the weekend won the prestigious Audience Choice Award at the 17th annual Cinema Eye Honors, which took place at the New York Academy of Medicine in East Harlem.
Bobi Wine, real name Robert Kyagulanyi film entails his journey to Uganda’s political scene.
The film had been shortlisted for the Oscars and is now set to return to select cinemas for the MLK weekend (Martin Luther King Jr. holiday weekend), in the US.
The movie was first recognised as the best feature documentary of the year 2023 at the 39th International Documentary Association Documentary Award.
Bobi Wine said on Saturday that he didn’t expect the accolade because they ‘didn’t set out to make an award-winning film’, but just wanted to document their story, showcasing their fight for freedom in Uganda.
“We have won the Audience Choice Award at the Cinema Eye Honors 2024 in New York. Grateful to the team that has been involved in the making of the Documentary film since 2017. The struggle continues!” Bobi Wine tweeted after the good news.
“I want to dedicate this award to my friend and neighbour, John Bosco Kibalama, and dozens of others that were arrested and taken away by the security forces and they’ve never been seen again. We honour you, we miss you, and we will never stop demanding for your freedom and return, dead or alive. Thank you, Ladies and Gentlemen.”
Founded in 2007, Cinema Eye looks at three ideals that include creating events to support and build a sense of community amongst those who make documentary films, recognizing the entire creative team of crafts persons that create these films, and recognizing excellence, innovation, and boldness in the artistry of nonfiction filmmaking.
These awards recognize feature and short-length films and series with an emphasis on nonfiction work that is designed for public distribution, whether primarily theatrical, festival, broadcast, or streaming
