Africa at the Oscars 2026: Uganda Makes Late Entry with Hassan Mageye’s ‘Kimote’

Uganda has selected Kimote, written and directed by Hassan Mageye, as its submission for Best International Feature Film at the 98th Academy Awards, the Uganda Academy Selection Committee announced in a press statement.

“Following a rigorous and thorough evaluation process, the committee reviewed eight outstanding films released in the past year. Each film was carefully assessed for artistic merit, storytelling, cultural representation, and technical excellence. After thoughtful deliberations, Kimote emerged as the best choice to represent Uganda on this prestigious global stage,” the committee said.

According to the committee’s chairperson, Philip Luswata, Kimote was selected for its powerful narrative “that authentically captures the complexities of Ugandan society while weaving a compelling and emotionally resonant story.”

Kimote tells the story of a young craftsman who defies his father’s wishes to abandon their ancestral trade, seeking to transform the humble backcloth into a symbol of cultural pride and a brighter future.

The film stars Sarah Kisauzi (Queen of Katwe), Blace Natukunda, Isaac Mendez Kintu, Abby Mukiibi Nkaga (The Last King of Scotland), and Raymond Rushabiro (Kyaddala). It premiered in April to fulfill the Academy’s required seven-day public screening before returning to cinemas during the 2025 Uganda Film Festival, where it earned 15 nominations and won seven awards, including Best Cinematography, Best Indigenous Film, and Best Actor.

The film also screened internationally at the Silicon Valley African Film Festival in October, with more international festivals planned.

When reached for comment, director Mageye said, “I’m really excited about the achievement and I call upon all Ugandans to share more about the news using the hashtag #KimoteAtOscars.”

Since the announcement, there has been relatively little excitement surrounding the milestone. However, The Uganda Academy Selection Committee has stated that it will continue to support the film throughout the process, especially with the promotional strategy, until the 15-film shortlist for the International Feature Category is announced on December 15 this year.

Kimote is only Uganda’s second-ever submission for Best International Feature. The first was Tembele in 2022, a story about a garbage man battling a mental breakdown after the death of his son.

The Uganda Oscar Selection Committee was first approved in 2019, with its first attempt made that same year with Kony: Order from Above, which was later disqualified by the Academy for failing to meet eligibility requirements.

Kimote is the first submission under the newly elected Uganda Academy Selection Committee, now headed by actor and screenwriter Philip Luswata, who together with other committee members will serve for the next six years.

The committee did not mention the eight Ugandan movies that were submitted for review this year. However, according to industry sources, some of the films submitted include Makula by Mugisha Dan and Nisha Kalema, and You May Kiss the Bride Goodbye by Drake Clay, a film supported by the Opportunities Are Here initiative.

This year, only seven African countries have submitted films to the Academy so far: Morocco’s Calle Málaga; Egypt’s Happy Birthday; Tunisia’s The Voice of Hind Rajab; Senegal’s, and late entries Uganda’s Kimote and Madagascar which made its first-ever submission with Disco Afrika: A Malagasy Story, a film by Luck Razanajaona.

Meanwhile, Kenya and Nigeria announced that they are abstaining from the 2026 Oscars due to no film meeting the Academy’s eligibility rules, but in a surprising yet not entirely unexpected turn of events, the UK submitted Nigeria’s My Father’s Shadow by Akinola Davies Jr, once again highlighting the complexities of co-productions and foreign-funded projects, and who ultimately “owns” the story.

It’s not uncommon for foreign countries to submit African projects to the Oscars. The UK has previously submitted Rungano Nyoni’s feature debut I Am Not A Witch to the 2019 Oscars – a Zambian film with 90% local language dialogue but majorly funded by the UK’s BFI Film Fund and Film4. Similarly, for 2026, Sweden has submitted the Egyptian film Eagles of the Republic, while Portugal’s entry Banzo is a Sao Tome and Principe story about colonisation.

With more than a month past the October 1 Academy deadline, and considering the possibilities of more late entries as seen with Uganda and Madagascar, additional submissions from Africa could still emerge.

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