In 2020, Masaka Kids Africana, a group of young dancers from an orphanage in Uganda, became a viral sensation, capturing the hearts of millions across the globe with their vibrant and well-choreographed dance videos. Hollywood actress Viola Davis even shared a clip of them dancing to Squid Game’s “Red Light Green Light” remix in 2021, and again in 2023 when they danced to Mariah Carey’s All I Want for Christmas Is You. With over 9 million followers on Instagram, 6 million on TikTok, and 4 million subscribers on YouTube, they are one of the most popular dance groups in Africa.
Masaka Kids: A Rhythm Within, a documentary short about them, is set to premiere on Netflix on 9 December. Filmed in Uganda’s Masaka region, it takes viewers beyond the viral videos to reveal a vibrant, one-of-a-kind community where orphaned children transform hardship into joy, dancing their way toward healing, belonging, and the promise of a brighter future.
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The 40-minute documentary is directed by Moses Bwayo, the filmmaker behind the Oscar-nominated Bobbi Wine: The People’s President, and David Vieira Lopez. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle serve as producers for Archewell Productions alongside David Vieira Lopez, Geeta Gandbhir, and Chanel Pysnik, with Ross M. Dinerstein and Rebecca Evans also producing for Campfire Studios.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex first discovered the Masaka kids during the COVID-19 lockdown. “They would watch the videos regularly with Archie at home. So they were already admirers of the organisation before the film project came to them in 2023,” their spokesperson told The Telegraph in August.
Masaka Kids: A Rhythm Within was first announced in August 2025 as part of Archewell Productions’ renewed partnership with Netflix, which also includes the second season of With Love, Meghan and its holiday special With Love, Meghan: Holiday Celebration; a romance feature adaptation of Meet Me at the Lake; Meghan’s lifestyle brand As Ever; and several other projects in development across various genres.
Watch the trailer for Masaka Kids: A Rhythm Within below.
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