Uganda: Ugandan Filmmakers and Creatives Heading to Johannesburg for Ikon Activate

What the report says

Ugandan filmmakers, creatives and other film-industry stakeholders are set to travel to Johannesburg, South Africa, for the iKON Activate Creative Exchange, scheduled for October 14 to 19, according to The Independent (Kampala) via AllAfrica. The gathering is part of a pan-African exchange series aimed at encouraging dialogue, networking and co-production opportunities across the continent.

The Johannesburg edition will be hosted by South African actor, producer and entrepreneur Thapelo Mokoena. It will include an African Film Forum at MultiChoice City under the theme “Africa Is Our Studio: From Collaboration to Commerce,” with a keynote address from MultiChoice Group’s head of content strategy. The reported panel will bring together figures from Uganda and South Africa, including Mathew Nabwiso, who leads Uganda’s National Producers’ Guild, alongside industry executives and filmmakers from companies and creative platforms active in distribution, financing and talent development.

The program also plans a filmmakers’ social evening, a tour of MultiChoice City, sightseeing in Johannesburg and visits to active film sets. Organizers said these activities are meant to help guests learn from South African industry experience and build professional connections.

The report links the exchange to the broader iKON Awards initiative, run by Reach A Hand Africa and Sauti Plus to support Uganda’s film and television sector. As context, the organizers say the wider program seeks to promote film as a sustainable career path for young people and to strengthen collaboration across African cinema. The next iKON Awards are slated for Kampala in December 2026.