X
  • 2023
  • Drafthouse Films
  • 1 h 34 m
  • 2023
  • Drafthouse Films
  • 1 h 34 m

Summary Set in the heart of Uganda, two unlikely friends from opposite sides of the world unite over their shared love of Chuck Norris and gonzo '80s action flicks. With sheer determination and an outrageous sense of humor, they team up to create their own explosive movies, catapulting Wakaliwood to international stardom and bringing laughter an...

  • 2023
  • Drafthouse Films
  • 1 h 34 m
  • 2023
  • Drafthouse Films
  • 1 h 34 m

Once Upon a Time in Uganda

Metascore Generally Favorable Based on 8 Critic Reviews
75
User Score Available after 4 ratings
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Summary Set in the heart of Uganda, two unlikely friends from opposite sides of the world unite over their shared love of Chuck Norris and gonzo '80s action flicks. With sheer determination and an outrageous sense of humor, they team up to create their own explosive movies, catapulting Wakaliwood to international stardom and bringing laughter an...

Where to Watch

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Critic Reviews

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Metascore
Generally Favorable Based on 8 Critic Reviews
75
88% Positive
7 Reviews
13% Mixed
1 Review
0% Negative
0 Reviews

  • All Reviews
  • Positive Reviews
  • Mixed Reviews
  • Negative Reviews

Critic Reviews

 View All
Metascore
Generally Favorable Based on 8 Critic Reviews
75
88% Positive
7 Reviews
13% Mixed
1 Review
0% Negative
0 Reviews

  • All Reviews
  • Positive Reviews
  • Mixed Reviews
  • Negative Reviews
100
Jul 6, 2023
Once Upon A Time In Uganda is a triumph on all levels. It is filmed with style, follows immensely likable people, and has an infectious, exuberant spirit that is impossible to resist.
By Bobby LePire FULL REVIEW
90
Jul 6, 2023
Once Upon a Time in Uganda is the perfect representation of the enduring spirit of independent cinema, our love for movies, and how they bring the world together.
By Ethan Anderton FULL REVIEW
80
Sep 5, 2023
It’s nice to see the old tension between selling out and staying pure never goes away in any corner of the film-making world.
By Leslie Felperin FULL REVIEW
75
Jul 7, 2023
Once Upon a Time in Uganda is the advocacy that Isaac’s auteurship and ideology need most—this doc helps one re-appreciate movie-making as a compulsive, creative odyssey, a shot-by-shot pursuit of elusive inner peace.
By Nick Allen FULL REVIEW
70
Jul 6, 2023
While Hugo Perez and Cathryne Czubek don’t tell a perfectly crafted story in Once Upon a Time in Uganda, their film captures enough of Nabwana’s resourcefulness and enthusiasm to make one wish his movies (which have played some fests in North America) were easier to see here — not on YouTube, but in theaters where their shout-at-the-screen, howl-with-your-seatmates vibe would be just the thing to remind you how essential the communal experience of cinema is.
By John DeFore FULL REVIEW
67
Jul 6, 2023
Mixing fly-on-the-wall observation with behind-the-scenes footage and reenactments, Czubek and Perez remain respectful, and even a little awestruck, while also understanding that Nabwana just wants everyone to have a good time. That's what makes Wakaliwood, as they say, Home of Da Best of Da Best Movies.
By Richard Whittaker FULL REVIEW
60
Sep 6, 2023
Ultimately, Once Upon a Time in Uganda would have benefitted from diving much deeper into the making of the studio’s many iconic productions, but by mirroring Wakaliwood’s lively, exuberant energy, still comes together as a thoroughly entertaining crowdpleaser.
By Marina Ashioti FULL REVIEW

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Details

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Production Company Wonderview Studios
Release Date Jul 25, 2023
Duration 1 h 34 m
Genres
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Awards

Florida Film Festival
• 1 Win & 1 Nomination
SXSW Film Festival
• 1 Nomination
Calgary Underground Film Festival
• 1 Nomination

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