TAKEAWAYS

• Ugandan filmmaker Hassan Mageye is directing The Silence We Flee, an independent feature currently in production.
• Nisha Kalema and Patriko Mujuuka are among the Ugandan actors featured in the film, playing Naomi and Afande Toko respectively.
• The film tackles immigration and displacement, with production taking place in the U.S. and Uganda; its Santa Rosa shoot even prompted a public warning because some scenes depict realistic-looking immigration enforcement.

Ugandan filmmaker Hassan Mageye is currently working on a new feature film, The Silence We Flee, a drama exploring immigration, displacement and the struggles faced by Africans seeking a new life in the United States.

The independent film has already attracted attention in Santa Rosa, California, where parts of the production have been filmed. In July, sections of downtown Santa Rosa were temporarily closed as the production filmed scenes involving actors portraying immigration enforcement officers. City authorities warned residents in advance because the scenes were designed to look realistic.

Written and directed by Mageye, the film follows Naomi, a young African woman who seeks asylum in the United States after fleeing violence in her home country. As she attempts to build a new life, she is forced to navigate an unfamiliar and unforgiving immigration system while confronting the consequences of the past she left behind.

According to production information, the film is being shot in both the United States and Uganda, reflecting the protagonist’s life between Africa and America. U.S. filming has focused on Northern California, including Santa Rosa and the wider Bay Area.

The production also brings together a number of Ugandan and African actors, including award-winning Ugandan actress Nisha Kalema, who plays Naomi, and veteran actor Patriko Mujuuka, who plays Afande Toko. The cast also includes Benjamin A. Onyango, Justin Nickolas and other actors.

Speaking about the film, Mageye described it as a story being told from the perspective of people who understand the immigrant experience.

“This is a movie of immigrants told by immigrants.”

On the other hand, Nisha Kalema said that “I carry a voice. You can’t watch a mother, a daughter, someone’s child being snatched and keep quiet. You have to be the one to represent that person, be that voice for that person.”

Actor Patriko Mujuuka also spoke about the responsibility that comes with portraying stories connected to the experiences of immigrants and families affected by displacement.

“Some of the things we’ve seen some of them we have heard about, some of them we have read and some of them we have experienced.”

The film comes at a time when immigration enforcement and the experiences of migrants and asylum seekers have become highly visible issues in the United States. Its production in Santa Rosa even prompted an official public warning because some of the scenes could be mistaken for an actual immigration enforcement operation.

For Ugandan cinema, The Silence We Flee represents another opportunity for Ugandan talent and stories to reach an international audience.

Mageye, who previously directed different films such as Kimote, is bringing together a largely international production while maintaining strong Ugandan representation both behind and in front of the camera.

The film is currently in production, and further details about its completion, festival submissions and release will be announced as the project progresses.