Thapelo Mokoena empowers Ugandan filmmakers at Africa Film Forum Masterclass

• Thapelo Mokoena’s masterclass highlighted film as a business, emphasizing monetization, intellectual property, and long-term revenue streams for African creatives.
• Collaboration across Uganda, South Africa, and Nigeria was stressed as essential for industry growth, access to funding, and continental visibility.
• The Africa Film Forum and iKON Awards aim to promote authentic African storytelling while strengthening Uganda’s creative ecosystem and attracting tourism and investment.

South African media personality and actor Thapelo Mokoena spent Thursday afternoon in Kampala doing what he does best — sharing knowledge and pushing African creatives to think bigger.

The award-winning actor, producer and entrepreneur held a masterclass for Ugandan filmmakers under the Africa Film Forum, an initiative of the iKON Awards. The session took place on February 13, 2026, at the Reach A Hand Uganda offices in Lungujja and drew some of the country’s most respected creatives.

Among those in attendance were Mathew Nabwiso, Nana Kagga and Sasha Vybz, all eager to tap into Mokoena’s experience as Uganda prepares for the 2026 iKON Awards “Beyond Borders” engagements later this year.

Film is more than art — it’s business

Mokoena didn’t waste time getting straight to the point. His central message was clear: African filmmakers must stop treating film as a passion project and start treating it like a serious business.

“Film must be approached as a business,” he emphasized, urging producers and directors to become comfortable discussing return on investment, intellectual property protection, ownership structures and long-term monetisation.

According to him, many African creatives pour energy into production quality but rarely think about what happens after the premiere. Who owns the rights? How is the content catalogued? Can it still earn money ten years later?

“You must create something that can still earn for you years from now,” he noted, encouraging filmmakers to see their work as assets — projects that can be licensed, syndicated, resold or adapted across different markets.

Beyond box office numbers, he pointed to television deals, streaming platforms and international partnerships as opportunities Ugandan filmmakers must actively pursue.

Collaboration is not optional

If there was a second theme that ran throughout the afternoon, it was collaboration.

Mokoena described African cinema as a family that needs to work together, not in isolation. He highlighted the importance of cross-border partnerships between Uganda, Nigeria and South Africa, noting that real growth happens when creatives combine strengths, share resources and open doors for one another.

For him, collaboration isn’t charity — it’s strategy. Co-productions create access to funding, distribution networks and technical expertise that smaller industries may struggle to secure alone.

He also challenged established African creatives to actively support Ugandan films on global platforms to increase continental visibility.

Industry unity and data matter

Adding to the discussion, Producers Guild of Uganda president Mathew Nabwiso stressed that growth will not happen in isolation.

“We need to work together a lot more,” he said, urging filmmakers to create impactful stories that resonate both locally and internationally.

Nabwiso also highlighted the importance of industry organization and guild membership. Without proper data, he argued, it becomes difficult to demonstrate the film sector’s contribution to the national economy.

“Without data, we cannot demonstrate our value,” he said, reinforcing the idea that film must be measured not just creatively, but economically.

Telling African stories, authentically

In his remarks, iKON Awards founder and CEO Humphrey Nabimanya explained that the Africa Film Forum was created to ensure African stories are told by Africans — authentically and unapologetically.

He revealed that this year’s awards attracted over 200 submissions, with 40 percent coming from other African countries — a clear sign that the platform’s continental footprint is expanding. The 2026 awards ceremony is scheduled for August.

Under the iKON umbrella, initiatives such as Ikon Activate, the Ikon Young Filmmakers Fellowship, the Ikon Fund and the Africa Film Forum have been rolled out to strengthen Uganda’s creative ecosystem and connect it to the rest of the continent.

Film as a driver of tourism and trade

Also present at the masterclass was Uganda’s Special Presidential Envoy on Tourism and Trade, Rosa Malango, whose attendance signaled growing recognition of film as more than entertainment.

Discussions at the forum reflected an industry that increasingly understands storytelling as a tool for shaping national identity, promoting tourism and attracting investment.

As Uganda deepens ties with South Africa and other African markets through the iKON platform, the focus appears to be shifting from survival to sustainability — from isolated projects to a coordinated continental movement.

For Mokoena, the bigger picture is simple: this is about building something that lasts. Not just for today’s filmmakers, but for the next generation.

And judging by the energy in the room, Uganda’s film industry is ready for that next chapter.