The Ugandan political documentary, ‘Bobi Wine: The People’s President,’ fell short of winning an Oscar at the Academy Awards in Los Angeles. Despite its nomination for ‘Best Documentary’ at the 2024 Oscars, the award went to the Ukrainian film ’20 Days in Mariupol,’ which depicted the siege of the port city by Russian forces.
Considered a strong contender, ’20 Days in Mariupol’ had already secured best documentary awards from Bafta and the Directors Guild of America. The Guardian noted its triumph over other contenders, including the Ugandan political documentary ‘Bobi Wine: The People’s President’ and the Alzheimer’s study ‘The Eternal Memory.’
Directed by Moses Bwayo and Christopher Sharp, ‘Bobi Wine: The People’s President’ chronicles the struggle of Ugandan opposition figure Bobi Wine and his National Unity Platform against government forces leading up to the 2021 election.
Ahead of the Oscars, Bobi Wine expressed his determination for change, stating that once the ruling NRM government falls, his priority will be to ensure he doesn’t stay in power for long. Reflecting on the documentary’s filming process, he mentioned that although initially cautious about the cameras, they eventually became part of their journey, with the filmmakers enduring hardships alongside them, including violence and imprisonment.
Bobi emphasized that the cameramen weren’t just documenting a political figure but a revolution unfolding before their eyes. Despite the challenges, they remained committed to capturing the moment, blurring the line between observer and participant in the struggle.
