The Film Following Ugandan Freedom Fighter and Former Presidential Candidate Bobi Wine’s Ongoing Struggle for Democracy in Uganda, Is Heading Back to U.S. Theaters Starting Friday, Feb. 16
From Producer of Multiple Academy AwardⓇ-Winning Films John Battsek and DGA-Nominated Directors Moses Bwayo and Christopher Sharp, Film Has Been Hailed as ‘One of the Best Documentaries of the Year’ by the Washington Post, Deadline and Variety
National Geographic Documentary Films announced today that it is bringing BOBI WINE: THE PEOPLE’S PRESIDENT back to the big screen to mark President’s Day weekend, from Feb. 16 in Chicago, Los Angeles, Memphis, New Jersey, New York, San Francisco and Washington D.C. The film will roll out in additional markets on subsequent weekends.
Deadline proclaimed the film as “an exceptional achievement by [Ugandan-born] directors [Moses] Bwayo and [Christopher] Sharp to make an international audience care so deeply about a place that’s typically ignored by the world’s news media.”
The film follows Bobi Wine, the Ugandan opposition leader, former member of parliament, activist and national superstar musician during the country’s 2021 presidential elections, where he risks his life to fight the ruthless regime led by Yoweri Museveni. Museveni has been in power since 1986 and changed Uganda’s constitution to enable him to run for yet another five-year term.
BOBI WINE: THE PEOPLE’S PRESIDENT premiered at the 2022 Venice Film Festival, where critics raved, calling it “a portrait of unfathomable political courage” (The Playlist), “riveting… a clarion call against authoritarianism” (San Francisco Chronicle), and “a delivery device for outrage in a moment that could use it” (The Los Angeles Times).
More recently, the film was nominated for Best Documentary at the 96th Academy Awards. It was awarded the prestigious Best Documentary Feature Award by the International Documentary Association (IDA). The film has also received directing nominations from DGA and BAFTA in the Outstanding Debut by a British Writer, Director or Producer category, among other festival awards since it first premiered.
Co-directors Bwayo and Sharp said, “Many Ugandans already refer to Bobi as Mr. President, so this is a truly fitting weekend for audiences around the country to be able to see the film again in theaters and learn more about Uganda’s desire for true democracy. Sharing this film with the largest audience possible sheds ever more light on the situation in Uganda, and the fight for freedom and democracy around the world. It also ensures a spotlight on Bobi, his family and his supporters, enabling their safety and security as they face continued threats of violence from the Museveni regime.”
Added Sharp in a recent interview: “We had this incredible opportunity to document this moment in Ugandan history and a moment when this courageous person had come forward – for me, Bobi is probably the most interesting politician to come out of Africa since Mandela, possibly the most significant person because he can make a change not just for Uganda but for Africa and why not make a change for the world by his example.”
Born in the slums of Kampala, Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, famously known as Bobi Wine, is a musician turned politician who is the current leader of the National Unity Platform (NUP) and the People Power Movement. He has campaigned for hospital sanitization, malaria prevention, refugees’ rights and children’s education. His songs are known as peaceful protests and edutainment (a mix between education and entertainment), focusing on the struggles of Uganda’s underprivileged and low-income earners and calling upon young people to join politics and change their country’s destiny.
As it screened all over the world, the film has made stops at the Telluride Film Festival, BFI London International Film Festival, IDFA and The Hamptons International Film Festival, where it won the Audience Award for Best Documentary Feature. It continued to shine on the festival circuit in 2023 with sold-out showings at True/False, CPH: DOX and Millennium International Documentary Film Festival, taking home two of the festival’s coveted statues: the Audience Award in international competition as well as the Human Rights Award. Additional awards the film has picked up this year include the Audience Award for Documentary Feature at the Boston International Film Festival, as well as the Special Jury Award at the 2023 Blue Water Awards.
The following theaters will be showing BOBI WINE: THE PEOPLE’S PRESIDENT:
Chicago - AMC River East 21 - Find showtimes here.
Los Angeles - AMC Burbank 8 - Find showtimes here.
Los Angeles - Laemmle Monica Film Center - Find showtimes here.
Memphis - Malco Studio on the Square - Find showtimes here.
Montclair (NJ) - Clairidge Cinemas - Find showtimes here.
New York - AMC Empire 25 - Find showtimes here.
New York - Firehouse: DCTV's Cinema for Documentary Film - Find showtimes here. (From Feb. 23)
Omaha (NE) - Dundee Theatre - Find showtimes here. (From March 8)
Raleigh-Durham (NC) - Chelsea 3 - Find showtimes here. (From March 1)
San Francisco - Presidio Theatre - Find showtimes here.
Washington, D.C. - AMC Hoffman Center 22 - Find showtimes here.
Oscar Nominees can be found here:
https://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/2024
National Geographic Documentary Films has multiple award-winning films under its banner, including the Academy, BAFTA and seven-time Emmy® Award-winning “Free Solo,” the Academy Award- and BAFTA-nominated and Peabody and Sundance Award-winning “Fire of Love,” and the Academy Award- and Emmy Award-nominated “The Cave.” Other critically acclaimed films in its collection include BAFTA nominees “The Rescue” and “Becoming Cousteau,” the Sundance and Peabody Award-winning “The Territory,” three-time Emmy Award winner “The First Wave,” Emmy winners “LA 92” and “Jane,” and the short film “The Flagmakers.”
About National Geographic Documentary Films
National Geographic Documentary Films is committed to bringing the world premium, feature documentaries that cover timely, provocative and globally relevant stories from the very best documentary filmmakers in the world. National Geographic Documentary Films is part of a joint venture between The Walt Disney Company and the National Geographic Society. Our diverse films reach millions worldwide across National Geographic channels (National Geographic Channel, Nat Geo WILD, Nat Geo MUNDO) and direct-to-consumer platforms Disney+ and Hulu. Furthering knowledge and understanding of our world has been the core purpose of National Geographic for 135 years, and now we are committed to going deeper, pushing boundaries, going further for our consumers … and reaching millions of people around the world in 172 countries and 43 languages every month as we do it. Recent films include the Academy Award ® and BAFTA nominated “Fire of Love,” three-time Emmy Award winner “The First Wave,” two-time Sundance award-winner “The Territory,” BAFTA nominees “The Rescue” and “Becoming Cousteau,” and Academy Award® and BAFTA winner “Free Solo.” For more information visit films.nationalgeographic.com, or find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
About Southern Films
Southern Films was founded by Christopher Sharp for the initial purpose of producing the documentary: Bobi Wine The People’s President. Southern Films will continue to develop projects that tell stories that expose injustice and celebrate those who stand in the face of adversity.
About Ventureland
Ventureland is an independent creative studio that specializes in developing original entertainment properties that span traditional and emerging media platforms, including theatrical, streaming, podcasts, and more. Founded by Academy Award-winning producer John Battsek (The Rescue, Listen to Me Marlon, Searching for Sugar Man) and PrettyBird partners Kerstin Emhoff, Ali Brown, and Paul Hunter, Ventureland collaborates with acclaimed filmmakers and the world’s top studios to deliver award-winning film and TV.
About Variance Films
Founded in 2008, Variance Films is a US-based specialty theatrical distributor dedicated to bringing the best movies from around the world to theaters across North America. Variance works with established companies to execute or augment their own theatrical releases, as well as collaborates directly with filmmakers wishing to take charge of their own distribution.
Recent Variance theatrical releases include SS Rajamouli’s Academy Award® winning sensation “RRR”, Ryusuke Hamaguchi’s Academy Award® winning “Drive My Car” (for Sideshow/Janus Films), Park Chan-wook’s “Decision to Leave” (for Mubi), and Jerzy Skolimowski’s “EO” (for Sideshow/Janus Films). Past Variance releases include the debut features from Eliza Hittman, Damien Chazelle, and Terence Nance, as well as films from Spike Lee, John Sayles, Dave Grohl, and Zhang Yimou.
In 2023, Variance was named to Fast Company’s prestigious Most Innovative Companies list for its “auteur-friendly approach” that transforms its releases “into the kind of theatergoing events one might expect from a Marvel blockbuster.” Connect with Variance at Twitter, Instagram, and Bluesky.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240214429014/en/
Contacts
Felicia Wong, fwong@clucollective.com
Marcus Cammack, marcus.cammack@natgeo.com
Kristin Montalbano, kristin.montalbano@natgeo.com
