PWDs light up silver screen

Uganda’s first feature film that dramatises the story of the plight of persons living with disabilities (PWDs) titled When You Become Me premiered on March 15,  at Century Cinemax at the Arena Mall in Kampala.
Written by Aganza Kisaka and Ambrose Ngobi, the groundbreaking film casts a number of actors living with different abilities. It is a co-production of Light for the World Uganda and Reach A Hand Uganda and directed by Nabwiso Films and Sautiplus Media Hub. 
The film explores different barriers PWDs face. The romantic drama revolves around the 24-year-old Africa Masiko (played by Doreck Ankunda). A speech impaired budding writer, Africa is grabbed by the news on television about Liam Agaba (played by Musa Mwambu).
Liam, 30, a visually-impaired highly revered accountant in the financial world, publicly announces foul play. This as his employers, Tim and Nance incorporated refuse to grant him a most deserved promotion to certified financial accountant because of his disability. The junior workmate, whom the management wanted to replace Liam with was inexperienced, and—to make matters worse—is a nephew of the board chairperson, Jimmy Okodi (played by Bob Bisiki).
The discriminatory mention of Liam unsettles and inspires Africa because she experiences such misrepresentation too. Africa seeks to change the narrative while confronting family rejection, true-love, and self-doubt. 
Africa, an insecure editorial assistant for a bulletin agency, finds herself doing most of the editorial work for her boss and being discriminated against.
Insecure about her speech impairment, Africa prefers texting to phone calls. She has a secret crush on Alex (Emmanuel Atuhaire) but cannot bring herself to let him know. Whereas she’s afraid of rejection because of her disability, Charity (Sharon Atuhaire)—her best friend—encourages her regardless.
Africa is a daring, clever, outspoken, and attractive young female who loves reading and jogging. She has learnt not to trust anybody. She has been topping as the best student at college, and soon emerges as one of the best at the news agency. This makes other women at the agency jealous.
Africa quits her job when the promiscuous chief executive officer of the publishing agency Lionel (Mathew Nabwiso) attempts to sexually harass her. 
Putting on a facade
Africa devises a way of meeting Alex without having to tell him that she has a speech impairment. Alex, 26, a rising social media influencer who loves going to restaurants and documenting his experiences, is in love with the virtual personality of Africa and looks forward to meeting her in person. She, however, keeps dodging him. When they eventually meet, Africa pretends that she has just visited a dentist.
The daughter of a big-mouthed lawmaker, Hon Andrew (Tevin Mulira), Africa has been mocked for her speech-inadequacies. Her father is embarrassed by it and does everything he can to hide the fact he has a child with a disability. Africa compensates for her less speech with much writing.
Enter Liam
Liam was born with a visual impairment in a polygamous family. His mother struggled with rejection of her son in the family as Liam’s father blamed this on her.
Reduced to eating cassava and studying on batteries, Liam graduated with first class honours at undergraduate level. He is the very embodiment of competent; yet his bosses have the temerity to deny him a deserved promotion. When he seeks legal redress, his bosses dangle a juicy bribe.
Africa starts a campaign to help Liam with his case. When the court case attracts the attention of the world, Africa becomes a celebrity. Liam wins the case and the deserved promotion. He needs this promotion because he is the only child his mother counts on and has a wife to take care of.
Film crew’s thoughts
According to the film’s executive producer, Mr Silvester Kasozi, When You Become Me is all about putting oneself in the shoes of a person with a disability.
“We aim to portray persons with disability as able and victors as opposed to what we are used to society portraying them,” he said.
Mr Matthew Nabwiso, the managing director of Nabwiso Films, told Sunday Monitor that the “film is not to make the world have sympathy for people with disabilities but rather show the capacity of people with disabilities.”
In her remarks as the chief guest at the premiere of the film Natalie E. Brown, the United States ambassador to Uganda, said: “Today, with this film, we celebrate a new beginning, a positive change, a groundbreaking moment for the representation and inclusion of people with disabilities in Ugandan society.”  
She added: “This film … is an effort to de-stigmatise people with disabilities and inspire us as a society to treat them with respect, support their equal access to all aspects of society, and start to see them not only as people with disabilities but as the unique individuals they are with many different talents, thoughts, experiences, and opportunities to offer society…”
Asked how they were able to identify the right characters for the film, Mr Kasozi replied: “We were deliberate first in the script, and indicated that those positions were to be acted by persons with disabilities.”
Mr Nabwiso revealed that his crew had “to first undergo training to help us understand how best to work with people with disabilities” before directing and shooting the film. 
Actors speak out
Mr Musa Mwambu told Sunday Monitor that he took on Liam’s role because it mirrors his lived experiences. He added that it was “my time to raise my voice to the country and world at large as a character in the film.”
Ms Ankunda, who played the role of Africa, urged the “general public [to] recognise the potential of persons with disabilities such as those with hearing impairment.”
She added: “The general public should change its mindset from a negative perspective to a positive perspective towards persons with disabilities.” 
Both Ankunda and Mwambu hailed their experience in front of the camera, with the latter saying it was “memorable” and the former “interesting.”
“At the end of the film, the audience is touched and learns a lot from my role. Their eyes and minds are opened up,” Ankunda said, adding, “I believe whoever watches the film will understand that disability inclusion is a journey, and we don’t have to walk this journey alone.” 
Mwambu, who was born visually-impaired, hailed technological advancements “that have made being visually impaired not a challenge any more in terms of visual aids.” 
Ankunda, who lost her ability to hear at a young age due to an illness, told Sunday Monitor that she is “glad for the strong support system of my family that I had around me, which got me through that tough time.” 
She added: “I eventually learnt sign language and realised that I am no different from any other dreamer who has goals to achieve. I have faced several challenges along the way, including some lost opportunities but determination got me to where I am now.” 
Kigozi said When You Become Me is not showing in local cinemas yet but will soon hit the silver screen. “We are working on some touches technically and logistically before we can put it out for screening initially for one week but if demand is high, then we can do more.”