Veronica's Wish
{{Infobox film
| name = Veronica’s Wish
| image =
| alt =
| caption = Poster
| native_name =
| director = Rehema Nanfuka
| producer = Nisha Kalema
| writer = Nisha Kalema
| starring = {{Plainlist|*Nisha Kalema
- Housen Mushema
- Malaika Nyanzi
- Symon Base Kalema
- Jayant Maru
- Allen Musumba}}
| music =
| cinematography =
| editing =
| studio = Jangu Productions
- Quad-A Records
| distributor = Jangu Productions
| released = {{Film date|df=y|2018|11|17}}
| runtime =
| country = Uganda
| language = English
| budget =
| gross =
}}
Veronica’s Wish is a Ugandan English-language drama film starring Nisha Kalema (Veronica), Housen Mushema (Michael), Malaika Nyanzi (Bankia), Symon Base Kalema (Frank), Tereza Kabasekyere (Grandma), Kabenge Richard Valentino (Dance Instructor), Jayant Maru and Allen Musumba. It premiered in Uganda on 17 November 2018.{{cite news |title="Veronicas wish" new Ugandan Movie to be premiered this way |url=http://www.ghafla.com/ug/veronicas-wish-new-ugandan-movie-to-be-premiered-this-way/ |access-date=20 January 2019 |agency=Ghafla}}{{cite news |last1=Oluka |first1=Esther |title=Glammed up at Veronica’s Wish movie premiere |url=https://www.monitor.co.ug/Magazines/Full-Woman/Glammed-up-Veronica-s-Wish-movie-premiere/689842-4865574-11jvd6e/index.html |access-date=20 January 2019 |agency=Daily Monitor}}{{cite web |title=IN PICTURES: Veronica’s Wish lives up to expectations |url=https://www.sqoop.co.ug/201811/four-one-one/in-pictures-veronicas-wish-lives-up-to-expectations.html |website=Sqoop |access-date=20 January 2019}}{{cite web |title=[Watch]: Official Trailer of ‘Veronica’s Wish’ Starring Housen Mushema, Nisha Kalema, Malaika Nnyanzi and More |url=https://satisfashionug.com/watch-official-trailer-of-veronicas-wish-starring-housen-mushema-nisha-kalema-simon-base-kalema-and-malaika-nnyanzi/ |website=Satisfashion Ug |access-date=20 January 2019}}
The film was screened at major film festivals around the world including Silicon Valley African Film Festival, Uganda Film Festival and Mashariki African Film Festival and even won nominations and awards at the latter two.{{cite web |title=Narrative - Feature Selections: Veronica's Wish |url=https://www.svaff.org/selections/narrative-feature/400-veronica-s-wish.html |website=Svaff |access-date=19 September 2019}}
Plot
Michael and Veronica, a couple in love and engaged to marry are faced with challenges as Veronica gets hit by a mysterious illness a few days before their wedding.{{cite news |last1=Nila |first1=Yasmin |title=New Ugandan Film ‘Veronica’s Wish’ Premiers Next Month |url=https://life.chimpreports.com/new-ugandan-film-veronicas-wish-premiers-next-month/ |access-date=20 January 2019 |agency=Chimpreports}}
Production and casting
When Nisha Kalema created Veronica’s Wish, she first cast Rehema Nanfuka as the lead actress to play Veronica. But when Rehema read the script, she turned down the offer and proposed the role be played by Nisha Kalema herself and instead offered to direct the movie.{{cite web |last1=Kaggwa |first1=Andrew |title=Nisha Kalema: A footballer that fell in love with stories |url=https://www.monitor.co.ug/Magazines/Full-Woman/Nisha-Kalema-footballer-fell-love-with-stories/689842-4781578-757pfhz/index.html |website=Daily Monitor |access-date=20 January 2019}}
During her speech at the movie premier, Nisha revealed that she hadn’t thought of casting Housen Mushema as Michael.
Malaika Nnyanzi was cast as Bankia, Veronica’s best friend and Frank’s (Symon Base Kalema) girlfriend. In reality, Malaika and Symon Base Kalema are siblings which led to the cutting of their on-camera romance from the script.
Nominations and awards
In the first week of its screening, the film received 11 nominations at the Uganda Film Festival 2018{{cite news |title=All set for Uganda film awards |url=https://www.theeastafrican.co.ke/magazine/All-set-for-Uganda-film-awards/434746-4855338-fgacggz/index.html |access-date=20 January 2019 |agency=The East African}} and later won 9 awards becoming the biggest winner.{{cite news |title=Veronica’s Wish sweeps the Uganda Film Festival Awards: Here’s the full list of winners |url=https://bigeye.ug/veronicas-wish-sweeps-the-uganda-film-festival-awards-heres-the-full-list-of-winners/ |access-date=20 January 2019 |agency=Big Eye}}{{cite news |title=Veronica's Wish Sweeps All Major Awards At Uganda Film Festival |url=https://theinsider.ug/index.php/2018/12/03/veronicas-wish-reaps-big-in-the-uganda-film-festival-awards/ |access-date=20 January 2019 |agency=The Insider}}
| class="wikitable" width=""
! colspan="6" style="background: #FBFC8A;" | Awards & Nominations |
| style="background:#ccc; text-align:center;"
! Year ! Award ! Category ! Received by ! Result !Ref |
| rowspan="18" |2019
|rowspan="7"|ZAFAA Global Awards |Best Picture Editor |rowspan="4"|Nisha Kalema |{{nom}} |
| Best Producer
|{{nom}} |
| Best Lead Actor Female
|{{nom}} |
| Best Screenplay
|{{nom}} |
| Best Supporting Actor Female
|Malaika Nnyanzi |{{nom}} |
| Best Lead Actor Male
|{{nom}} |
| Best Director
|{{nom}} |
| rowspan="3" |Sinema Zetu International Film Festival
| Best Feature Film | | {{won}} |
| Best Actress
| {{won}} |
| Best Director
| {{won}} |
| Silcon Valley African Film Festival
| Best Feature Narrative | | {{won}} | |
| Pan African Film Festival, California
| Jury Honorable Mention | | {{won}} | |
| Gulu International Film Festival
| Best Feature Film | | {{nom}} | |
| rowspan="3"|7th Coast Film Festival
| Best Director | | {{nom}} | |
| Best Cinematography
| | {{nom}} | |
| Best Screenplay
| | {{nom}} | |
| Africa Movie Academy Awards
| Joan Nantege | {{nom}} |
| Mashariki African Film Festival
| Best East-African feature | | {{nom}} |
| rowspan="11" | 2018
| rowspan="11" | Uganda Film Festival Awards(UFF) | | {{won}} |rowspan="11"|{{cite news |last1=Ampurire |first1=Paul |title=FULL LIST: New Drama 'Veronica's Wish' Scoops Major Accolades at Film Festival Awards |url=https://www.softpower.ug/full-list-new-drama-veronicas-wish-scoops-major-accolades-at-film-festival-awards/ |access-date=20 January 2019 |agency=Soft Power}}{{cite news |last1=Ruva |first1=Roy |title=Veronica's Wish Sweeps All Major Awards At Uganda Film Festival 2018 |url=https://chano8.com/veronicas-wish-sweeps-all-major-awards-at-uganda-film-festival-2018/ |access-date=20 January 2019 |agency=Chano8}}{{cite web |title=Official Nominations List for 2018 Uganda Film Festival |url=http://www.sqoop.co.ug/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/festival.jpg |website=Sqoop |access-date=20 January 2019}} |
| Best Director
| {{won}} |
| Best Actress
| {{won}} |
| Best Actor (Film)
| {{nom}} |
| Best Supporting Actor
|Symon Base Kalema | {{won}} |
| Best Supporting Actress
|Malaika Nnyanzi | {{nom}} |
| Best Costume & Production Design
| | {{won}} |
| Best Sound
| | {{won}} |
| Best Editing & Post Production
| | {{won}} |
| Best Cinematography
| | {{won}} |
| Best Script (Screen Play)
| | {{won}} |
References
{{reflist}}
External
- {{IMDb title|tt9247928|Veronica's WiSH}}