The Story Circle winners 2022

Source: Edinburgh International Film Festival

[Clockwise L-R:] Lydia Matata, Sarah Kyomugisha, Janet Nsabuwera, Hope Wanjiku

Edinburgh International Film Festival (EIFF) has revealed the four winners of The Story Circle programme – an initiative aimed at female screenwriters and filmmakers from East Africa (focusing on Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda), who have an idea for a short film.

Janet Nsabuwera (Uganda), Sarah Kyomugisha (Uganda), Lydia Matata (Kenya) and Hope Wanjiku (Kenya) are the four winners. They will be given support to develop and produce their short films over the next year, to be screened at EIFF in 2023.

The brand new programme forms part of EIFF’s 75th anniversary celebration activity, and is is supported by the British Council. The festival will work on the programme alongside United In Film, an initiative set up by EIFF Talent Lab alumnus Harry Cherniak, to support filmmaking talent in Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda.

The participants will engage in online workshops and an in-person residential workshop in Uganda, with support from UK-based story editors.

On delivery of final scripts, the filmmakers will be awarded a financial commission to make the films, with United In Film offering production support.

Story Circle will also work with emerging script editors and creative producers in the region keen to expand their story skills and support their screenwriting peers.