Art and culture enthusiasts got a special treat over the weekend with the Kampala screening of Memories of Love Returned. What began for many as a simple trip to the cinema became a wholesome, unifying experience in which generations converged to celebrate a story decades in the making about legacy, love, and the lens of a forgotten artist.
The film traces a remarkable 22-year journey that began in April 2002. A broken-down car in the small town of Mbirizi in Masaka led acclaimed Ugandan-American filmmaker Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine to the doorstep of Kibaate Aloysius Ssalongo. Kibaate’s lens captured his community’s soul from the late 1950s till his passing in 2006. On this elegant evening, the story of the chance encounter between Guma and Aloysius, the restoration and recreation of the pictures, was all shared on the big screen.
This story of rediscovery and cultural pride resonates deeply with Uganda Waragi’s So UG So 60 campaign. As the brand marks 60 years of uniting Ugandans, it looks to celebrate narratives that reflect authentic Ugandan identity and connection as embodied in Kibaate’s work and Mwine’s tribute.
Hilda Aguti, Marketing Manager for Uganda Waragi, spoke on the brand’s synergy with the film, saying,
“Mzee Kibaate’s lens captured the spirit of Mbirizi for over 50 years, and this screening is a celebration of the fact that our stories are finally being told by us and appreciated by the world. That is the Spirit of Uganda, and that is what we raise a glass to.”
Guests for the screening were ushered to the Acacia Rooftop, where they were welcomed with a signature Uganda Waragi cocktail. The curated menu was themed around the film, with the Kibaate Aloysius Ssalongo, the Akwat’empola Studio, and the Kabalungi Mbirizi all serving as a liquid tribute to the man and studio that captured the spirit of a town.
The audience was a beautiful reflection of the film’s themes, with a guest list read like a who’s who of Ugandan culture and creativity.
Industry personalities like Maurice Kirya, Matthew and Eleanor Nabwiso, and dignitaries like Maria Kiwanuka graced the occasion. Kibaate’s family was also visibly present, with some making only their second journey to Kampala but their faces reflecting quiet pride as Ssalongo’s work received its flowers.