WAKALIWOOD takes viewers to the slums of Wakaliga, Uganda, where Isaac Godfrey Geoffrey (I.G.G.) Nabwana, a doting father of three, produces, directs, and edits action films with a collective of dedicated filmmakers and actors. Prop guns are made from welding metal and bullets from carving wood, and I.G.G. edits on a computer he built himself that has a tendency to overheat. Moving and inspiring, WAKALIWOOD is about a pure love for film, a joy for art that, for better or worse, has not been tainted by money and fame, and the power of a community united by a shared dream of making movies. Co-directed by 2010 Industry Toast honoree, Ben Barenholtz.

Ben Barenholtz has been a key presence in the independent film scene – as an exhibitor, distributor, and producer. In 1968 he opened the Elgin Cinema. The theater became the world’s most innovative specialty and revival house. Most notably, he originated the Midnight Movie concept in 1970 with Jodorowsky’s El Topo. and followed  by John Waters’ Pink Flamingos and Perry Henzell’s The Harder They Come. Barenholtz formed Libra Films in 1972. The first film Libra distributed was a revival of Jean-Pierre Melville’s Les Enfants Terrible, followed by Tacchella’s Cousin, Cousine, which became one of the largest grossing foreign films in the US and was nominated for 3 Academy Awards. Libra also launched and distributed, among others, George Romero’s Martin, John Sayles’ first feature Return of the Secaucus Seven, and David Lynch’s first feature Eraserhead. In 1984  he joined with Ted and Jim Pedas to form Circle Releasing.  Among the films released by Circle were Yoshimitsu Morita’s The Family Game, Guy Maddin’s first feature Tales From the Gimli Hospital, Vincent Ward’s The Navigator, John Woo’s The Killer, Catherine Breillat’s 36 Fillette, Alain Cavalier’s Therese, and Blood Simple, the first film by Joel and Ethan Coen. He continued working with the Coens on the production of Raising Arizona, and as executive producer of Miller’s Crossing and Barton Fink, which won the Palme d’Or at the 1991 Cannes Film Festival, as well as awards for Best Director and Best Actor.

Alan Ssali Hofmanis is the first American to visit and document Ramon Film Productions, a team of actors, filmmakers, and technicians producing Hollywood- inspired action and genre films in the slums of Wakaliga, Uganda. Adopted by the Nkima (Monkey) clan and given the name Ssali, he co-starred in director Isaac Godfrey Geoffrey (I.G.G.) Nabwana’s most recent action film, BLACK, and in the process became the first muzungu (Westerner) to appear in Ugandan cinema. Previously, Alan Ssali Hofmanis served as the Director of Programming for the Lake Placid Film Forum and as Director of Special Programming for Cinema Arts Centre, in Huntington, NY.

Ben Barenholtz has been a key presence in the independent film scene – as an exhibitor, distributor, and producer. In 1968 he opened the Elgin Cinema. The theater became the world’s most innovative specialty and revival house. Most notably, he originated the Midnight Movie concept in 1970 with Jodorowsky’s El Topo. and followed  by John Waters’ Pink Flamingos and Perry Henzell’s The Harder They Come. Barenholtz formed Libra Films in 1972. The first film Libra distributed was a revival of Jean-Pierre Melville’s Les Enfants Terrible, followed by Tacchella’s Cousin, Cousine, which became one of the largest grossing foreign films in the US and was nominated for 3 Academy Awards. Libra also launched and distributed, among others, George Romero’s Martin, John Sayles’ first feature Return of the Secaucus Seven, and David Lynch’s first feature Eraserhead. In 1984  he joined with Ted and Jim Pedas to form Circle Releasing.  Among the films released by Circle were Yoshimitsu Morita’s The Family Game, Guy Maddin’s first feature Tales From the Gimli Hospital, Vincent Ward’s The Navigator, John Woo’s The Killer, Catherine Breillat’s 36 Fillette, Alain Cavalier’s Therese, and Blood Simple, the first film by Joel and Ethan Coen. He continued working with the Coens on the production of Raising Arizona, and as executive producer of Miller’s Crossing and Barton Fink, which won the Palme d’Or at the 1991 Cannes Film Festival, as well as awards for Best Director and Best Actor.

Alan Ssali Hofmanis is the first American to visit and document Ramon Film Productions, a team of actors, filmmakers, and technicians producing Hollywood- inspired action and genre films in the slums of Wakaliga, Uganda. Adopted by the Nkima (Monkey) clan and given the name Ssali, he co-starred in director Isaac Godfrey Geoffrey (I.G.G.) Nabwana’s most recent action film, BLACK, and in the process became the first muzungu (Westerner) to appear in Ugandan cinema. Previously, Alan Ssali Hofmanis served as the Director of Programming for the Lake Placid Film Forum and as Director of Special Programming for Cinema Arts Centre, in Huntington, NY.