Bobi Wine's documentary nominated for 2024 Oscar Awards

A documentary by Ugandan singer-turned-politician Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, popularly known as Bobi Wine, titled ‘The People’s President’ has received a nomination at the 2024 Oscars.

It has been selected alongside ‘The Eternal Memory’, ‘Four Daughters’, ‘To Kill a Tiger’ and ’20 Days in Mariupol’ under the Best Documentary Feature.

The history-making nomination comes eleven days after the documentary won the 'Audience Choice Award' at the esteemed Cinema Eye Honors 2024 Awards held on January 12, 2024, at the New York Academy of Medicine in East Harlem.

While reacting to the nomination, the hardcore opposition politician took to his X account to appreciate the recognition, calling it a 'humbling moment' and using the opportunity to further spread the gospel for a democratic Uganda.

"Our film #BobiWineThePeoplesPresident which showcases General @KagutaMuseveni’s brutal regime and the resilient citizens pushing back, has been nominated for Best Documentary in the Oscars. It is such a humbling moment to see the Ugandan story make it to the Academy Awards- the most prestigious and significant awards in the world!" he wrote.

"Today the fight for democracy in Uganda and around the world lives on. Thank you for this recognition!"

Back in 2022, even before its official release, the documentary was recognized as the ‘2022 Audience Award: Best Documentary Feature’ at the Hamptons International Film Festival (HIFF).

And in April 2023, the film made by Moses Bwayo and Christopher Sharp also won ‘The Audience Prize’ and the Bronze Goal for Best Film on Human Rights at the 2023 Millenium International Documentary Film Festival in Brussels, Belgium.

The film, which was officially released in September 2023, partly details the ‘Kyarenga’ hitmaker’s political journey from 2017 when he took his first shot at politics, becoming Kyaddondo East MP to the 2021 presidential race.

It also describes Bobi Wine as a politician who is using his music to fight the regime led by long-serving Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni.

The nominees in the key categories for the 96th Academy Awards have just been released and winners will be awarded on March 10, 2024 in Hollywood.

Big News: Our film #BobiWineThePeoplesPresident which showcases General @KagutaMuseveni’s brutal regime and the resilient citizens pushing back, has been nominated for Best Documentary in the Oscars. It is such a humbling moment to see the Ugandan story make it to the Academy… pic.twitter.com/xrw9rwfiPN— BOBI WINE (@HEBobiwine) January 23, 2024