# Nana Kagga

Nana Kagga (also known as Nana Kagga-Hill or Nana Hill or Nana Macpherson) is a Ugandan filmmaker, scriptwriter and actress. She wrote and directed the 2012 film The Life and was a writer and executive producer of Beneath the Lies – The Series. She has written Mukisa, My Sister's Keeper with Clive Nshiime, Pieces of Me and many more. She is the co-owner of Savannah MOON, a production company in Uganda.

## Life and background

Kagga was born in Nairobi, Kenya to Ugandan parents, one an engineer. Kagga is a Muganda and part of the traditional ruling clan of the Baganda tribe, the Bambejja (princesses). Kagga is the third of six children of both her parents. At the time of her birth, her parents were in exile during the regime of President Idi Amin. Kagga grew up primarily in Uganda in a well-to-do family. In addition to her father and maternal grandfather, four of her siblings are also engineers. Kagga resides in Kampala, Uganda with her 3 children. She is fluent in English and Luganda.

## Education

Kagga completed her Primary education at Kampala Parents School. She then joined Gayaza High School, one of the most prestigious girl's schools in Uganda, for her O-Levels. She then did her A-Levels at Red Maids School, Bristol, the oldest Girls' School in the UK. Kagga then joined the University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK where she attained a bachelor's degree in chemical engineering. Kagga was an excellent all-round student who excelled in sciences, arts and sports. During her summer holidays, she would return to Uganda and was a presenter for Jam Agenda on WBS, a popular Ugandan TV show.

## Career
### Engineering

Following her graduation, Kagga moved to Florida, United States, then New Mexico, United States. In New Mexico, she worked at Laguna Industries as a Process Engineer in Laguna working on US Military contracts.

### Hollywood (as Nana Hill)

Kagga decided to move to pursue her acting and presenting in Los Angeles and enjoyed some success. Kagga was cast in a number of films including Cowboys and Indians, A Good Day to Be Black and Sexy (Segment 'Reprise'), He's Just Not That into You, Star Trek, CSI: NY – Boo, Life, Runway Stars. In US Theatre, Kagga was cast as Mercy in the play, Butterflies of Uganda by Darren Dahms which was nominated for an NAACP award. Kagga appeared in several music videos by P!nk, Amy Winehouse, Sting, Lenny Kravitz. Kagga also appeared in several TV ads including for KFC, Coors Light, Pepsi, DSW, Microsoft, APPLE, Tylenol, DOVE. While in L.A, Kagga also owned a vintage and resale store on Santa Monica Blvd called A Vintage Affair.

### In Uganda

Kagga moved back to Uganda in late 2009 and set up a business, Savannah MOON Ltd. Savannah MOON under the brand, Savannah MOON Productions produced a full-length feature film, The Life which was shown on M-NET, a TV Series Beneath The Lies – The Series, which is currently being shown on Urban TV and digitally distributed by MTN Uganda. Savannah MOON has also co-produced several short and Feature films in addition to TV series.
Nana has created an initiative, You are Limitless (YAL), which aims to motivate, guide and encourage Africans, especially the youth to achieve their full potential. Kagga also works as a Petroleum Engineer for one of the large Oil & Gas companies operating in Uganda. She was one of the judges for Miss Uganda 2018.

## Filmography
### As an actress
#### Film

| Year | Film | Role | Director | Notes |
| 2022 | Nalwawo | Nanta | Emokor Eric | Produced at Savannah MOON Productions, Geoffix Films, Spectacle Media |
| 2022 | Pieces of Me | Indigo Gray Namukasa | Nsubuga Nicholas | Produced by Savannah MOON Productions |
| 2009 | Star Trek | Enterprise Crew Member | J. J. Abrams | Paramount Pictures |
| 2009 | He's Just Not That into You | Party Guest | Ken Kwapis | Universal Pictures |
| 2008 | A Good Day to Be Black and Sexy (Segment Reprise) | Candi | Dennis Dortch | Magnolia Pictures |
| 2007 | Collision | | | Independent film |
| 2007 | Hitch-hike | | | Independent film |
| 2007 | Cowboys and Indians | Indian | | Short film |

#### Television

| Year | Title | Role | Director | Notes |
| 2021 | Prestige | Jazmine | | TV series produced by Ava Juliet Productions for Pearl Magic Prime |
| 2014 | Beneath the Lies – The Series | Attorney General | Joseph Katsha Kyasi | TV series, Savannah MOON Productions |
| 2008 | Runway Stars | Angel | | Web series |
| 2008 | Life (NBC TV series) | Pretty Black Girl | | TV series, NBC |
| 2007 | CSI: NY – Boo | Josephine Delacroix | Joe Dante | TV series, CBS |
| 2006 | BET Stars | | | BET |

#### Theater

| Year | Title | Role | Director | Theater | Notes |
| 2008 | Butterflies of Uganda | Mercy | Darren Dahms | Mercy | Greenway Theater September–October 2008 |

### As a crew member

| Year | Film/TV series | Role | Director | Notes |
| 2023 | Kasozi Heights (Feature film) | Co-Director, Casting Director, Assistant, Script Editor, Acting Coach | Emokor Eric | Produced by Ceekay Films |
| 2023 | Goolo (Feature film) | Exec. Producer, Script Writer/Editor, Casting Director, Art Director | Geoffrey Kasozi | Produced by Savannah MOON, Commissioned by Maisha Magic Movies |
| 2022 | Mukisa (Feature film) | Exec. Director, Script-writer, Casting Director, Production/ Set Designer | Geoffrey Kasozi | Produced by Savannah MOON, Commissioned by Maisha Magic Movies |
| 2022 | My Sister's Keeper (Feature film) | Director, Exec. Producer, Script-writer, Casting Director, Set Designer | Nana Kagga | Produced by Savannah MOON, Commissioned by Maisha Magic Movies |
| 2022 | Pieces of Me (Feature film) | Actor, Script-writer, Casting Director, Exec. Producer, Set Designer | Nsubuga Nicholas | Produced by Savannah MOON, Commissioned by Maisha Magic Movies |
| 2022 | Nalwawo (Feature film) | Actor, Creator, scriptwriter, producer | Emokor Eric | Produced by Savannah MOON, Geoffix99 Films, Spectacle Media |
| 2021 | Empaabi (Feature film) | Co-Director, Casting Director, Exec. Producer | Geoffrey Kasozi, Nana Kagga | Produced by Savannah MOON, Geoffix99 Films, Spectrum Uganda Media |
| 2020 | Embeera (Short film) | Director, Script-writer, Casting Director, Exec. Producer | Nana Kagga | Produced by Savannah MOON, Geoffix99 Films |
| 2020 | Ubuntu (Short film) | Director, Script-writer, Casting Director, Exec. Producer | Nana Kagga | Produced by Savannah MOON, Geoffix99 Films |
| 2019 | Mela (TV/ Web series) | Creator, Scriptwriter, Director | Maria Corrazon, Nana Kagga | Produced by Savannah MOON |
| 2019 | The Quarry (Short film) | Casting Director, Exec. Producer | Eddie Kagutuzi | Produced by Savannah MOON, Baby Plantains production, Balkon Films |
| 2018 | Reflections (TV Series pilot episodes) | Creator, scriptwriter, director | | TV series starring Cleopatra Koheirwe, Gladys Oyenbot, Housen Mushema |
| 2016 | The Last Breath (Short film) | Executive producer, Casting Director | Jordan Braise Ndawula | Produced by Savannah MOON, Kampala Film School , Balkon films |
| 2014 | Beneath The Lies – The Series | Creator, scriptwriter, Executive Producer | | Produced by Kinetic Management Group, 40-Plus Productions, Savannah MOON |
| 2014 | How We See It | Host, director, producer | | Ugandan talk show |
| 2012 | The Life (Feature film) | Director, producer | Nana Kagga | Produced by Savannah MOON . |

## Awards

Awards & Nominations :
| Year | Award | Category | Work | Result |
| 2023 | Uganda Film Festival Awards 2023 | Best Actress in a Feature film | Pieces of Me | Nominated |
| 2023 | Uganda Film Festival Awards 2023 | Best Screen-play | Pieces of Me | Nominated |
| 2023 | Uganda Film Festival Awards 2023 | Best Feature Film (as Producer) | Mukisa | Won |
| 2023 | Uganda Film Festival Awards 2023 | Best Production Design | Mukisa | Won |
| 2023 | Uganda Film Festival Awards 2023 | Best Film in indigenous language (as Producer) | Mukisa | Nominated |
| 2023 | Uganda Film Festival Awards 2023 | Viewer's Choice (as Producer) | Mukisa | Nominated |
| 2023 | Uganda Film Festival Awards 2023 | Best Costume Design | Mukisa | Nominated |
| 2023 | Uganda Film Festival Awards 2023 | Best Screen-play | Mukisa | Nominated |
| 2022 | Uganda Film Festival Awards 2022 | Best Actress in a Feature Film | Nalwawo | Won |
| 2022 | Uganda Film Festival Awards 2022 | Best Indigenous Film | Nalwawo | Won |
| 2021 | Uganda Film Festival Awards 2021 | Best Actress in a TV Drama | Prestige | Won |