# List of awards and nominations received by Usama Mukwaya

The following is a list of awards and nominations received by Ugandan film director, screenwriter, and producer Usama Mukwaya. His major nominations include the Africa Movie Academy Award for Best Film in an African Language for the film Bala Bala Sese and three nominations at the Africa Magic Viewers' Choice Awards, two for the 2023 film, The Passenger and best short film for the 2021 film Sixteen Rounds.

## Major associations
### Africa Movie Academy Awards

The Africa Movie Academy Awards, popularly known as AMAA and The AMA Awards, are presented annually to recognize excellence of professionals in the African film industry.
| Year | Nominated work | Category | Result | Ref. |
| 2016 | Bala Bala Sese | Best Film in an African Language | Nominated | |

## Other awards and nominations
### Africa Magic Viewers' Choice Awards

Africa Magic Viewers' Choice Awards (AMVCA) is an annual accolade presented by MultiChoice recognizing outstanding achievement in television and film.The inaugural Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards ceremony was held in Lagos, Lagos State in Nigeria on 9 March 2013, and was broadcast live in more than 50 countries. Entries into the award ceremony are films and TV series that have been aired in the previous year.
| Year | Nominated work | Category | Result |
| 2024 | The Passenger | Best Indigenous M-Net Original | Nominated |
| 2024 | The Passenger | Best Scripted M-Net Original | Nominated |
| 2023 | Sixteen Rounds | Best Short film | Nominated |

### Janzi Awards

The Janzi Awards are envisioned as an inclusive experience where outstanding achievements, innovations and diversity in Uganda’s Cultural, Creative and Performing Arts forms are recognized and celebrated.
| Year | Category | Nominated work | Result | Ref. |
| 2021 | Outstanding Producer | Sixteen Rounds, The Blind Date | Won | |

### Magic Vibe Awards

Magic Vibe Awards is the sole East Africa Awards Ceremony and music festival in the diaspora. They cater to all music genres including film and sports.
| Year | Nominated work | Category | Result | Ref. |
| 2023 | - | Best East African Film Director | Nominated | |

### New Vision Peoples Choice Film Awards

The New Vision People's Choice Film Awards, also known as NVFilmAwards, is an event that recognizes the talent and achievements of Uganda's film industry. The awards are voted for by the public, who consume the films produced..
| Year | Category | Nominated work | Result | Ref. |
| 2024 | Best Short Film | Nambi | Nominated | |

### Viewers Choice Movie Awards (Uganda)

| Year | Category | Nominated work | Result |
| 2017 | Best Screenplay | Love Faces | Nominated |
| 2017 | Best Picture | Love Faces | Nominated |
| 2017 | Film of the Year | Love Faces | Won |
| 2017 | Best Director | Love Faces | Nominated |
| 2017 | Best Screenplay | Rehema | Nominated |

## Film festival awards
### Africa International Film Festival

The Africa International Film Festival (AFRIFF) is an annual film festival. The event normally spans through a week and it includes award shows and film training classes.
| Year | Nominated work | Category | Result | Ref. |
| 2016 | Bala Bala Sese | Best Feature Film | Nominated | |

### Amakula International Film Festival

The Amakula International Film Festival is an annual film festival that takes place in Uganda. It is Uganda's oldest film festival founded by Dutch film historian Alice Smits and American filmmaker Lee Elickson.
| Year | Nominated work | Category | Result |
| 2018 | Love Faces | Best Feature Film | Nominated |
| 2018 | Rehema | Best Short Film | Nominated |
| 2016 | Bala Bala Sese | Best African Film (Golden Impala Award) | Nominated |

### Durban International Film Festival

The Durban International Film Festival (DIFF) is an annual film festival that takes place in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal province, South Africa. Founded in 1979 by Teddy Sarkin and Ros Sarkin, it is the oldest and largest film festival in Africa and presents over 200 screenings celebrating the best in South African, African and international cinema. Most of the screenings are either African or South African premieres.
| Year | Nominated work | Category | Result |
| 2022 | Sixteen Rounds | Best Short Film | Won |
| 2021 | The Blind Date | Best Short Film | Nominated |
| 2017 | Rehema | Best Short Film | Nominated |

### Helsinki African Film Festival

| Year | Nominated work | Category | Result | Ref. |
| 2016 | Bala Bala Sese | Jury Award for Human Rights and Social Commentary | Nominated | |

### Kortfilmfestival Kalmthout

| Year | Nominated work | Category | Result | Ref. |
| 2023 | Nambi | Best International short film - Audience award | Won | |

### Luxor African Film Festival

| Year | Nominated work | Category | Result | Ref. |
| 2022 | Sixteen Rounds | Best Short film | Special Mention | |
| 2016 | Bala Bala Sese | Grand Nile Prize (Long Narrative) | Nominated | |

### Malawi International Film Festival

| Year | Nominated work | Category | Result | Ref. |
| 2023 | The Passenger | Best International Feature Film | Won | |

### Mashariki African Film Festival

Mashariki African Film Festival is an international film festival based in Rwanda, that represent the country in the East African Film Network (EAFN).
| Year | Nominated work | Category | Result |
| 2023 | The Passenger | Long Feature Fiction | Nominated |
| 2021 | Kyaddala | Best TV and web series | Nominated |
| 2021 | Sixteen Rounds | Best Short Film | Won |
| 2015 | Tiktok | Best Short Film | Nominated |

### Nador Cinema Festival

| Year | Nominated work | Category | Result | Ref. |
| 2018 | Rehema | Best Short Film | Nominated | |

### Nile Diaspora International Film Festival

| Year | Nominated work | Category | Result | Ref. |
| 2013 | In Just Hours | Best Short Film | Nominated | |

### Pearl International Film Festival

The Pearl International Film Festival (PIFF), is an annual film festival held in Kampala, Uganda and has been described as one of the biggest film events in Uganda.
| Year | Nominated work | Category | Result |
| 2023 | The Passenger | Best Feature | Nominated |
| 2017 | Rehema | Best Short Film | Nominated |
| 2014 | In Just Hours | Best Student Film | Nominated |

### Uganda Film Festival

The Uganda Film Festival (UFF), is an annual film festival held in Kampala, Uganda founded under the Uganda Communications Commission. The festival is intended to help showcase what the industry is doing and at the same time focusing attention to all the other facets of the industry.
| Year | Nominated work | Category | Result |
| 2024 | 9 Lives | Best Short Film | Nominated |
| 2023 | The Passenger | Best Feature Film | Nominated |
| 2023 | The Passenger | Best Film In Indigenous Language | Won |
| 2023 | The Passenger | Viewer’s Choice | Nominated |
| 2023 | Nambi | Best Short Film | Nominated |
| 2022 | Sixteen Rounds | Best Short Film | Nominated |
| 2022 | Kyaddala | Best Television Drama | Nominated |
| 2021 | The Blind Date | Best Short Film | Won |
| 2017 | Love Faces | Best Production Design/ Costume Design | Nominated |
| 2017 | Rehema | Best Short Film | Won |

### Zanzibar International Film Festival

| Year | Nominated work | Category | Result | Ref. |
| 2024 | The Passenger | Golden Dhow for Best Feature Film | Nominated | |

## Film industry awards
### MNFPAC

Mariam Ndagire Film and Performing Arts Centre is a Uganda-based training film initiative for emerging Ugandan filmmakers and mentorship programme for aspiring filmmakers and youth in Uganda.
| Year | Nominated work | Category | Result | Ref. |
| 2010 | Hello | Best Screenplay | Nominated | |

### Movie Furnace

Movie Furnace (Tanuulu) is a Uganda-based non-profit short film competition, for Mariam Ndagire Film and Performing Arts Centre alumni (MNFPAC), founded by Mariam Ndagire.
| Year | Nominated work | Category | Result | Ref. |
| 2013 | In Just Hours | Best Director | Won | |
| 2012 | Smart Attempt | Best Director | Finalist | |

## Miscellaneous awards and honors
### Trailblazer Award - MNFPAC (CLASS OF 2010)

The Mariam Ndagire Film and Performing Arts Centre awarded Usama the trailblazer award during the institutes' 2020 graduation as an exceptional student for his outstanding contribution towards the Ugandan entertainment industry. On the very event, Usama received a diploma in film directing and screenwriting from now a fully recognized training institute by Directorate of Industrial Training.

### Fellow of the Young & Emerging Leaders Project (CLASS OF 2019)

The Young & Emerging Leaders Project (YELP) is an initiative of the LéO Africa Institute, which has been ongoing since 2017, that annually inducts 20-30 outstanding thought leaders into a fellowship program designed to train and orient values of self-advancement, integrity, social responsibility, and socioeconomic transformation.

### Film and Television Award - Young Achievers Awards 2011

The Young Achievers Awards is a national competition held annually in Uganda which selects and promotes the best practice and excellence in youth creativity.