Patience Nitumwesiga’s documentary debut The Woman Who Poked The Leopard, which places a humanist lens upon one of Africa’s most iconic political prisoners, premiered at Dok Leipzig and IDFA in 2025 and won two awards at Dok Leipzig. She is now developing her first fiction feature, How To Forget Your Name. Nitumwesiga’s shorts have been featured at Locarno Film Festival, Berlinale, and festivals worldwide. She was born in the spirit-protected mountains of Buhweju and was raised by a family of teachers and farmers. Devouring any book she could find, her love for stories drove her to the field of art and storytelling. She’s an alumna of Makere University where she studied Drama, and Maisha Film Lab as well as Talents Durban. Common themes across her work include precolonial values, death, African utopianism, and gender deconstruction. She co-founded the film and storytelling production company SHAGIKA based in Kampala, Uganda.
Sessions & Appearances
Sat 6 Jun
13:00 · Goethe-Institut, JHB
Cleaning the Cut
A panel discussion for filmmakers, storytellers, healers that explores how the edit space can become a place of healing, and the role of the editor when dealing with difficult material.
Sat 6 Jun
10:00 · Goethe-Institut, JHB
Beginnings and Openings
A panel discussion for film directors, editors and creative producers that delves into what to consider in those first few minutes of a film.
Featured Work
The Woman Who Poked The Leopard
2025
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108
mins
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International
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Feature
This highly engaging account of Ugandan poet and activist Stella Nyanzi’s relentless attempt to challenge the violent status quo of President Yoweri Museveni makes for gripping…