Bobi Wine: The People’s President

Southern Films / Ventureland / National Geographic Documentary Films

African music superstar Bobi Wine first rose to national and international fame with message-driven songs that spoke openly about the trials and tribulations of the underserved in his native country of Uganda. When he pivoted to politics, first winning a seat in Parliament and later opting to run for president, his charm and fame served as a reminder of the collective power that could be harnessed to topple the now decades-long government of Yoweri Kaguta Museveni. Christopher Sharp and Moses Bwayo’s Bobi Wine: The People’s President chronicles the ups and downs of that 2021 presidential election, offering up images of frenzied crowds cheering Bobi Wine on and documenting the various threats and arrests the star withstood as he spoke against Museveni’s regime. Bobi Wine’s commitment to the emancipatory project of a renewed Uganda is at the core of this vibrant, colorful doc, as is the music that first so galvanized his fan base. For offering up a frank and urgent portrait of an African artist driven to champion the power of the people in the face of a ruling class who’d rather silence him, Bobi Wine: The People’s President wins a Peabody Award.

PRIMARY PRODUCTION CREDITS

Executive Producers: Humble Lukanga, Sol Guy, Alastair Siddons, Carolyn Bernstein, Kerstin Emhoff. Producers: Christopher Sharp, John Battsek. Directors: Moses Bwayo, Christopher Sharp. Editor: Paul Carlin. Cinematography: Sam Benstead, Moses Bwayo, Michele Sibiloni. Music: Dan Jones. Sound: Timothy Mutoony, George Foulgham CAS.