Katwe

Striking imagery, heartfelt reflection and subtle humour underpins a portrait of a salt-mining community who navigate broken promises of development.

Nima Shirali’s subtly humorous film follows a community tucked between Uganda’s Katwe Salt Lake and a national park. Through the eyes of an enthusiastic teacher, a jaded caretaker and a sharp-witted mother, the salt lake is seen as a vital lifeline. Between harvests and floods, the lake transforms from a role that is central to local identity and offering a promising industry, to become a symbol of failed development. The low price of salt adds to the woes of toxic labour conditions. And yet, for many in Katwe it remains the only path of opportunity. As a flamboyant, retro-styled local politician pushes grand plans onto a crumbling mine and community, the local population reflects on what the future holds.