SHORT FILM CALLED ‘FALLING OUT’

I missed the premiere but then I watched ‘Falling Out’ on the final day of this year’s Ngalabi Short Film Festival, and it instantly stood out as one of the most memorable screenings of the evening. As the story unfolded, I was struck not only by the sharpness of the storytelling but also by the way the audience reacted to it. The collective experience said everything about the film’s ability to pull viewers in and keep them there until the end.

Written, directed, and produced by Alisanyukirwa Joy Matovu, Falling Out is a 19-minute Ugandan drama that dares to ask: ‘What happens when two people, bound by tradition, never chose each other in the first place?’

The film follows Wesley and Ruth, whose marriage was arranged by their fathers, cutting Wesley off from his true love, Ashley, and denying Ruth the chance to choose her partner. When Wesley asks for a divorce, Ruth discovers his apparent affair with Ashley. The confrontation spirals into a dangerous clash where words turn into weapons, and a pistol becomes the catalyst for an irreversible turning point.

Alina Camilla (Ruth) and Michael Tamale (Wesley) deliver emotionally charged performances that balance restraint and intensity. They are joined by Ugandan theatre legend Andrew Benon Kibuuka and veteran actress Eron Ntuulo Matovu, whose portrayals deepen the story’s themes of generational expectation and cultural legacy.

For Matovu (director), this film is an examination of generational cycles and the invisible forces that shape our choices. He says that ‘This story delves into the traditions, expectations, and wounds that are passed down, shaping our choices even when we try to escape them’. The film reimagines arranged marriage within an upper-class Ugandan context, raising the question: ‘what if you were forced to stay in a marriage you never wanted?’

Falling Out is produced with the support of the Uganda Communications Commission’s Content Development Support Program (CDSP) and over 50 cast and crew members came together over three days and two nights, turning the production into a collaborative milestone for everyone involved.

It would be wrong to close this writeup without telling you a bit more about Alisanyukirwa Joy Matovu. He is a Ugandan filmmaker, writer, producer, and cinematographer with over half a decade of experience in film and theatre, he has worked on projects such as BBC’s Being 17 and Opportunities Are Here Uganda (Season One Finalist). His short film portfolio includes DEATH: not so scary (2021), SHADOWS (2022), WHAT’S GOOD ABOUT FRIDAY (2022), REMEMBER (2022), and INSANITY (2024).