Kyengera Central College has officially launched its student-produced film Road to Success into the 2026 Pearlwood Film Awards competition, marking a significant milestone in the integration of secondary school storytelling into Uganda’s national creative industry.
The launch, held under the Pearlwood Film Awards programme, signaled the beginning of a structured national competition where school films will be screened, evaluated, and awarded based on creativity, performance, storytelling quality, and audience engagement.
Organisers confirmed that Road to Success was both premiered and officially admitted into the competition cycle, placing Kyengera Central College among the first schools participating in this year’s initiative.
Jacqueline Kobusinge, Managing Director of the Pearlwood Film Awards, said the programme is designed to develop youth storytelling and talent identification at school level.
“This year we are focusing on youth storytelling. We are officially ushering schools into a competitive space where their creativity will be tested, refined, and celebrated under the Pearlwood Film Awards,” she said.
The film itself explores student life, focusing on ambition, discipline, peer pressure, family expectations, and the challenges young people face while navigating education and personal growth. Students participated in all aspects of production, including acting, set coordination, direction support, and technical roles.
The programme includes weekly screenings every Monday and Thursday, where selected schools present original productions.
Films will be hosted on digital platforms such as Stream East Films, with audience engagement and viewership contributing to scoring and final evaluation.
A teacher from Kyengera Central College praised the initiative, describing it as transformative for learners.
“We have seen students discover talents we never knew they had,” the teacher said. “This project has improved discipline, teamwork, and confidence. They are learning beyond the classroom in a very practical way.”