A Good Catholic Girl is a Ugandan short film about a
Muslim girl's attraction to someone from a different religious
affiliation. It was written, produced and directed by Matt Bish. Matthew
Nabwiso won the Best Supporting actor award at the 2013 Africa Magic Viewers Choice Awards for playing "Ahmed" in the film.Plot
Ahmed (a villainous butcher played by Matthew Nabwiso) is interested in a strict Muslim customer's daughter yet she loves someone else, a lowly carpenter (role played by Joel Okuyo Atiku Prynce) who isn't Muslim, which is forbidden (Haram) in their religion. Ahmed tries to rape her, and when she resists, he kills her. But, her lover revenges.Cast
- Maureen Kulany as Amina
- Joel Okuyo Atiku as Carpenter
- Matthew Nabwiso as Ahmed
- Brenda Ibarah as Madina
- Tibba Murungi as Amina's Friend
- Sharon Amali as Amina's Friend
- Cathy Masajjage as Mother
- Herbert Kibirige as Father
Reception
The controversial film questions some Islamic ideologies and portrays religious tensions. A Good Catholic Girl won the award for Best Short film at the 2011 KIFF. It was included in Africa First: Volume Two, an anthology of five short films from new African filmmakers. Nabwiso scooped the Best Supporting Actor - Drama Award at the inaugural Africa Magic Viewers' Choice Awards (AMVCA) in Lagos, Nigeria in March 2013 beating four challengers: three Nigerians Osita Iheme, Fabian Adeoye Lojede and Kalu Ikeagwu plus South African Thomas Gumede. He was the only Ugandan nominee in the 26 category competition.
A Good Catholic Girl is a 26-minute short film about a girl struggling to
come out of her Muslim religious circles that restrict her from dating people
from a different religious affiliation like Catholicism. I first saw this flick
on Sunday 15th August 2010 during the third and final day of the 1st Maisha
African Film Festival at National Theatre. It was "A World Premiere"
of the flick and my written comment after watching was simply: "Wow!"Amina is attracted to a young Catholic man in her neighborhood and this does not go down well with her father. With mixed emotions, she goes out of her way to find her only true love despite her father's pre-arranged marriage to another man...
