By Bill Dan Arnold Borodi.
The Perfect Lie is a short film class project directed by Emmanuel Ilungole and produced by Nassunje Denis Rebecca . Starring Claire Hanna Natukunda as Birungi , Zipporah Faith as Ashley ,Charles Samuel Epiat as Kay, Ahumuza Desire Jael as Kemigisha ,Bill Dan Arnold Borodi as Omara (Oh yes, you read right Borodi! Myself ). This is the 2023 class of Journalism major , practical for the documentary and drama course unit.The class had to take on several responsibilities in the making of the film , such as script-writing, camera operation, sound design, editing, and, lastly, acting for camera.
It depicts Birungi’s carefully curated perfect online persona and social media validation life crumbling, leading her to confront the harsh reality of self-acceptance.
However, the pressure of maintaining this facade takes a toll on her mental health. As her carefully constructed world begins to unravel, Birungi must confront the consequences of her actions and learn to embrace her true self.
The 35 mins 18 secs story was told with meaningful shots and subtle cinematography that doesn’t try to overshadow the storytelling but enhances it. It is not something you would expect from student filmmakers. It had a timely release on Youtube during the men’s mental health awareness month of June .
As I reflect on our filming experience, I am reminded of the enormous hurdles we faced. It was a perfect storm of stress, with a tight deadline, a short time to grasp the script, and a limited period.
To make matters worse, we were all juggling many responsibilities in our final year; doing five course units, individual assignments, an internship report on top of a research thesis.
The script was complex, and we needed to absorb it quickly. We spent many hours rehearsing, refining our lines, and getting into character. It wasn’t easy, since we were not in an acting class, but we were motivated by our enthusiasm for the craft. Fortunately, the majority of the crew members had previous film set experience working with students film projects like My Degree , My background ( which got a semi-finalist award at the Student World Impact Film Festival (SWIFF) and My first-year. This helped us overcome the obstacles.
The shooting experience was characterised by strong teamwork, spirit, and high-tension situations. I recall one incident in which the cast and crew were slow to respond to directions. Brian Kabogozza, the assistant director (AD) threatened to slap anyone who did not obey. It was a tense moment, but we knew he was pushing us to do our best.
The night scenes were particularly challenging due to the extra attention required for lighting. The crew worked tirelessly to get the lighting right, and it showed in the final product. If you look at the lighting in those scenes, you’ll understand what I mean.
Despite the obstacles, we made it through, and the experience was remarkable. We built deep friendships, learned from one another, and developed as performers. I am proud of what we accomplished, and I am confident that this experience will stay with me for a long time.
The film has attracted attention from across different walks of life especially university students at its premier on 1st March ,2024 at Nkyoyoyo hall . It was officially released on Youtube on the 7th June , 2024.
The Perfect Lie is a film that I strongly recommend to young people, particularly university students, because of the stunning parallels it draws to their own lives.
