Filming in Ibanda.

Filming in Ibanda . Ibanda district is a 3 hours and 54 minutes’ drive west of Kampala. It is located in the Western part of Uganda. Further the district is 2 hrs and 10 mins away from Lake Mburo national park. This 964.8 km2 takes on her name from its major town called Ibanda where the district headquarters are located. According to the population census of estimates of 2012 it’s believed that Ibanda has now a total population 255,500 with a density of 264.8/km2 and lies 1800m above sea level.

Ibanda District achieved district status in 2005. It is one of the four districts created out of Mbarara District. The District has a tropical type of climate which is hot and wet with bi-modal rainfall ranging between 1000mm-1200mm. It is located 71km from Mbarara town. The District borders Kiruhura District in the East, Kamwenge District in the North and Mbarara District in the South.

Filming Locations in Ibanda District.

Filming the Galt monument.

The Galt monument is a special place in the annals of colonial history for a certain inconspicuous pile of stones just outside Ibanda town. It forms the shape of a pyramid and it marks the spot where a British colonial administrator was murdered in 1905. The exact circumstances of Harry St. George Galt’s death would have remained a minute footnote in the history of the British Empire but being the first of its kind in Uganda, it attracted a massive reaction by the administration. The assassin would later commit suicide for fear of what was to come. People flock there to film and take photographs of the monument.

Nyakahondogoro cave

Tracing the spirits of the lost Bachwezi tribe. To the local populations of Ibanda, this cave is a holy site for believers, some of whom are led by a woman called Nyamunyonyi. They come to make sacrifices to and to seek for blessings from their gods. The locals believe this site to be the home of the Bachwezi, the founders of the ancient Empire of Kitara. It’s incredibly difficult to talk to a local for longer than 5 minutes without hearing a word or two about these demigods who it is believed live among them to this day. They are said to announce their presence through night sightings of fires that cover the numerous hills surrounding Ibanda.

As a visitor to this region, you may win yourself a beating by relaying anthropological studies that show that the Bachwezi have never disappeared in thin air and are indeed still resident among us mere mortals but not as demigods but as black people who, like the Bantu, migrated south from Egypt following the liquidation of the Egyptian kingdom and subsequent amalgamation into the Persian empire around 525 BC when Cambyses, the King of Persia took it upon himself to kill the black natives. Whatever the truth may be is entirely dependent on how much one wants to believe in the existence of people flying on brooms and hills burning with no actual fire insight.

Necessary requirements to film in Ibanda.

Filming in Ibanda. It will require you to get a filming permit when filming in locations and these permits are issued by the respective authorities and management. For one to film in the national parks, you will need to get permission from Uganda wildlife authority.  In order to get a Filming Permit, one must write a letter requesting the permit and fill out an application form which is accompanied by a copy of the screenplay, a story synopsis, and a shooting schedule. These are then sent to the respective authorities. Contact us at Eco film fixers we will help you process the filming permissions with the Local Authorities for you to successfully  participate in  filming  in Ibanda.

Media Accreditation.

All members of the crew are supposed to be accredited by the Uganda media council to be able to film In the country. Media accreditation is a must for all applications to make feature films or documentaries. Each crew member is required to fill Form G with all details, scan and send it back to us with a copy of his/her passport as well as one photograph to be put on his/her media card and work IDs. On top of this, we will need a letter from the filming company detailing who they are, why they are filming, where they will be filming and details of crew members on this shoot. Crew members will also be required to seek for letters of Good conduct from Interpol (it’s a must have). We will attach this to all details provided and send them to Uganda Media Council for Media card processing and follow it up. This takes about 2-3 working days

Custom clearing.

Uganda is not a member of the Carnet Free Systems Unions, so Carnet’s are not valid. The only process to get your equipment in and out of Uganda is through a bonded Agent. A comprehensive list of equipment and value needs to be submitted to URA through a bonded clearing agent for the issuance of a Temporary Import Permit (TIP). A fee equivalent to 10% percentage of the value of the equipment is payable. This fee is non-refundable but will guarantee you safe entry and exist with your equipment. We are able to handle clearing for you as we have a trusted bond agent. On the other hand, you can choose to source gear and equipment from the country to avoid the hustle of clearing. Contact us for details and all relevant information you would like to know for successful filming in Ibanda.

Visa Advice

In case of visas, we advise you to get a tourist or business visa. Both can work well. Most film crews prefer getting their vsas before coming to Uganda and this can be done online. On the other hand visas can also be easily obtained on arrival.

Vehicle Hire Services

Eco film fixers will help you organize transport for film crews to film in Uganda. The transportation services all depend on your interest, the nature of the roads and the schedule. For us to have a final estimate how much it will cost in terms of fuel, we will need to look at your filming schedule to have an established mileage and distance to be traveled. We also organize both charter and scheduled air transport for those that are interested in flying to reduce the number of hours. Contact us for details and all relevant information you would like to know for successful filming in Ibanda.

Accommodation when filming in Ibanda.

When filming in Ibanda,you have a range of accommodation options to choose from ranging from Budget, mid-range to luxury options. You will choose which lodges to stay in depending on your interests and budget. Contact us for details and all relevant information you would like to know for successful filming in Ibanda.

Why you should use Eco film fixers to Film in Ibanda.

Eco film fixers is film Fixing Company based in Uganda, we pride ourselves we assist filming companies and Production agencies that are interested in filming in East Africa. We are very capable in handling all fixer services required. our team of local fixers and driver guides is very professional .over the years, we have been able to get all relevant connections with other service providers and authority agencies to make sure that accreditation and filming permits are easily processed. Contact us for details and all relevant information you would like to know for successful filming in Ibanda.