Shemei Agabo

(He/Him)

Documentary filmmaker and Multimedia Journalist

Kira town, Kampala Uganda

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About

Shemei Agabo is a Ugandan documentary filmmaker and multimedia storyteller with a knack for telling human interest stories. While documentary film is his main forte, shemei believes in the power of storytelling to address the political, economic, and social ills. At the heart of his storytelling is a commitment to dismantling the 'NGO-lised' portrayals of Africa; stories that flatten complexity or centre pity in favour of nuanced, restorative narratives that honour dignity, agency, and the fullness of the African experience. Shemei is the recipient of the Impact Innovation Prize at Aga Khan University in Nairobi, Kenya, where he graduated with honors in Digital Journalism. He was also awarded a prestigious climate change documentary grant from the French Embassy in Uganda. His body of work, including '1911' and 'Walugembe', has been recognised at the Uganda National Film Festival for its thoughtful storytelling and strong narrative voice. His award-winning documentary 'A Dying Culture' (2024 Covering Climate Now Journalism Award) gained international recognition for its experimental and immersive execution, weaving local symbolism and traditional soundscapes into cinematic explorations of climate and culture. Shemei is an emerging visionary voice within East Africa’s media landscape. He is laying the groundwork for Uganda’s first non-fiction social storytelling platform, a space dedicated to nurturing a new generation of documentary filmmakers and helping them reclaim creative ownership of their stories. Shemei brings a calm, observant eye to every project, with a deep respect for people’s lived experiences. He is currently focused on mastering impact strategy and building a sustainable ecosystem for African nonfiction through the dream of founding Uganda’s first dedicated documentary film festival, a home for nonfiction stories that are restorative and unapologetically African.

Featured Work

Enturire

Among the people of Kabale, commonly known as ‘Bakiga’, from the western part of Uganda, the first thing you give a visitor in your home is “Enturire”, a mouth-watering local drink/brew made from sorghum and honey. Slowly, this drink is phasing out not because Bakiga people are no longer hospitable, but because the beloved crop of Kabale (Sorghum) is no longer a great yield as it once was. While the least industrialised nations such as Uganda emit the least carbon, they continue to suffer the biggest brunts of the climate change crisis. The livelihoods of millions of people are on the lifeline, and their cultures are on the brink of erosion. "Enturire" Documentary film uses a local storytelling approach to show how climate change is threatening sorghum - the world's fifth most important cereal after wheat, Africa's second most important cereal crop after maize, and the third most important staple cereal food crop in Uganda and number one in Kabale District. The documentary film was a collaborative project

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