ULALO

Beauty has a way of showing up where you least expect it.

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ULALO is a community-led short film by African Storytellers

about the arrival of a new bridge in Kasenga, Zambia, and the possibilities it brings.

Directed by Isaac Oboth, the film was made with the deliberate intention of moving beyond deficit narratives that too often define stories about rural Africa, and instead to capture what has always been there: The creativity. The style. The deep, unperformed joy of a community living fully. Every element of the short film was shaped by Kasenga itself: the designs, the tailoring, the food, the music. All of it local. All of it real.

ULALO means “the bridge” in Nyanja. To us, it also means connection: the thing that makes it possible to reach someone, somewhere, something you couldn’t before.

This is that story.

Director's Corner

Isaac Oboth is a self-taught filmmaker from Uganda who is using film to rewrite the story of Africa. Founder of African Storytellers, Isaac has spent over a decade building one of the continent’s most distinctive voices in documentary and narrative filmmaking.

He founded his first production company, Media 256, which went on to become the largest freelance producer of feature Africa shows on CNN International, including African Voices and Marketplace Africa, shooting and producing content across more than 40 African countries.

A three-time Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree and recipient of the Young Achievers’ Award for Film and Television, Isaac brings both global recognition and deep continental roots to every story he tells. His mission has always been the same: to showcase Africa’s resilience, ingenuity, and beauty on its own terms.

“Working with Bridges to Prosperity, now Fika, in Kasenga, Zambia, was one of the most humbling experiences of my career.

The community opened their homes and hearts with extraordinary generosity, trusting us to tell their story as they celebrated the launch of a new bridge that has transformed their lives. The community didn’t just participate, they led. They were part of the planning, the execution, the vision. And that showed up in every frame of the film.

The vision was simple: a rural fashion show at golden hour. Seeing farmers and their children transform into runway supermodels at sunset, wearing the vibrant creations of local designers, felt like witnessing something sacred. But beyond beautiful pictures, we wanted the film to have real heart, real people, real stories. And the community delivered beyond anything we could have imagined. Raw vulnerability in people sharing how this bridge has lifted impossible burdens and opened pathways and access that didn’t exist before.

None of it would have been possible without a team that gave everything. My camera crew (Brian Kalyesubula and Sam Kayaka), the incredible team at Fika, our drivers who woke up as early as 3am to be in Kasenga before dawn, and went to bed long past midnight. No one complained. Everyone rallied, inspired by the community itself and by how hard they work every single day. It was exhausting, joyful, and absolutely worth it.

I’m deeply grateful to have been trusted with this story, and I cannot wait to share it with the world.“

– Isaac Oboth, Director
African Storytellers