Katwe is a powerful and essential documentary from Nima Shirali about the working class in the salt pans of Uganda—those left behind from one broken promise after another.

A deserted salt factory casts a very long shadow of an unfulfilled promise. In contrast, the politicians promise to free the community from poverty. A mosaic of characters provides insight into the historical plights of the salt workers.

Director Nima Shirali eases us into Katwe in a clever way; we see a woman working until sunset at a salt pan, then cooking and carrying out chores at her home. We know the hardship of her daily grind. We are then introduced to what we are witnessing by a teacher taking a school group to the salt pans and describing what they are seeing. Immediately, we are aware of the purpose of our setting. So it allows him to then ease us into his subjects and their experiences living in one way or another around the pans.

The pacing and structure of Katwe is exquisite, running at a trim 97 minutes; you could easily experience hours more of what the people here are going through. Yet, Shirali knows precisely what moments to show and when to show them. From being introduced to the world through the documentaries’ subjects, we are then given a more in-depth look into the issues and strife they face every day. You are engrossed in the story of these people, and its smoothness only impresses.

As Katwe continues, your eyebrows rise higher and higher, reaching your forehead, while your mouth becomes increasingly agape. We discovered from the caretaker, Balikenga, of the factory that this massive building was only in operation for six months because the government and town councils had purchased a cheaper material to construct the buildings. That material had ruined the salt, making it black and bitter in taste. Then the Germans, who helped fund the venture, left quietly.

Worse still is how we learn that all the effort we see the hardworking people in the salt fields put in is worth only 500 shillings for each bag of 5-7 kilos of salt. This is then put into perspective: to buy one fish for a meal, it would cost a person in Katwe 5,000 shillings. So, over 50 kilos of salt for one fish. If you wanted 1 kilo of beef or other meat, well, that would cost you double. Utterly shameful and even more shameful when we see someone from the council.

Throughout Katwe, we have seen workers in torn clothes, covered in salt and water, which are their work clothes, offering them no actual protection from the salt. Then we get to someone in a position in the town who is more than happy to show off the “plans” for the tourist centre for the area. He is in the sharpest suit imaginable, utterly pristine, and he is throwing all the charm towards the camera. A heapful of rage rises within you to see the difference in living quality and how you just know that those in power are squandering the money that should be spread around on themselves.

The clear lies being spouted by those seeking to remain in power involve teasing the people about the resurgence of the salt factory, claiming that the President is aware and is looking to get it up and running again, so everyone can profit. People come and go, and nothing is ever done, other than to demoralise those who remain and work in the lake. We hear from salt pan owner Birungi Abooki as she rightfully bemoans that they (those in power) do not want anyone to develop, to grow; they want them to stay down.

Shirali and cinematographers Kristoffer Klaren and Simon Forsberg capture some gorgeous and striking imagery in Katwe. Still, the imagery can’t match the power of the story being told here, of people who are continually lied to and dragged along a road they know will not end well for them. They know they are being mistreated; they worry about their children and future generations, hoping they will not have to work on their plot.

They have hope, of course, but hope can only go so far when you are being gaslit by your government and media. To the point that they tell you, as you struggle to pay for your child’s schooling, that your country is a success story. For people like Birungi, our hearts break for them, as when the cameras go, they will still be there, battling through the rainy season to earn money for their families.

Katwe is an exceptional documentary that envelops you in the realisation of how poorly served this community has been. Shirali uses a sensitive, yet probing touch to get the best out of his subjects and create a fascinating and must-watch documentary.

★★★★ 1/2

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