ABOUT THE FILM
Unapologetic and revolutionary — The Woman Who Poked The Leopard is an intimate portrait of Ugandan poet-academic Dr. Stella Nyanzi, who defies state repression with bold acts of resistance. Through performance and protest, Stella confronts dictatorship and patriarchy. She navigates threats, imprisonment, and exile to reclaim autonomy both for her nation and her own family.
The Woman Who Poked The Leopard offers an existentialist view of Stella's most personal life, full of loss, as well as a political view of the brutality of the Museveni government. The story navigates through Stella's disrobing at Makerere University and in court, her poem against the dictator and subsequent imprisonment, her failed Parliamentary campaign through the neighborhoods of Kampala after she is released from prison, the brutality of armed state actors toward her and her family, and her eventual exile to München. It is an emotive character-led story that paints a picture of a universal and often-contradictory aspect of humanity — being a parent.
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Writer & Director
East African filmmaker Patience Nitumwesiga's shorts have been featured at Locarno Film Festival, Berlinale's EFM, and festivals worldwide. She is now developing her first fiction feature, How To Forget Your Name. Common themes across her work include pre-colonial values, death, African utopianism, and gender deconstruction. Patience's documentary debut The Woman Who Poked The Leopard places a humanist lens upon one of Africa's most iconic political prisoners. She co-founded the film and storytelling production company SHAGIKA.
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Producer
Rosie Motene is a Pan-African feminist, award-winning producer, and media professional with over 30 years in TV, film, and broadcasting. Her work amplifies African feminist voices, centring storytelling, activism, and healing across the continent and the diaspora.
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Co-Producer
With over 25 years in film and TV, Natalia produces international documentaries with a focus on women filmmakers and personal stories. She also consults and serves on the DAE and B2B Doc boards. Casas Muertas premieres 2025.
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Producer
Phil Wilmot is a writer, filmmaker, and longtime grassroots organizer. Phil has a focus on resistance movements and political storytelling. He collaborates with SHAGIKA and executive produced The Woman Who Poked The Leopard.
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Co-Producer
Menzi Mhlongo is a seasoned African film industry manager with over a decade leading key programs like Talents Durban and Digify Africa. He connects filmmakers with funders, sitting on councils like KZNSA and IAB South Africa to shape continental cinema.
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