Kizito Samuel Saviour

Founder at Kyooto Media Group
Director, Producer, Screenwriter, Editor, Cinematographer, Director of Photography, Script Consultant and Filmmaker

Kampala, Uganda

Member Since:
October 2016

Last online:
> 2 weeks ago

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About Kizito

Kizito Samuel Saviour is a highly acclaimed Ugandan filmmaker with expertise in producing, writing, directing, cinematography, and film editing.

As a multifaceted artist, Kizito has left an indelible mark on the Ugandan film industry. He has directed, written, produced, and edited numerous films, including notable works such as "Ssekkukulu" (2023), "Nkwanzi’s Slip” (2023), "Mania” (2022), and "The Forbidden" (2018), which holds the record for the most nominated and awarded Ugandan film in the history of Ugandan Cinema.

Kizito is also an influential figure in education, serving as a Film & Video Production Tutor at ESOM School Of Music in Uganda and a Film & Television Studies Mentor at the University of Limpopo in South Africa. Additionally, he founded the Uganda Academy Selection Committee (UASC), approved by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences' International Feature Film Award Executive Board (The Oscars).

In 2019, Kizito initiated a mentorship program through his company, Kyooto Media Group, aimed at nurturing young talents in scriptwriting, acting, and directing. The program led to the creation of four short films, followed by the participants working on their first full-length feature film, "Judas Kiss."

Beyond his filmmaking contributions, Kizito has played pivotal roles as an ambassador for The African Film Festival - TAFF USA and as a board member of the jury at the Accra Indie Film Fest. He has also been recognized for his entrepreneurial endeavors, being nominated as Entertainment Founder of the Year at the Founder of The Year Awards (FOYA) 2021.

Kizito's commitment to the film industry extends to global platforms, as seen in his role as an evaluator/judge for the 2022 Netflix - UNESCO African Folktales Reimagined Short Film Competition. He has also shared his insights as a panelist on discussions such as "The Conversation: Monetizing Digital Content" at the Intra-African Trade Fair in 2021.

In 2019, he co-founded Kyooto Media Group, a full-service entertainment and media production company based in Kampala, Uganda, dedicated to producing audio-visual content across various platforms and fostering talent development.

Kizito's impact is evident not only in his filmmaking achievements but also in his dedication to education, mentorship, and the promotion of African cinema on the global stage.

Panelist, and judge in film festivals and competitions. His commitment to mentorship and education is showcased in programs that have produced award-winning short films and feature films. Kizito's influence extends beyond filmmaking, emphasizing his dedication to promoting African cinema internationally.

Born and raised in Kampala, Uganda, February 22nd 1994, he began his career as an actor, publicist and blogger and graduated to screenwriting, producing and directing within the years 2014, 2015 and 2016.

He has worked with several companies as a screenwriter, producer, director, film consultant, production assistant, sound recordist, cinematographer, editor and more.

He started as an actor when he joined an acting group/ company in Uganda "Sky Limited Entertainment" in late 2013 from where he acquired beginner skills of screenwriting hence graduating into a screenwriter.

Having been an online marketer and commercial publicist before, he was introduced to the film-making world when he joined the National Theatre based Film Club Uganda in the year 2014 from which he operated as a general Public Relations personnel and publicist.

During his early times at Film Club Uganda, he was cast in a cameo role in the award winning Ugandan movie "WAKO" of Zaron Motion Pictures and being a screenplay writer, he wrote a number of screenplays most of which were produced by Havy Media including short films "Desk Review" and "Wande" in the year 2015, he later worked as a sound recordist for a short film "Mulalama" By Nathan Yueh and its still during this time that he joined The Ghetto Film Project, an organization that mentors ghetto kids into film and from here he acquired more filmmaking knowledge and mentor-ship then was cast in its two short films "Crafts: Value of Life" and "Silent Depression".

In early 2015 he opened up a Ugandan film themed blog-site a blog that was commonly known as a source for Ugandan cinema updates and it's through this blog that he attained a role of "Film Critic" in the film industry, he also started working on a feature film project titled "Abagoba Ebirooto - The Dream Chasers" as a producer but the film is not yet released up-to date.

Through the year 2015, he co-founded an online film news channel Cinebuzz Uganda where he worked as the news show writer, editor and director.

By late 2015 he embarked onto another project as a writer and director of the feature horror film titled "Bunjako" which happened to be his first directorial debut that was produced by Teez Studios Limited.

Through the year 2016, he produced a short film titled "Pregnant Woman Stabs Husband Dead" directed by Malcolm Bigyemano that was nominated in the Best Short Film Category of Uganda Film Festival 2016.

Still in the year 2016, he wrote a feature film "In The Neighborhood that was produced by Havy Media, this premiered in mid-2016.
In the year 2017, he embarked on another journey as a director where he co-wrote and co-directed a feature film "Extra Time" being done as a tribute film to one legendary Ugandan film actor Mzee Yasin Lubowa, this was followed by another feature film he co-wrote and directed titled "The Forbidden" produced by the Red Pictures Production Company. He also produced a feature documentary film "Boxinema", edited a short film "Virtuality" and a documentary film "Kampala Express "

Still in the year 2017, he directed and edited a short film "April Baby " by LEPA Africa Production Company.

Late 2017 he was hired to feature in a cameo recurring role in 27 Guns a biopic Ugandan movie where he featured as Stanley Muhangi, one of the 41 liberation war freedom fighters, its from here that he attained military skills.

Whilst at the 27 Guns set, he was hired to work on NBS TV's Cinema Blitz show where he worked as the show script writer, sound recordist, camera operator, editor and director through late 2017 and early 2018.

In the year 2018, he went to Gulu where he worked on a collaboration film project with Gulu Filmmakers on two short films "Shame Of Puberty" as a Cinematographer and Editor, and "Save A Mother" as an Editor, Shame Of Puberty has scooped awards and nominations in Uganda, Ghana, United Kingdom, Nepal and other territories.

In 2019, he embarked on making an indigenous film KEMI that had its domestic theatrical run in western Uganda in 2020 before the pandemic and later he was hired by Zzinga Yaffe to work as a director on a docudrama "Struggling Faces" telling stories of young girls suffering on the Ssese Islands on Lake Victoria, Kalangala District.

Director Statement:
I am open to all kinds of storytelling by creating a blend of various forms of art to make a stronger and powerful visual story that's associated with more than just one element or perspective, I believe that each project I work on is different from the previous or the next, and I respect the fact that different people can express each element differently, the world we live in is prone to responding to audio visual works. I am always looking forward to telling and creating films that have something positive to say. I am always humbled and honored that my films reach many audiences and share a story they may not have known before. My hope is to carry on this inspiration to others.

Unique traits: I am open to all kinds of story telling by creating a blend of various forms of art to make a stronger and powerful visual story that's associated with more than just one element or perspective, I believe that each project I work on is different from the previous or the next, and I respect the fact that different people can express each element differently, the world we live in is prone to responding to audio visual works. I am always looking forward to telling and creating films that have something positive to say. I am always humbled and honored that my films reach many audiences and share a story they may not have known before. My hope is to carry on this inspiration to others.

Gender:
Male

Height:
5' 9"

Body type:
Slim

Hair:
Short

Hair color:
Black

Eyes:
Brown

Ethnicity:
Other

Badges

Photos

Credits

Catch Out (2020 - 2021)
Film by Kizito Samuel Saviour (Drama and Family) Director, Cinematographer, Editor Nancy who escaped the past and found a new life gets haunted by the past that keeps dragging her back as she fights to break free.
KEMI (2019 - 2020)
Film by Kizito Samuel Saviour (Drama, Family, Mystery and Thriller) Co-Producer, Co-Writer, Director, Editor After losing her husband at 6 months of her pregnancy, Kemi is forced out of the family house by the husband's relatives and starts staying at her mother's house in the village, who passes away just a few days before her delivery, Kemi is left in a lonely world to hustle for herself and the baby's survival which forces her to let go of the baby after realizing she could lose it through the struggle of raising it. Her motherly heart can't just accept letting her baby away from her watch to someone else's hands.
Judas Kiss (2019)
Film by Kyooto (Drama and Mystery) Producer, Director, Cinematographer, Editor Judas Kiss follows the story of Jude, a normal campus guy with his girlfriend Linda whom they share a class, after school Jude spends time at his sugar mummy, Princess Angela's house where he works as her servant in all her desires, tragedy comes when the sugar mummy's money disappears in presence of Jude at the house leading him into getting abducted with his campus girlfriend, will they return the money?
The Forbidden (2017 - 2018)
Film by Kizito Samuel Saviour (Drama and Family) Director & Co-Writer A great mind, lost Dad and a dead mom - a gifted young girl life's tales. In the quest to find her lost father, Dian's journey takes a dark twist and ends up face to face with the object of her bereavement.
27 Guns (2017 - 2018)
Film (War) Actor 27 Guns is a biopic based on true events of Uganda's liberation struggle. It tells the story of a young man and his unlikely group of young idealists who leave all to fight for salvation of a nation. They set off with little more than discipline and courage, buoyed by the indomitable spirit of an oppressed people and launched a protracted guerrilla war.
Shame Of Puberty (2018)
Film by Ojok Francis Odong (Drama) Cinematographer & Editor Akello, a 14 year old impoverished but open minded young girl sees a chance of re-joining school through the school project Search where the best student gets a full year academic scholarship. However, when her menstruation period occurs unexpectedly in the presence of boys, her hope is shattered away by the incident and intimidation of the boys. With no money to buy pads, she opts to overcome the problem by making a Re-Usable Sanitary Pads at the same time helping her poor diabetic aunt.
Bunjako (2015 - 2016)
Film by Kizito Samuel Saviour (Drama, Family, Horror, Mystery and 1 More) Director & Writer "BUNJAKO" follows a story of a University Course Unit class students with differences in life that plan to go for a camp fire trip together with their lecturer, on their way to the camp fire they come across a thick forest which they have to go through to make it to their destination, their travel vehicle breaks down and they decide to make it through on foot not knowing that they are moving through a haunted forest with a killing evil spirit and human-like carnivores which feed on animal and human flesh. They have just one night to move through the forest, one of them gets possessed with the evil spirit which makes her turn into its killing machine that kills both the students and the carnivores, confusion runs through the two groups, the carnivores think the students are killing them and at the same time the students think the carnivores are killing them, either party has to either keep away or attack the other for revenge, the battle continues.
Silent Depression (2015)
Film (Short and Drama) Actor Malcolm walks around the city trying to find himself and keenly studies life patterns among the youth his age only to realize the common factor among all was over usage of smartphones. He relates this to himself only to find out there is a connection between smartphones and depression.
Aftershock
Producer
Abagoba Ebirooto
Producer