Mtumiaji:Bishop J. Hiluka

Bishop J. Hiluka is the Film Director / Creative Writer / Production Designer / Sound Expert / Comic Artist.

Who Is Bishop Hiluka?

Born in Nzega Tabora, March 26, has an extensive experience in creative writing for movies as well as directing. He has been involved as a consultant, director, screenwriter, sound expert, and production designer in numerous film projects for more than 18 years.

Film Career

In 1999 Hiluka makes his film involvement debut with the Chinese drama “Africa Forever” produced by the China Central Television (CCTV). The drama shot in Tanzania, and is about the love between a Chinese health professional gentleman and a Tanzanian lady after they come across when the Chinese guy with other Chinese health professionals come in the country to support the cholera occurrence from an intensive environmental insanitation.

Hiluka attended scores of conferences, and studied hundreds of books and thousands of articles. He is amongst the Tanzania Film Federation pioneer, in 2009, and he previously helped pioneer the Tanzania film industry, in 2000, when he became one of the pioneer of the famed drama group, ‘Nyota Academia 2000’ before he left to the capital city of Malawi, Lilongwe in 2001.

Hiluka spent three years, from 1990 to 1993, studying clinical medicine at the Kilosa Medical College before obtaining his license to practice clinical medicine in the country. In 1997, Hiluka embarked on global journey that gave him a new perspective on different cultures in particular countries, the experience enthused him to join Pretoria Technikon [School of Film and Television] where he majored in both the arts and premed, even though he didn’t accomplish his studies due to a certain snags.

He came back to the country in 1998 and joined Gaba Africa Ltd, a publishing house of the well-known cartoon magazine, Kingo, where he worked as the comic artist, and spent five years training performance to different drama groups. After few years later he enrolled and obtained his Creative Writing course from INTEC, Cape Town, South Africa.

From 2004

From 2004 Hiluka took part in the film titled “BIFU” as a consultant. In the same year he took part in other three projects: first he was amongst the three creative writers of the sitcom series “WANDANI”. The sitcom made by Afrikan Image Production Ltd., and was selected by MNET for Africa Magic Channel. This was followed, by the UNICEF Award Winner film “TUMAINI”, a production of Abantu Vision, where he worked as a production manager. And later he wrote and co-directed the movie “KIPUSA” in the same year.

In 2005 he wrote what quickly became the largest commercial film titled “SANDRA”. in 2007 he wrote several films, such as JERAHA LA NDOA; MISS BONGO; SILENCE KILLER; MY HEART; LOVE IS WAR; and THE PAIN. He also co-wrote the film titled “THE TRIP”, a Maisha Lab short film produced in Uganda and directed by James Gayo.

In 2008 Hiluka wrote and directed the film titled “NAOMI 1” and wrote the film “FROM CHINA WITH LOVE”. In 2009 Hiluka wrote three films: NEW PAGE; YOU MUST PAY; and BLACKMAIL which he directed. This was followed, in 2010, by the film titled “CROSSROAD”.

In 2011 he wrote the film titled “MTIHANI” and directed the film title “NAOMI 2”. In 2012 he participated as the sound expert in a documentary “PAMOKO ONE LOVE” which funded by the Canadian non-profit organization, “Under the Same Sun”. The documentary is about the butchery of the people with albinism and the documentary took place in seven regions and 12 districts. In the same year he directed the film titled “SABABU YA NASRA”.

In 2013 he wrote two films: MKE MCHAFU which won the Emirate Airways offer and came to be the only Bongo Movie to be exhibited in the Emirate airplanes; and KING’AMUZI. In 2015 he wrote and directed the spiritual drama “SECRET OF SUCCESS”. In the same year he wrote another two script, one spiritual drama titled “SITAUGUA TENA” and “HADI LINI”.

Other Skills

Bishop Hiluka is also a film researcher and activist, novelist and author of the creative writing books and spiritual books. His books include SANAA YA UUMBAJI KWA MAANDISHI [2014]; UONGOZAJI WA FILAMU [2014]; THAMANI NA NGUVU YA DAMU YA YESU [2016]; and TIBA KUTOKA MBINGUNI [2016].

He is also an accomplished comic artist and some collections of his humorous comic stories have been published in carious newspapers and magazines. In 2010 he presented his study about the past, the present and the future of the Tanzania’s film industry titled ‘The Perspective of Film and Television Industry in Tanzania’ supported by Goethe-Institut, and Alliance Francaise, and funded by Elysee-fonds. The study helps better analyze and focus our effort to the development of the industry.

In 2013, Hiluka took up his post as Secretary General of the Tanzania Film Federation until April 2015, and in December, 2013 he was appointed Member of the Supervisory Board of Tanzania Film Censorship Board; a position he held [for two terms] until now.

Bishop Hiluka also got several film makings, directing, creative writing, sound and other film technique trainings.

Personal Life

Bishop Hiluka describes himself as a born again Christian. Many of the themes in his work reflect theology and social behavior. He is married to Winifrida Thomas, and has four children.

On December 20, 2004, Hiluka's mother, Catherine Kimwaga, died at age 59, following heart attack, and on December 8, 2013, his daddy, Aleck Hiluka died at age of 74 following heart attack.