African Filmmakers In Diaspora Charting A New Path In The Movie Industry

The number of promising filmmakers that have been making waves in the last 12 months has risen exponentially due to an astute potential to keep blazing the trail in the coming years in the motion picture industry.

The filmmakers’ prowess has distinguished them as they not only exude talent, but diligence and the hustle to their craft has demonstrated, while they continue to showcase their talent in the movie industry which is a pertinent aspect of showbiz if one desires to stand out and above the deluge.

A common theme amongst them is a desire to challenge the status quo, whether in terms of what is considered “acceptable” fodder for the screen, telling the kinds of stories that are typically ignored or even considered taboo, or challenges in terms of film structure, culture, and industry norms.

Babatunde Agunloye (Nigeria/Canada):

Babatunde Faruk Agunloye has more than a decade of experience in the film industry and is a well-known director, editor, writer, producer, and co-founder of Great and Mighty Things Inc.
After earning a diploma in film production from the Toronto Film School, Babatunde gained experience in writing for the motion picture industry, editing, and directing. In addition to writing two screenplays for feature films that are now in development, he has directed a few short films, documentaries, and PSAs.

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Chika Anadu (UK/Nigeria):

Her 15-minute short film The Marriage Factor – a Nigeria-set contemporary comedy/drama about a young woman and her marriage-minded mother – was my intro to her work last year. The film combined scripted elements, with documentary footage, and dance sequences to tell a tale that I’m sure many will identify with – the pressure one’s parents, in this case, mothers, put on their daughters to find Mr. Right, walk down the aisle and eventually, give birth to grandchildren.

Jahmil X.T. Qubeka (South Africa):

His 2013 thriller Of Good Report, premiered early last year to controversy at the 34th Durban International Film Festival (DIFF), in Durban, South Africa, where the film was censored following the classification refusal by the South African Film and Publications Board, citing that it “promotes child abuse & pornography.” The film was not screened in any of its allocated slots during the festival, and as a result, and so could not be in competition; however, the Durban International Film Festival acknowledged the film’s achievements in stimulating national debate and highlighting local issues of importance. Festival manager Peter Machen awarded the film with the Artistic Bravery honor, for the first time.

Jono Oliver (USA):

The writer/director/producer made his feature film directorial debut with a heartwarming and inspiring drama titled Home, which stars Gbenga Akinnagbe as a man suffering from mental illness, and trying to rebuild his life. It’s a quietly impressive indie, anchored by a strong performance by Akinnagbe as a man who simply wants nothing more than to live as any other man would – with dignity. Comparisons to films like One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest will likely be made, but that’s not exactly bad company to be in. Not that it’s a mirror of that film, but that’s a landmark movie I think most will immediately recognize and refer to when conversations about dramas set in mental institutions (like Oliver’s Home) are had. But Home is a drama about hope and determination that I think will resonate universally.

Hala Lotfy (Egypt):

Lotfy is a leader of a new generation of energetic, defiant filmmakers collecting in post-revolution Egypt. She’s a founding member of a new indie film movement shaping up in Cairo, intent on challenging the monopoly long held by the country’s film and TV industry’s old guard. The group has launched its union that will challenge the existing Egypt Cinema Professions Syndicate, which has been the face of the country’s film industry since 1955.

Yidnekachew Shumete (Ethiopia):

Over a year ago, Yidnekachew Shumete was one of 3 Ethiopian filmmakers selected for a week-long visit to Monaco and Cannes for workshops, programs, and events happening during the 2012 Cannes Film Festival. Shumate, along with Henok Mebratu and Olisarali Olibui Tongolu, were selected by the International Emerging Film Talent Association (IEFTA) and the Ethiopian Film Initiative (EFI). On their trip to Cannes, they met a range of international distributors, sales agents, producers, directors, and film commissioners at the festival, and also had one-on-one sessions with established producers and production companies.

Destiny Ekaragha (UK/Nigeria):

We’ve been following the production progress of her feature film debut Gone Too Far, since 2011, when, before a single frame had been shot, its script was shortlisted for Film London’s 4-day boot camp – an initiative that’s backed by BBC Films, which includes seminars, masterclasses and mentoring from established directors, writers and producers. Afterward, the filmmakers are given an extended development period, later pitching their projects to a greenlight panel; after that, 6 of the 12 feature projects are greenlit for production, with budgets of up to £120,000, or about $186,000.
Destiny’s was officially greenlit in February 2012, after making it through the entire development process