These are some Filmmakers of African descent we loved in 2013!
1. Steve McQueen for his behemoth 12 Years A Slave. So many things we love about him, but our favorite is his side eye.
2. Ava Duvernay, award winning filmmaker extraordinaire. From publicists, to black film activator, distributor and director. She even broke Twitter with her Scandal episode. Girl crush!
3. Bradford Young, cinematographer that makes everything look amazing. Mother of George and Ain’t Them Bodies Saints this last year. How can a machine make so much poetry? Someone give this man an award.
4. Andrew Dosunmu, photographer turned director, with Mother of George this year. An auteur, leading us into the philosophy of the African aesthetic in film. Everytime, he, without visual effects, turns Brooklyn into an unbelievably gorgeous African city…How?
5. John Ridley, Screenwriter. 12 Years A Slave. Period.
6. Jahmil Qubeka, director, Of Good Report. This guy burned his passport when his film was banned. The world paid attention, and were not disappointed. What a great little film. Gorgeous black and white picture, and a story that is difficult to ignore or forget.
7. Chika Anadu, Lawyer turned director, winning awards for first feature ’B for Boy’. A grown up, female-driven drama that challenges archetypes for African women and female (mother/daughter) relationships on screen.
8. Frances Bodomo, for the short film that stole our attention ‘Afronauts’. A scifi short with a distinctive visual aesthetic based on the African space race. We can’t wait to see more!
9. Kibwe Tavares, director, Jonah. If you’ve seen this scifi short, set in Dar Es Salaam, and partial commentary on tourism and the environment without sacrificing the entertainment factor. Such great visual effects, notably the whale!!! I cannot wait to see what he does next!
10. Akosua Adoma Owusu, director, Kwaku Ananse. Currently rebuilding and opening the Rex Cinema in Ghana, Akosua’s body of work has the mark of a cinematic force to be reckoned with. All of it thoughtful and deliberate, with a distinctive artistic intention and style, we loved Kwaku this year and can’t wait to see her helm a feature length script.
There are many more filmmakers that made 2013 interesting, including those from the Carribbean, and other diaspora…Reblog with your additions!