Honourees 2008
The 2008 Breakthrough Brits honourees are:
- John Giwa Amu
- Kwame Kwei-Armah
- Florence Ayisi
- Noel Clarke
- Esther Douglas
- Kara Miller
- Rita Osei
- Karlene Page
- Osbert Parker
- Barrington Robinson
- Zoe Stewart
- Sunandan Walia and Yugesh Walia
John founded Red and Black Films with producing and directing partner Caradog James. Red and Black Films credits include Little White Lies, (nominated for six BAFTA Cymru Awards taking home awards for Best Actress and Best Actor).
John's is currently developing a feature length screenplay Stab City, an urban revenge thriller. The script has been optioned by Richard Holmes (Shooting Fish, Waking Ned). John won a BAFTA (2008) for his short film Owl Creek Bridge produced as part of the ITV Wales short film initiative. His other credits include short films Barrie the Barber which won the BBC Best Film Makers Award and was BAFTA Cymru nominated.
Kwame Kwei-Armah- Actor / Playwright
Kwame was Writer in Residence at the Bristol Old Vic 1999-2001 where he wrote three plays: A Bitter Herb (Winner Peggy Ramsey award), Blues Brother Soul Sisters, and Big Nose. He is currently Writer in Residence for BBC Radio drama, an Associate Artist at London's National Theatre and Centerstage Baltimore USA.
His triptych of plays set in the habits of the African Caribbean community Elmina's Kitchen, Fix up and Statement of Regret premiered at the National Theatre between 2003-07, with Elmina's Kitchen being transferred to the London's West End, (The first African Caribbean playwright to have had that honour ) Baltimore and Chicago. Amongst other awards he has won are the Evening Standard Charles Wintor Award for most promising Playwright, Screen Nation award for Favourite TV actor, 100 Black Men of Britain Public figure award, GPA man of the year and The RECON community leadership award 2007. Kwame has been nominated for a Lawrence Oliver Award and a BAFTA. He is soon to receive an Honorary Doctorate from The Open University.
Kwame is a Governor at The University of the Arts London, a trustee of The Roundhouse, The Tricycle Theatre and LEAP, a local employment charity focussing on getting the long term unemployed back into employment. As an actor Kwame played Finley Newton in the BBC's Casualty 1999-2004 and is soon to be seen in the TV series Hotel Babylon , ITV's Lewis and the film Fade to Black.
Florence Ayisi - Documentary Writer / Director
Florence is a filmmaker and university lecturer who has for many years explored various subjects ranging from alternative representations of Africa, to how women's work and visions are at the vanguard of social and economic development. Her films present unique and rare insights into women's experiences, particularly in Africa.
Florence was born in Cameroon, West Africa. She obtained a degree in English from the University of Yaoundé, Cameroon then moved to the UK where she obtained an MA in Producing and Directing at the Northern School of Film and Television (NSFTV), Leeds. She also holds an MA in Theatre and Media Production from the University of Hull, a Diploma in Television Production and Journalism from London and a Certificate in Higher Education from Sunderland University.
Florence's first feature-length film, a documentary, Sisters In Law follows the work of two women in a Cameroon court who take on cases involving violence against women and children. The film is co-directed by Kim Longinotto. Sisters in Law has been shown in over 120 film festivals and won over 25 prestigious international film awards including Prix Art et Essai at the Cannes Film Festival; Grierson Award for Best Documentary on a Contemporary Issue; Golden Maile for Best Documentary at Hawaii Film Festival; Audience Award, International Documentary Festival Amsterdam; Peabody Award for most outstanding achievements in electronic media; "Social Justice Award" at Santa Barbara Film Festival; "Best Long Film" Bologna Human Rights Film Festival.
In 2005, Florence founded Iris Films (Cameroon & UK), and has since produced and directed 3 documentary films: My Mother: Isange, Our World in Zanzibar and Zanzibar Soccer Queens.
In November 2007, Florence was invited to Buckingham Palace to meet the Queen as an artist whose work reflects strong associations with Commonwealth African countries.
Noel Clarke - Actor / Director / Writer
Noel Anthony Clark began his acting career in Metrosexuality before taking the lead role in short films including Take2 (Channel 4) and Native. In 2001 Noel's career took a turn for the better when in he accepted the lead role in the second run of Steven Luckie's controversial play Talking about Men before joining the cast of Auf Wiedersehen Pet. His acting credits across stage, film and television include: Shed, Where Do We Live (winner of the Laurence Olivier Award), I'll Sleep When I'm Dead, feature film Superhero, television drama A Touch of Frost, Jane Hall's Big Bad Bus Ride, and Doctor Who.
Noel's writing film and television credits include: Kidulthood (winner of the Grand Marnier Trophy for Best Screenplay at Dinard Film Festival 2006, Best Screenplay at the Screen Nation Awards 2006, Douglas Hickox Award British Independent Film Awards and nominated for the SouthBank Show Art's Council Decibel Award), Doctor Who, Torchwood and W10/LDN all for the BBC.
Noel's directing debut, Adulthood, the sequel to Kidulthood, in which he has written and in which he also plays the lead role. The film is currently in post-production, scheduled to be released by Pathe in Summer 2008.
Producers Esther Douglas and Fiona Neilson founded Fiesta Productions Limited in early 2004. Prior to setting up Fiesta, Esther and Fiona ran development for directors Mike Newell and Michael Winterbottom respectively.
Fiesta produced Life & Lyrics, directed by Richard Laxton, written by Ken Williams and starring Ashley Walters in 2006. The film was distributed in the UK by Universal, premiered in competition at the Edinburgh International Film Festival and went on to play at numerous international film festivals.
Fiesta's slate includes Nanny, an original screenplay by Academy Award nominated writer Braulio Mantovani (City of God) and an adaptation of the novel State of Happiness by Stella Duffy to be co-produced with Zentropa. The company is also developing The Greatest Gift with producer JoAnne Sellar (Boogie Nights, Magnolia and There Will Be Blood), Mules written by Ken Williams (Life & Lyrics) and Ashes written and to be directed by Mat Whitecross (Road to Guantanamo).
Whilst working as Head of Development for Newell's production company, 50 Cannon Entertainment, Esther worked on numerous projects on the company slate including two she will Produce - Darwin written by Tim Rose Price and The Box of Delights adapted by Stephen Volk from the classic children's story by John Masefield.
Kara grew up in Jamaica and Barbados and read law at Oxford. She is the winner of the Hitchcock Award (Dinard), the Screen Nation Best Emerging Talent award and was shortlisted for the BBC's New Filmmaker Award.
Kara's film directing credits include: Nobody the Great (2007 – Winner of Cinequest Film Festival's Viewers' Voice Audience Award for Best Feature Film) and the award winning short films (Cheese Makes You Dream, Elephant Palm Tree and How to Make Friends), which have sold to broadcasters such as HBO and the BBC and have been screened at film festivals around the world including Sundance, Berlin and London.
Kara's writing credits include: Lolapalooza, a feature in development with Working Title Films; Boo! (22 episodes for BBC / Tell-Tale Productions) and Jim Jam & Sunny (20 episodes for ITV).
Kara also has numerous writing credits in theatre and BBC Radio 4 – her most recent piece for theatre / Radio 4 was Letting Yourself Go which ran for 3 weeks at the Soho Theatre, was broadcast in 2007 on Radio 4 (Woman's Hour slot) and was nominated for a Southbank Show Award (Pentabus Theatre – White Open Spaces).
Kara is currently developing two feature film projects: Killer Miller (a thriller set in Jamaica & USA) and Boobs (a coming of age comedy drama).
Rita started out in documentary and film development working for Isis Productions on a range of films to include Black Baby with producer Ann Wingate, Fight for Love for Channel 4 and Classic Albums for the BBC.
After 7 years of producing award-winning animation for the Time Warner owned channel Cartoon Network she founded Sugar & Water Films Ltd. Some of their credits include, the following short films: Screen South/UK Film Council funded The Curry Club starring Cleo Sylvestre, Ruth Sheen and Kenneth Cranham. Threesome (nominated for a Stella Screen Award), Too Much Love and Room To Let which have all screened at international film festivals and have been sold to broadcasters such as Sky Movies, finding distribution through Canada based Buzz Taxi.
Rita is currently casting her first feature Bliss! which she developed with writer Alex Ferguson and Academy Award winning director Jenny Wilkes with financial support from Northern Film & Media and is developing a slate of features including The African Job a period drama set between Ghana and England, Do You See What I See?, a teen horror, The Swimmers, a period drama and Confessions of a Clairvoyant, a comedy.
Karlene founded the Big Hug production company in 2000. Her credits include: BFI-commissioned The Browning of Britania, directed by artist Faisal Abdu'Allah, currently on show at the BFI Southbank Gallery; It's a Funny Old Game and Winnie and the Duppy Bat (winner - Black Film Makers' short film awards best film, best cinematography, best actor and best actress, subsequently acquired by HBO).
Feature film and TV projects in development: The Coach (writer Jackie Osei-Tutu); Rollin' Calf (writer Cheryl Marshall winner of this year's BAFTA 60 Seconds of Fame competition); a six-part drama series (writer/director Avril Russell) and a sitcom (writers Roy Williams and Ed Dyson) for the BBC.
Karlene began her career in post-production and moved on to commercials, representing a large roster of directors including Gurinder Chada and Michael Mann. In 2001 she sat on the judges' panel for the British Television Advertising Awards.
Three time British Academy Award Nominated director Osbert Parker, is perhaps best-known for his signature style of using cut-out animation mixed with live action to create one-of-a-kind imaginary landscapes within commercials and short films.
For the past three years Parker has been experimenting and crafting two short films that are receiving great acclaim on the international film festival circuit. "FILM NOIR" was nominated for best short animated film by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts in 2006 and also was nominated for the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival. "YOURS TRULY" best short animated film winner at the British Animation Awards was also nominated for a BAFTA in 2008 and selected for Sundance. Both films have been screened at the Telluride Film Festival.
Parker is a freelance director who has worked at Quentin Tarantino's production company A Band Apart as their first commercial director in 1995 and as Steve Barron's second unit director on Hallmark's TV feature length ARABIAN NIGHTS. In 2005 he was selected by writer/director Richard Curtis as one of the directors to create a special animated MAKE POVERTY HISTORY film.
Parker's commercial credits include such clients as Coca-Cola, Nike, Budweiser, The World Wildlife Fund and MTV. He is currently creating the third short in his "Noir" trilogy and developing a mixed media feature.
Barrington credits as a producer include short films Free Speech, Death of the Revolution, and the UK Film Council Cinema Extreme funded Hallo Panda, which screened on Channel 4. Directed by Chris and Ben Blaine, the films have screened at film festivals across Europe, North, America and Asia.
Barrington founded Redbag Pictures in 2006. To-date the company has produced Screen South supported Birdfeeder, short feature Player by Mary Nighy and The End of the Affair. Red Bag have a number of feature projects in development including teen film Chance to Dance, action thriller, Police & Thieves co produced with Dan Films and period drama Nanny: Queen of the Maroons.
Barrington featured in Screen International's Stars of Tomorrow 2006.
Zoe is the co-founder of Shona Productions with Mark Tonderai. Her first feature, Hush by Mark Tonderai is due for release in UK cinemas in November 2008 by Optimum Releasing. Hush is backed by Warp X (A UK Film Council/ Film4 initiative.) Pathe are handling international sales and have pre sold to over 12 territories worldwide. Zoe featured in Screen International's Stars of Tomorrow 2007. Alongside Mark Tonderai's new material, she currently has projects in the pipeline with Gaby Dellal (co producer Mia Bays) and Yousaf Ali khan.
Sunandan and Yugesh Walia are brothers and a Producer/Director team. They began their film making careers by directing short fiction films which were included in the Edinburgh and London Film Festivals. Since setting up Endboard Productions in 1985 they have produced and directed a string of highly rated and critically acclaimed observational documentaries from different parts of the world for all the British TV networks including the BBC and Channel 4.
Their subjects have had universal appeal and their work is being internationally distributed. A recent feature length documentary, Days and Nights in an Indian Jail was included in the London International Film Festival amongst others around the world.
The brothers are now developing fiction projects for the cinema. They have three films in active development: The Bounty Hunter, Poona Company, an autobiographical coming of story by Farrukh Dhondy set in India of the early 1960's, and Buried, a re-incarnation murder mystery set in Hyderabad in modern times.
