CHISOMME IFEAKANDU

Chisom Ifeakandu is a film and TV director-producer who founded African Iris Media to tell powerful, boundary-crossing stories that amplify diverse African voices. Her versatile portfolio spans documentaries, short films, talk shows, reality TV, and features, all crafted to deepen global understanding of African narratives.

FAUSTINA OKOMAYIN

Faustina Okomayin is a creative administrator and content sales agent championing African stories globally. She has held leadership and programming roles with Lagos Fringe, Accra Indie Film Fest, and SIMA International Film Festival, and now leads international content export at AfroFilms Global. A 2024 British Council Film Lab Africa Grant recipient, she is committed to independent film and Africa's creative economy.

OMENKA ULONKA

Omenka Ulonka is a two-time Africa Movie Academy Award-winning animator, speaker, juror, and advocate for ethical AI and socially conscious media. Across more than 20 years, she has led international productions, taught at Bauhaus University, and founded animation training programs for young creatives. She also created Spunky Toonz and Noa Vista®, promoting responsible AI in creative practice.

DANA VERDE

Dana Verde is an award‑winning screenwriter, director, and producer behind The Perfect Match, two Tubi thrillers, a Hallmark holiday film, and nine shorts showcased at 30+ international festivals. As founder of 3CK Media (in partnership with Idris Elba’s 22 Summers and Laurence Fishburne’s Cinema Gypsy) and an MA graduate/adjunct professor, she champions transformative stories of women of color.

UCHE OKIYA

Uche Okiya is a CGI specialist & 3D generalist with a strong passion for the intersection of art & technology. As an artist & tutor, he is dedicated to using creative storytelling & the latest digital tools to bring African-inspired narratives to life. With deep commitment to sharing unique cultural perspectives, his work focuses on blending technical skill with rich visual storytelling to engage a global audience.

YEMI ARAWORE

Yemi is an award‑winning creative strategist with 10+ years of driving brand growth—first Nigerian Young Lions Film Competition winner and Cannes Lions delegate—who helped turn Moniepoint into a household name. As Executive Creative Director of Soltracka Productions (“The Wolf”), he fuses business acumen and storytelling to showcase Africa’s rich culture.

ANTHONY ADAH

Anthony Adah is Professor of Film Studies at Minnesota State University USA, specializing in global film history/theory with research on African & Indigenous cinemas; he’s a 2021 Fulbright Scholar, 2023 Carnegie Fellow, & current CODESRIA Fellow. Since 2009 he’s juried the Fargo & Frozen River Film Festivals, created works like Sleeping Dogs, published in leading journals, & has a forthcoming book on personhood in Indigenous cinemas.

RONYA MAN

Ronya Man is a mission-driven filmmaker, actress, and producer who bridges cultures through storytelling and international collaboration as founder of Ronyamanarts Ltd. Her RMA Academy, Productions, and Xchange divisions train talent, produce global narratives, and lead co-productions, while she serves on the Directors Guild of Nigeria, juries film festivals, and speaks on cross-border cinema.

Bjorn Olatunde Lawal-Solarin

Bjorn Olatunde Lawal-Solarin is a Director at Lantern Books, a Jujitsu Partner at Ashoka, an award-winning children's author, filmmaker, and AI creative. Passionate about African culture, literature, history, and mythology, he combines storytelling with emerging technologies to create books, films, educational experiences, and innovative AI-generated content that preserve cultural heritage while shaping the future of education in Africa. AI Portfolio: @urbankingfisher