Adam Bush
Executive Director,
African Cine Fest |
Over the past 25 years, Adam has focused on his Marketing Strategy Solutions consultancy, owning and operating a state of the art music production facility (later sold to a Japanese interest), and overseeing Adam Bush Films, producing and co-producing various films, sports shows, documentaries, music projects and over 1000 commercials and corporate video projects for such major brands as Foot Locker, Champs Sports, Chevrolet, Cadillac, Nissan, BMW, McDonald's, Coca Cola, Sprite, Harley Davidson, Black Expo USA, KenMar Wireless, Verizon Wireless, and a host of others including several University and Career School recruitment campaigns. He developed programming for the Los Angeles Summer Olympic Games in 1984 and the Atlanta Olympics in 1996. Adam has joint ventured with other film companies in recent years to develop feature film projects for the exponentially growing global independent film marketplace. Adam dismisses credits with this simple philosophy "Where you've been is not half as important as where you're going.” |
Dr. Awam Amkpa
Professor of Dramatic Arts |
Accomplished Nigerian actor, playwright, and professor of dramatic arts. In 1982, he received his B.A. in theater from Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria, his M.A. in 1987 from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria, and his Ph.D. from in 1993 from University of Bristol, Bristol, England. Dr. Amkpa is currently a professor of drama at Tisch School of the Arts, New York University as well as the Director of Africana Studies at NYU. Dr. Amkpa is also currently the Academic Director of NYU Ghana. He has also taught at Mount Holyoke College. |
Alrick Brown
Director
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Alrick Brown, currently a graduate student at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts is a featured emerging star director with Adam Bush Films of the United States. A writer and teacher, he has found his calling directing and producing narrative films and documentaries often focusing on social issues affecting the world at large. It was after visiting the slave castle of Elmina, in Ghana, that he was inspired to attend film school. For over two years he served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Cote d’Ivoire. The interactions with the people of his village and his overall experiences in West Africa have informed his creative expression; an expression first fostered by his birth in Kingston, Jamaica and migration to, and upbringing in Plainfield, New Jersey. A fluent French speaker, he graduated from Rutgers University with a BA in English and a Masters degree in Education. Since then he has devoted his energy to changing the world by giving a voice to the voiceless and telling stories that otherwise would not be told.
Alrick’s collective work has screened in over fifty film festivals, national and international, and received numerous awards. Three of his films have played Lincoln Center in NY. Recently, he was one of four NYU students featured in the IFC Documentary series “Film School”, produced by Academy award nominee Nannette Burstein. In February 2007 he addressed the Motion Picture Association of America on C-SPAN. At present, he is in post-production for his thesis film, “Us: A Love Story” and writing his first feature screenplay a thriller titled, “The Shadows.” He is also in the early stages of pre-production on the epic film to be produced next year about the life and times of famous cricketer and Barbadian National Hero Sir Garfield Sobers. His latest film "Death of Two Sons" is the recipient of HBO's Life Through Your Lens Emerging Documentary Filmmaker's Grant.
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Allen Johnston
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Mr. Johnston is a well established film and music consultant in the world content distribution marketplace. He is the leading independent marketing representative and consultant to filmmakers and music publishers from the entire African Diaspora for the annual Midem conference in Cannes, France. As an honored speaker for the Florida, Georgia and Tennessee Bar Associations CLE (Continuing Legal Education) courses he has written several position papers. His work has been published in Nichols Cyclopedia of Legal Forms Annotated (5) contracts included within the Movies, Music & Musician section, and in 1993 Publisher’s Digest. “The Rap Marketplace”. His latest book “Publishing Quick & Easy” is a mainstay for new and experienced attorneys. His music business and educational experience has led to 16 Dade County - Certificates of Appreciation, the Miami Dade Community College Certificate of Appreciation, The JACK.THE.RAPPERS Superior Achievement in Black Music Award, Educator of the Year Award – Negro Business Women of Dade County and Reader’s Digest “Look Smart” Editor’s Choice Award.
He has been the Director of Urban Sales for the K-TEL CORPORATION where he instituted the first major catalog of direct to VHS / DVD movies. In this capacity he created the marketing and sales plan for K-TEL Urban video sales which eventually became SIMITAR ENTERTAINMENT
As the Vice President of MINDSEED CORPORATION, a ½ acre HD movie and audio studio complex, Mr. Johnston develops International & National movie, audio and publishing deals for major and independent artists and film makers.
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St.Clair Bourne
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As head of his own production company Chamba Mediaworks, Inc., producer/director/writer ST.CLAIR BOURNE has made more than 45 films concentrating on cultural and political themes, a focus he continues to explore. He has produced a feature-length documentary HALF PAST AUTUMN: THE LIFE AND WORKS OF GORDON PARKS about the photojournalist and filmmaker for HBO. The film has been nominated for three EMMYS (Best Picture, Best Editing and Best Cinematography). With actor Wesley Snipes as executive producer, Bourne directed JOHN HENRIK CLARKE: A GREAT AND MIGHTY WALK, a feature length documentary about the respected historian and Pan-African activist. The film has been invited to major festivals (Toronto, Carthage, Ouagadougou, Africa and Sundance). Bourne then directed PAUL ROBESON: HERE I STAND!, a 2-hour documentary for the "American Masters" PBS series followed by MELVIN AND MARIO AT SUNDANCE, a documentary short for the Sundance Channel. Bourne is shooting a documentary about veteran Black photography Ernest Withers (who shot the Martin Luther King assassination photos) and is still shooting a documentary series on the rise, fall and legacy of the Black Panther Party for the PBS network. |
Saint Obi
Nollywood Film Star
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The Nigerian press proclaims Saint Obi to be one of Nollywood’s hottest movie stars. Saint Obi was born on the 16th of November in the Garden City of Port-Harcourt, Rivers State. He hails from Ala-enyi, Ogwa of Mbaitoli L.G.A. in Imo State, Nigeria. He studied Theatre Arts at the University of Jos, Plateau State and graduated with B.A. (Hons). He speaks English, Igbo and Hausa and a little of the Yoruba language. A complete athlete who had represented Plateau State in both Football and Basketball tournaments. He also enjoys body building. Saint Obi joined the Nigerian movie industry in 1996 and instantly rose to the top - a feat yet to be matched by any in the industry. He has featured in over 60 films as male lead. |
Richard Mofe-Damijo (RMD)
Nollywood Film Star |
A theatre and law graduate with 24 years post graduate experience has reigned over the Nigeria theatre, movie and television space for over 24 years as a constant lead actor. He has won every top award in Nigeria and the diaspora. RMD has over 45 films, various TV soaps/drama and over 150 stage plays to his credit, to date. He is one of Nigeria's highest earning actors and is often referred to as Nigeria's Denzel Washington.
A miter, lawyer, part, film maker and public relations consultant, RMD as he is fondly called, has just been appointed as SPECIAL ADVISER to his State governor for ART, CULTURE AND TOURISM.
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Len Gibson
African Film Museum Curator |
Len Gibson, MBA is the President and Founder-Chairman of Gipp Museums Inc., and is curator of the African American Cinema Gallery/Hispanic Cinema Museum. He is the Producer of SAIFF. His own recent film projects include "Godly Ways" Producer, and Len is East Coast Acquisitions Director, Westham Films. |
Dr. Ntui Okey
Coordinator,
Trans-African Centre for Trade |
Dr. Okey is Nigerian born with decades of living in the Caribbean. He is the coordinator of the Government of Barbados' Trans African Centre for Trade. His focus has been to connect Africa with the Caribbean in trade, culture and education. Over the years Dr. Okey has been engaged in a number of African awareness programs across the Caribbean. He has a passion for African movies and has been working tirelessly to see that they are properly marketed and screened in the Caribbean. Dr. Okey is asociated with the transfer of Barbados' solar technology to Nigeria. |
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