KENYAN FILMMAKER BRAMWEL IRO SELECTED FOR PRESTIGIOUS CREATIVE PRODUCER INDABA 

Fifteen diverse producers from around the globe have been selected to participate in the second Creative Producer Indaba (CPI) which takes place from November 7 this year online for a week, at the Atlas Workshops (Marrakech International Film Festival) November 14 – 17 and at International Film Festival Rotterdam January 25 to February 5 2023 in person.

Selected participants include African producers Bramwel Iro (Kenya), Marion Isaacs (South Africa), Matheus Mello (Brazil/Mozambique), Sawsan Yusuf (Egypt) and  Zoe Ramushu (Zimbabwe/South Africa) who have active film projects in development and are looking for international producers and co-financiers. Their film projects include a heist suspense series, two feature documentary dramas, and two feature dramas.

Film professionals from Africa – Caroline Kganyago-Ralefeta, Lucia Meyer-Marais and Tracey-Lee Rainers (South Africa), Mia Bittar (Sudan) and Pedro Soulé  (Cabo Verde) who have significant stakes in the African film marketplace, with an interest in the development of film projects and co-producing with Africa were selected.

Finally Bartholomeu Luiz (Brazil), Ellen Havenith (Netherlands), Flavia Zanon (Switzerland), Kesmat El Sayed (Egypt/Germany) and Temilola Adebayo (Nigeria /Canada) are all international producers looking to finance projects in Africa, with a view to collaborating on African projects.

Creative Producer Indaba aims to bring together a hive-mind of producers who are either in the process of developing a film project, or want to collaborate on an African film project, in order to develop their entrepreneurial and leadership expertise, foster their creative skills, and create long-lasting and significant networks.

“We are truly excited about this year’s strong cohort for the Creative Producer Indaba,” says Mehret Mandefro, Director of Development and Partnership, Realness Institute. “These producers represent a diverse range of voices and interests with solid or growing networks from Africa and beyond. Following our highly successful CPI last year we have seen how these intense programmes can provide opportunities for filmmakers to move forward with their ideas and projects.”

“We look forward to meeting this cohort at Atlas Workshops, as producers gather to hone their skills and share ideas,” says Thibaut Bracq, Head of Atlas Workshops (Marrakech IFF). “It is our vision to work side by side with a new generation of Moroccan, Arab and African filmmakers, and to create a space for exchange between international professionals and regional talents – and hosting the Creative Producer Indaba participants will certainly help achieve these goals.”

The programme is packed with workshops, discussions, case studies, and one-on-one meetings with mentorship focussed on the development of projects that will take them through the whole scope of skills needed to get a film into production and reach audiences. Group Leaders, Mehret Mandefro and Diana Elbaum, and Story Expert, Mmabatho Kau, will be mentoring these producers, with a host of film industry experts in support.