Film / News
Two Bristol filmmakers selected for programme helping Black British creatives
Film exhibition company We Are Parable has selected two Bristol-based filmmakers to participate in a Channel 4 and Sony-backed national development programme.
Jason C Nwachukwu and Mevis Birungi were among the 30 Black filmmakers handpicked from over 700 applications to take part in Momentum, a scheme designed to widen access to and representation in the film industry.
Nwachukwu’s work explores family, identity and human connection while Ugandan-born Birungi has worked for Netflix (His House), the BBC and Sky Kids.
While the past three editions of the programme offered masterclasses, industry access and specialised wellbeing support, the fourth edition will also include support for alumni.
Anthony Andrews, We Are Parable’s creative director said: “Talent is not the issue.”
Instead, “rising production costs, shrinking commissioning opportunities and increasingly competitive access to development funding” are making it harder to enter the film industry.
This is what Momentum hopes to challenge.
Momentum aims to tackle barriers into the film industry – photo: We Are Parable
To tackle London-centric bias, 55 per cent of the cohort selected is based outside the capital in places such as Bristol, Leeds, Milton Keynes and Southampton.
Women also make up over half the cohort, which is unusual in behind-the-scenes roles.
The programme invites participants to engage in sessions with screen industry professionals and mentors including Riches producer Nadine Marsh-Edwards, Top Boy’s Stella Nwimo and BAFTA-nominated producer, Danielle Goff.
Creative Equity Lead at Channel 4 Neila Butt praised the programme as a “vital platform for supporting and elevating Black British creatives”.
Main photo: We Are Parable
Read next:
Our newsletters emailed directly to you
