BIOGRAPHIES OF CREW (FUNMILAYO RANSOME KUTI – THE MOVIE)
BOLANLE AUSTEN-PETERS
Director and Producer
Bolanle Austen-Peters is the director and producer at BAP productions. She has a master’s degree in International Law from the London School of Economics and Political Science and a Law degree from the University of Lagos.
She worked as a Lawyer with the United Nations before starting the renowned cultural hub; Terra kulture in 2003. She has featured three consecutive times in Forbes Afrique as one of the most influential women in Africa. Also described by CNN as the “woman pioneering theatre in Nigeria” she has received wide global media attention and awards for her contribution to the arts.
She is an award winning movie and theatre Producer/Director whose plays have travelled to London’s West-end, South Africa Egypt and Dubai. Some of her plays include Saro the Musical, Wakaa the musical, Fela and the Kalakuta Queens, Moremi the Musical, Oluronbi , Death and the Kings Horseman and numerous others.
Fela and the Kalakuta Queens is the most successful and longest running stage play in Nigeria with over 100 runs so far. Her movies 93 Days and Bling Lagosians were selected in some of the world’s most prestigious film festival’s including Toronto Film Festival, Chicago Film Festival and five others.
She has recently just directed three additional films: Man of God, Collision Course and Funmilayo Ransome Kuti. She has showcased over 300 art exhibitions, co-produced over 200 plays at “Theatre @ Terra” and is a renowned public speaker on entrepreneurship.
LANCE GEWER
Director of Photography
Lance Gewer is an internationally recognized South African born cinematographer with 35 years of experience under his belt. Lance uses lensing, light, choreography and composition in each and every frame he shoots to evoke an engaging experience for audiences, and pursues truth of character and story in his approach to cinematography.
Lance takes much pleasure in the facing the challenges of his craft, whether innovating with a first- time film director or inspiring an established director. Lance always looks forward to being part of ground-breaking teams that make ground-breaking stories for people on the African continent and around the globe.
MR JOSEPH UMOIBOM
Producer
Mr Jospeh Umoibom
Alumni of the United States International Visitors Leadership program (IVLP), he has over 17 years management experience in the creative industry, Theatre and film.He is the producer for BAP Productions theatre shows including the Broadway style musical production Saro the Musical, Wakaa the Musical, Fela and the Kalakuta Queens, Queen Moremi the Musical, The Oluronbi Musical, Man Enough, Death and the King’s horseman , Trials of Bro Jero, Motherland the Musical and a host of other theatre productions. Saro the Musical and Wakaa the Musical have gone on to have very successful sold out shows in London. While Fela and the Kalakuta Queens had huge success in Pretoria, Dubai and Cairo.
He also a producer for BAP Productions movies 93 DAYS, The Bling Lagosians, Collision Course, Man of God and Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti.
Heroes are made by the path they chose. Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti chose to stamp her feet on the sands of time by being one of the persons who make history rather than sit and watch it flow around them like water around a rock.
Bolanle Austen-Peters in telling this authentic and compelling stories has chosen to be the hero of proudly Nigerian stories.
The film Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti is a strong message on the power of determination, selflessness and placing the common good of all above self. A message every Nigerian leader needs to learn from.
