Hawa Essuman
Hawa Essuman (born 1980) is a Kenyan actress and film director whose first feature film, Soul Boy (2010), received a series of awards.[1][2]
Biography
Born in Hamburg, Germany, on 23 January 1980, she is the daughter of Ghanaian parents who brought her up in Nairobi, Kenya.[3][1] After several appearances in the theatre, she moved into production work, first on television commercials and documentaries, then on a local drama series, Makutano Junction. She created and directed Selfish? in 2008, followed by three short films in 2008, The Lift, Cold War and Coming Out.[2]
With the encouragement and assistance of Tom Tykwer, she directed Soul Boy (2010). Based on a story by Billy Kahora, it originated at a workshop organized by the German association One Fine Day.[4] Presented at over 40 film festivals around the world, it won a number of awards.[2]
Awards
Essuman's Soul Boy has won the following awards:
- Dioraphte Audience Award, International Film Festival Rotterdam[5]
- Veto Award, Afrika-Filmfestival, Leuven, Belgium
- Signis Award, Zanzibar International Film Festival, Zanzibar, Tanzania[6]
- Polish Filmmakers Association Award, Ale Kino!, Poznań, Poland
- Best Short Film, Kalasha Awards, Nairobi, Kenya[7]
- Best Lead Actor: Samson Odhiambo, Kalasha Awards, Nairobi, Kenya[8]
- Best Scriptwriter: Billy Kahora, Kalasha Awards, Nairobi, Kenya[9]
- Best Actor: Samson Odhiambo, Kenya International Film Festival, Nairobi, Kenya[10]
- Best East African Film, Kenya International Film Festival, Nairobi, Kenya[11]
- Special Mention "Passeurs d’images" prize, FESTIVAL CINÉ JUNIOR (International Film Festival for Young people), Paris, France
- The Young Jury Prize, FESTIVAL CINÉ JUNIOR (International Film Festival for Young people), Paris, France
- Spiritual Film Festival Award, Paris
- Best Children's Film Award at the Film Festival Recklinghausen (Germany) 2011[12]
- Best Editor: Ephantus Ng'ethe Gitungo, African Movie Academy Awards[13]
References
- 1 2 "Hawa Essuman" (in German). Filmportal.de. Retrieved 6 February 2016.
- 1 2 3 "About the director". African Film Festival New York. Retrieved 6 February 2016.
- ↑ "Liff awards 2011" (PDF). limbo7.com. Retrieved 6 February 2016.
- ↑ "Hawa Essuman and the Soul Boy Project". African Women in Cinema Blog. 28 August 2010. Retrieved 10 February 2016.
- ↑ Dioraphte Audience Award, International Film Festival Rotterdam
- ↑ Signis Award, Zanzibar International Film Festival
- ↑ Best Short Film, Kalasha Awards
- ↑ Best Lead Actor, Kalasha Awards
- ↑ Best Scriptwriter, Kalasha Awards
- ↑ Kenya International Film Festival: Best Actor
- ↑ Kenya International Film Festival: Best East African Film
- ↑ Best Children's Film, Film Festival Recklinghausen
- ↑ Best Editor, African Movie Academy Awards