M.K. Asante, Jr.

M.K. Asante, Jr. is an award-winning filmmaker and author who the Philadelphia Inquirer calls "a rare remarkable talent that brings to mind the great artists of the Harlem Renaissance."

Asante wrote and produced the internationally-acclaimed film 500 Years Later, winner of five international awards including the Breaking the Chains Award from the United Nations. Asante wrote, directed and produced The Black Candle, a feature documentary film narrated by renowned poet Maya Angelou.

In addition to film, Asante is the author of three celebrated books: Beautiful. And Ugly Too; Like Water Running Off My Back; and It's Bigger than Hip-Hop. His writings have been published in USA Today, San Francisco Chronicle, Tampa Tribune and Black Arts Quarterly, among others.

Asante studied at the School of Oriental and African Studies at the University of London, earned his BA from Lafayette College, and an MFA in Screenwriting from the UCLA School of Film and Television.

Asante is a professor of film and creative writing at Morgan State University.

Wanuri Kahiu

"My primary objective is to support Kenya's unique artistic voice and create a sustained family of artists who motivate and inspire each other in a borderless world."

Wanuri Kahiu was born in Nairobi, Kenya and attended the University of Warwick, UK where she earned a BSc degree in Management Science in 2001. She enrolled in the Masters of Fine Arts programme in Directing in the School of Film and Television at the University of California, Los Angeles where she received the Motion Pictures of America Associates Award and the Hollywood Foreign Press Award for distinguished director.

In 1996 Wanuri Kahiu worked as an intern for Ace Communications that was run by Hon. Raphael Tuju. Under his wing she learned the benefits and essentials of educational story telling while working on a documentary on female circumcision.

Soon after, Wanuri had the opportunity to work as a Production intern in Pinewood Studios, London and later as a Producer's assistant in Alexandria Productions, Virginia. Her experience in the Motion Picture Industry was gained while working as a Director's Intern in Paramount Studios during the "Italian Job". Through this, Wanuri gained the experience of work-study training through a variety of people in the different tiers of the Entertainment Industry.

After completion of her Masters, Wanuri directed a behind-the-scenes documentary "The Spark that Unites" for the film "Catch-A-Fire" directed by Phillip Noyce, starring Derek Luke and Tim Robbins. Soon after she directed a short film "Ras Star" for M-Net an African Cable Channel that was released in June 2007. Wanuri is currently in pre-production for "My Sister, My Hero" a feature length road trip documentary and also researching a narrative film about the Kenya land Freedom Army ("Mau Mau").

"My first concern is making films for and about Africans; films that are a celebration of people, traditions and the land that are the life-source of art and culture."

Owen 'Alik Shahadah

Owen Alik Shahadah, was born in Hanover, Germany, raised in the Caribbean, New York and the UK. He has a background in Aerospace engineering but early on distinguished himself in Jazz, music videos and film music. Inspired by Malcolm X and Kwame Nkrumah his first independent film, 500 Years Later picked up 5 international awards including the UNESCO award in 2007 for 'films that dared to speak the truth about slavery.' As a filmmaker he has a unique African aesthetic which combines strong colors with what he calls a "4 part harmony" of on-screen info, visuals, narrative and score. As a multi-instrumentalist and jazz producer,he has worked with groups such as Ocacia.

As a cultural historian he has written numerous articles on African history and culture. He is the curator of the internationally renown African Holocaust society and is one of the leading critics in the world against linguistic terminologies such as 'black people' an 'sub-saharan Africa.'He has adapted some of the work of renowned Turkish writer Harun Yahya for audio production. He is an accomplished professional photographer an has a website which documents people of Africa.Shahadah has also produced an audio CD (audiomentary) on slavery called African Holocaust: Dark Voyages.

Known to some as creator of the audiomentary (audio documentary), his music genius is matched by his mission for social reform. He is a keen businessman and believes passionately in the economic and cultural advancement of African people, he believes the two are inseparable and calls for greater African ownership of African images and commodities related to African people. He encourages greater investment of the African Diaspora in the continent of Africa and the cutting of dependency from outside of Africa's cultural borders.

Shahadah is involved in Pan-African and development and in the early to late 90's trained and invested in renowned Tanzanian music producer Joachim Kimaryo (a.k.a Master Jay) of MJ Records. Shahadah and Kimaryo continued to exchange and develop what has today has blossomed into the largest urban music industry in Tanzania.