A love of storytelling initially propelled Akin Omotoso into acting, but he quickly realized that his preferred mode of expression was filmmaking. While a student of acting at the University of Cape Town, the Nigerian creative decided to drop the scripts and pick up the camera, and he’s been going strong ever since. The Nigerian-born filmmaker came full circle when his Disney feature film about NBA star Giannis Antetokounmpo, Rise, debuted in June this year. Filming his basketball sessions all those years ago laid the foundation for his filmmaking career, which began in earnest after he graduated, when he continued to act but used the money he earned from it to fund his directing pursuits. His captivating dramas from God is African to Man on Ground and Vaya dealt with themes of migration, home and familial bonds; themes he’d go on to explore in Rise – his first major studio production. He may have been in the game for a while now, but Omotoso’s only just beginning to show us what he’s got.
SOURCE: OKAYAFRICA
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