NBA legend Magic Johnson, Oscar winner Samuel L. Jackson and Tony-nominated actor, director and producer LaTanya Richardson Jackson are among the many newest backers of Statement Films, a women-led leisure start-up that was created to bridge the hole between African and diaspora ladies creators and the worldwide market. The firm introduced the information on Thursday in the course of the Joburg Film Festival.
Areej Noor (Courtesy of Statement Films)
Founded by author and producer Areej Noor, Statement Films is concentrated on discovering and creating IP from African ladies creators. The firm raised $750,000 in a spherical of funding that included the celebrities and a bunch of enterprise leaders.
Born in Washington, D.C., to a outstanding world ladies’s rights activist turned political strategist, Noor is a author, producer, political analyst and entrepreneur whose profession consists of stints at MSNBC and Al Jazeera English.
“I grew up uncovered to extremely artistic and highly effective tales of African ladies, however I felt they have been nonetheless underserved by Western media and the leisure elite — that’s the reason I based Statement Films,” she stated. “Having the assist of Hollywood, sports activities and enterprise titans provides us the momentum to ascertain new and equitable pathways for the explosive feminine expertise coming from the continent.”
Last yr, the corporate introduced a partnership with First Look Media’s U.S. streaming service Topic to assist, develop and finance a slate of 10 characteristic movies and episodic collection from feminine creators from Kenya, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, South Africa and Uganda.
“I’m extremely excited to be part of the journey with Statement Films,” stated Samuel L. Jackson. “The firm is doing such necessary work to fill a protracted overdue hole within the trade. We can look ahead with optimism to the way forward for African ladies in movie.”
“As a feminine artistic, that is one thing I’m notably captivated with and I stay up for seeing the alternatives and progress that may unfold for African ladies via the unimaginable work of Areej and her staff at Statement Films,” added LaTanya Richardson Jackson.
The Joburg Film Festival runs Jan. 31 – Feb. 5.
