#WCW – Akosua Adoma Owusu

Born on 1 January 1984 in Alexandria,Virginia, Owusu graduated top of her class with a distinction in her BA in Media Studies and Studio Art from the University of Virginia and her MFA degree from the departments of Fine Art and Film and Video from the California Institute of the Arts.

Barely in her 40s and branded as one of ArtForum‘s top ten artists and The Huffington Post’s 30 Contemporary Artists under 40, this outstanding young woman inspires us with the major role she plays in the International film and arts industry where her company Obibini Pictures has produced award winning films such as Afronauts, and Kwaku Ananse, which received the 2013 Africa Movie Academy Award for Best Short Film and was nominated for the 2013 Golden Bear prize at the Berlinale.

Akosua Adoma Owusu’s first feature film Black Sunshine won France’s ARTE International Prize Award at the 2013 Durban FilmMart.Source: Okayafrica

Owusu continues to make media buzz internationally, proving beyond a doubt that she is not just a pretty face; she is definitely not in the industry as a window dresser or to increase the numbers of women in the male dominated Film industry. She has brought more to the table by producing award-winning winning films and went on to establish her presence with her worldwide exhibitions. At the age of 25, this phenomenal woman was the youngest artist to be included in an exhibition of 60 distinct artworks by 42 established artists at the Studio Museum in Harlem in the fine art world and also exhibiting at the BFI London Film Festival.

Akosua Adoma Owusu with her AMAA award for Best Short Film Source:Africine

To prove her worth and excellence, Akosua Adoma Owusu has various universities and museums such as the Whitney Museum of American Art, the Fowler Museum, Yale University Film Study Center and Indiana University Bloomington, home of the Black Film Center/Archive hold her work for their research and permanent collections making her a force to be recognized with.

Akosua Adoma Owusu giving speech as a mentor at the Script Station project in 2014. Source:Berlinaletalents