E135 - To Sundance and Back Again with Writer/Director Tomisin Adepeju

In this episode of The Directors' Take podcast, your hosts Oz Arshad and Marcus Anthony Thomas are joined by Writer/Director Tomisin Adepeju. Tomisin is a Nigerian-British Filmmaker based in London whose work has travelled to several major film festivals including Sundance and BFI London Film Festival. He also is the founder and curator of the film event DAILIES which platforms the exceptional work of emerging filmmakers. In this conversation we dig down into his journey to talk about the following:

 

-Why he began filmmaking.

-What he believes directing is.

-Why he felt the need to go to film school.

-How he got into Sundance.

-What happened after.

-Finding his voice.

-The struggles with the industry pathway.

-What the future looks like for him now.

 

Biography

Tomisin Adepeju is a Nigerian-British Filmmaker based in London, England.

His multi award-winning shorts, The Good Son & Super 16mm graduation film, Marianne have been selected at over 100 International film festivals, these include; Oscar-Qualifying Urbanworld Film Festival, the 25th New York African Film Festival, Smalls Film Festival & Triforce Film Festival. Both shorts have also screened at several prestigious institutions including: Cinematheque Suisse, the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History, The Museum of Fine Arts Boston, the Film Society of Lincoln Center, the British Film Institute & BAFTA.

His award winning short, The Right Choice had its World Premiere at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival, it was also selected to screen as part of Sundance London. The film has screened at over 45 International Film Festivals, these include; Oscar-Qualifying; Pan African Film Festival 2018, Cleveland International Film Festival & HollyShorts Film Festival.

Tomisin is a 2018 Edinburgh Talent Lab alumnus, in 2019, he was one of the 12 filmmakers selected to take part in the annual NETWORK@LFF development programme at the BFI London Film Festival. His most recent short Appreciation had its World Premiere at the Oscar-Qualifying Pan African Film Festival 2019 & it’s North American Premiere at Oscar-Qualifying Aspen Shortsfest. The film was also an official selection of BFI London Film Festival 2019. He is currently developing his debut feature.

He is represented by United Agents in the UK and Creative Artists Agency (CAA) in the US.

 

Nuggets of the week

Oz: Diarmuid Goggin Twitter (X)

Marcus: Timothée Chalamet & Martin Scorsese Have an Epic Conversation | GQ

Tomisin: 'Film as dream, film as music. No art passes our conscience in the way film does, and goes directly to our feelings, deep down into the dark rooms of our souls.' by Ingmar Bergman

 

Credits

Music by Oliver Wegmüller

 

Socials

Instagram: @TheDirectorsTakePodcast

Twitter: @DirectorsTake

Tomisin's socials: Twitter (X) & Instagram

Dailies socials: Website, Twitter (X) & Instagram

 

If you have any questions relating to the episode or have topics you would like covering in future releases, reach out to us at TheDirectorsTake@Outlook.com.