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Ekwa Msangi 🍉

@ekwapics

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Writer&Director of @farewellamorfilm Now playing on IFC, MUBI & Netflix-Africa!

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Ekwa Msangi is my featured guest for the November cohort of The First Frame.

The First Frame is my live virtual workshop for emerging directors who are done waiting to start. Over one weekend, we take the story in your head and turn it into a real plan to shoot it.

In 2016 Ekwa made a short film, Farewell Meu Amor. Then she made a feature, Farewell Amor, which premiered in competition at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival, was acquired by IFC Films, MUBI and Netflix, and is now part of the Criterion Collection. Everything started with her first step, and we will talk about all of it in The First Frame.

Ekwa is an Assistant Professor of film at Emerson College in Boston, and she joins us live for the case study and Q&A.

Saturday and Sunday, November 7 and 8, 9am to 12pm PT, live on Zoom.

The fall discount is $149 through October 16, then $199. The standard rate is $399.

Comment “FIRST” and I’ll send you the link.

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Meet the Team 🤝🏾✨

1 | The Blavitons on set of @blaviton.creative @48hourfilmproject “Mama Gotta Live” (2026) 📸: @_groovyog

2 | 48-Hour Film Project Prep Workshop 8/9/26

3 | First Blavitonic Link Up: Screening @ekwapics @farewellamorfilm (2020) @neuer.world 📸: @nyara.world

4 | Where it all began.

Blavitons are like a constellation—we coalesce when the conditions align, and everyone who enters our orbit alters the chemistry. Whether pictured or not, your energy lives in what we’ve made and what we’re becoming.🤞🏾

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New baby 😇🎬 #filmactor #modeling #canalplus #netflix #batotoyagoma #kwetugoma

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@jaymelawson appreciation post!!
DID YOU KNOW???
@ekwapics cast her in Farewell Amor - check out the story on that amazing Pan African film featured on the podcast’s first episode!
And … don’t sleep on Jayme … Sinner now but she’s bound to redeem herself. Like a phoenix it’s been a pleasure watching her transform. On a scale of 1-5, she’s a hot 🔥 6! 🥭🥭🥭🥭🥭 that’s 5/5 mangoes for us! She’s definitely 💯 THAT girl! #blackexcellence #panafrican #africanstories #jaymelawson #ekwamsangi

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TODAY, St. Louis 📍 WashU

20 years of stories, culture, and global perspective.

The WashU African Film Festival continues to spotlight powerful voices from across the continent and diaspora—where film meets community, history, and imagination.

#WashUAFF #AfricanFilmFestival #FilmForAll

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Now introducing our guest speakers for the African Film Festival.

We are honored to welcome Amira-Géhanne Khalfallah, a filmmaker and writer whose work spans film, theater, and literature. A graduate of the University of Constantine, her creative work has received international recognition, including her film Esseghayra (Miss), which was selected at the Berlin International Film Festival and awarded a Special Mention by the Children’s Jury. She is also a recipient of the prestigious Bourse du Centre National du Livre in France for her literary work, and her writing has been published internationally.

Joining us is Ekwa Msangi, a Tanzanian-American filmmaker whose acclaimed debut feature Farewell Amor premiered at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival. The film went on to receive widespread critical acclaim and multiple awards, including Best Screenplay at the Durban International Film Festival and the Indie Spirit “Someone to Watch” Award. Her work across film and television reflects a deep commitment to telling nuanced stories about migration, identity, and family.

We are also excited to host Ntobeko Sishi, one of South Africa’s most dynamic emerging creatives. Known for his breakout role as Ntokozo in the acclaimed series Gomora, he has gained recognition for his emotionally grounded performances. In addition to acting, he is an accomplished musician and songwriter, and holds degrees in Economics and Finance from the University of Cape Town, reflecting both his artistic and academic range.

Finally, we welcome Nicolas Sawalo Cissé, a Senegalese architect, filmmaker, and cultural leader. He has played a significant role in advancing cultural policy across Africa, serving as president of the Association of African Designers and leading national coalitions for cultural diversity. His work in film includes La mémoire du manguier (2025) and Blissi N’Diaye ou la visite de la dame (2011), as well as Mbeubeuss, le Terreau de l’espoir, recognized as the first African film dedicated entirely to environmental issues. He is a recipient of the Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres from the French Republic and has served in national leadership roles in Senegal.

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🎬⏳ Less than 2 weeks until the 2026 African Film Festival! Join us March 27–29 in Brown 100 at WashU for a weekend celebrating the power of African storytelling, featuring award-winning films, engaging matinees, and conversations with filmmakers. Swipe to see the full lineup, including special screenings and a featured session with film maker Ekwa Masangi. Free admission, so bring a friend and experience a weekend of powerful stories, culture, and community. You Don’t Want to Miss it‼️‼️#stl #washu #africanfilm

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5 years ago today

Movie: #FarewellAmor (2020)

Starring: #NtareMwine #ZainabJah #JaymeLawson

Directed by: #EkwaMsangi

#MUBI #drama #cinemalovers #movielover #cinema #cinephile #film #films

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When filmmaker Ekwa Msangi set out to make Farewell Amor, she knew that attaching an A-list actor would mean:

👉🏾 A higher budget
👉🏾 More gatekeeping
👉🏾 Less creative freedom

So she and producer @huriyyahmwright made a bold choice — keep the budget low so they could make the film they wanted to make.

Sometimes the most powerful stories come to life because we’re intentional about scale, flexibility, and ownership.

🎬 From our Sista Brunch conversation at our collaboration with The HiveMind Unified and Vidiots.

#SistaBrunch #EkwaMsangi #FarewellAmor #IndieFilm #BlackWomenInFilm #FilmFinancing #CreativeFreedom #womeninfilm #filmindustry #podcast

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Here’s more from our conversation this summer with @ekwapics, where she shares the personal experiences that shaped the character Sylvia in her debut feature Farewell Amor.

Like Sylvia, Ekwa immigrated to the U.S. as a teenager and had to navigate culture, expectations, identity, and the unspoken rules of “proving yourself” in a new place.

For many African daughters there’s no slamming doors, no talking back — so expression has to come through something else.

For Sylvia, and for Ekwa, that outlet was dance and music.

Event presented in collaboration with @thehivemindunified + @vidiots and conversation moderated by @yesitskareemab

#SistaBrunch #EkwaMsangi #FarewellAmor #BlackWomenInFilm #ImmigrantStories #WomenDirectors #AfricanDiaspora #Storytelling
#womeninfilm #podcastsforblackwomen

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Continuing the accolades from our summer event with @thehivemindunified and @vidiots, our Season 5 alum Shirlyn A. Cesar @jesuis_sc shares more of Ekwa Msangi and her film Farewell Amor’s incredible journey:

🏆 2021 Indie Spirit Award “Someone to Watch”

🎥 2020 Sundance Momentum Fellow

🌍 2020 BAFTA Breakthrough

Sista Brunch exists because it’s essential for powerful Black women to take up space — and be celebrated for it.

#SistaBrunch #EkwaMsangi #FarewellAmor #BlackWomenInFilm #RepresentationMatters #WomenInFilm #FilmCommunity

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Day 4 of the Kilifi Creek Festival is almost here🌊
Don't miss tomorrow's line up!🎬🔥

RSVP at www.kilificreekfestival.com

#Kilifi #KilifiCreekFestival #FilmFestival

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