We’re proud to unveil the exceptional individuals who have been handpicked for our Our Stories Festival Mentorship Program, we’re not just celebrating success; we’re igniting the future of the industry!
Paired up with some of the industry’s finest execs and professionals for 6 months, this program is focused on building key relationships and honing your craft to get to the next level.
After a rigorous selection process, a number of talented individuals have finally been selected:
Adédàmọ́lá Láoyè: Actor, writer, director
Industry mentor: Daniel Bailey
Adédàmọ́lá Láoyè is an actor, writer, and director for stage and screen with a deep passion for nuanced stories that make audiences think, feel and laugh. At university, Adédàmọ́lá was heavily involved in theatre, film and comedy where he received multiple 5-star reviews for his direction of Danai Gurira’s groundbreaking play The Convert – which represented the first all-black production in the ADC Theatre’s 164-year history. Following this, he directed the first-ever student staging of Antoinette Nwandu’s Pass Over, a meditation on black masculinity and police violence receiving glowing 5-star reviews.
Stephane Ugeux: Producer
Industry mentor: Noel Chingunji
Stephane is a versatile creative, having the privilege of living and working in 6 different countries. These diverse experiences have shaped his perspective as a storyteller and he’s dedicated to crafting impactful stories that emotionally engage, resonate and entertain audiences across cultures.
His professional journey began as an entrepreneur, co-founding a startup, and later transitioning into consultancy. Despite this success, he feels his true calling is in filmmaking, which brought him to London two years ago to pursue an MA in Film Production. During his time here, he’s produced short films that have garnered recognition on the festival circuit.
Reece Grant: Director, writer
Industry mentor: Eddie Sternberg
Reece Grant is a London based Black British screenwriter and director who studied Practical Filmmaking at both Met Film School and Raindance. He has a decade of experience in directing, video editing, and screenwriting. One of Reece’s notable achievements is the proof-of-concept film titled “THE HOOD,” which he wrote, directed, produced, and edited when he was 19 while studying at Met Film School. “THE HOOD” has been a big success, amassing 2 million views on YouTube. In 2021, Reece was selected as one of the 40 emerging directors, writers, and producers for the British Independent Film Awards 2021-22 Mentorship Programme. In 2022, he was shortlisted as one of the 35 directors for Center Frame’s Get it Made short film pitch competition.
Elishah St Juste: Actor, Filmmaker
Industry mentor: Sheila Nortley
Elishah St Juste is a visionary creative who challenges mindsets through the power of the arts. By utilising drama, film, creative projects, and workshops, she provokes thought, raises awareness, and sparks conversations that open minds to see social issues from different perspectives. Stumbling into filmmaking ‘by accident’, she’s also gone on to win awards for her work and the future’s looking bright!
Keep your eyes on these creatives as this is only the beginning! Let’s go!