Two men sitting on the floor in a cozy living room, chatting, with one holding a glass and the other a bottle. The room has warm lighting, a bookshelf, and a patterned rug.

African Giants

LightReel Film Fest 2024
U.S. | 2023 | 107 min | DC Premiere

Poster advertising the Angelika Pop-Up film event at Union Market, located at 550 Penn Street NE, Washington, DC. The poster features a large eye illustration on the left and text with event details on the right, scheduled for June 7 from 2:30 pm to 4:15 pm.
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African Giants

DIRECTOR
Omar S. Kamara

PRODUCERS
Leo Blumberg-Woll, Omar S. Kamara, Jordan Tyner

SCREENWRITER
Omar S. Kamara

CAST
Dillon Daniel Mutyaba, Omete Anassi, Tanyell Waivers, Kathleen Kenny, Scott Bender

RUN TIME
107 Minutes

Two young men engaging in a conversation outside near a building with colorful chairs in the background.

Over a weekend visit in Los Angeles, two first-generation Sierra Leonean American brothers – one an aspiring actor and the other a second-year law student – navigate the changing dynamics of brotherhood and their contrasting views on their heritage after one gives the other a surprise announcement. Raw, vulnerable, honest, and an award winner from Slamdance, AFRICAN GIANTS delves into the depths of their shared history, unveiling untold truths and unresolved emotions.

NOT AVAILABLE DURING THE VIRTUAL FESTIVAL.

Two men sitting on a beach with their backs to the camera, facing the ocean, wearing casual clothing.
A young man with dark skin, wearing a dark blue hat and beige shirt, sitting indoors with a window and a beige wall in the background.
A young man with short curly hair and glasses standing outdoors with green foliage in the background, wearing a black shirt and a necklace with a pendant, looking at the camera with a slight smile.

Omar S. Kamara

Director, African Giants

Writer/Director Omar S. Kamara is a first-generation Sierra Leonean American, Virginia native, and graduate of the College of William and Mary and AFI. His debut feature film, AFRICAN GIANTS, which he independently wrote, directed, and produced, will have its World Premiere at Slamdance Film Festival in 2024.

In addition to winning the Franklin J. Schaffner Fellow Award at AFI, he was selected as an inaugural Resident for the Rideback Rise BIPOC Content Accelerator as well as a filmmaker for the Rising Voices Program, a collaboration between Lena Waithe's Hillman Grad and Indeed, to write and direct a short that will premiere at Tribeca in 2024.

His previous short film, MASS AVE, won the Grand Prize at the DGA Student Film Awards, was named a Finalist in HBO's Short Film Competition at ABFF, and was nominated for the Grand Prix at Clermont-Ferrand International Film Festival. The film was licensed by HBO and is currently streaming on HBO Max.

Kamara's films touch on his first-generation experiences and strive to highlight and honor the African Diaspora.

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The LightReel Film Festival is the ultimate celebration of film, food, and music in the Union Market District in Northeast Washington, DC. LightReel features independent films, documentaries, web series, studio sneak preview screenings, and special events.

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