Abena is a multi-award-winning writer-director with experience working on funded short films for Sky Arts, Creative England, Disney UK and the NFTS. Her 2018 short film, Ladies Day, has screened at some of the most prestigious festivals in the UK and internationally including Outfest LA, Encounters and Raindance. She is a BFI Flare mentee, mentored by Lizzie Francke, and an alumnus of the NFTS Directors Workshop. Alongside BFI Network and The Showroom Cinema she has curated a programme of short films by rising black British filmmakers called New Black Voices. The programme celebrates Black History Month 2019 and a selection of work from some of the most exciting young black British filmmakers working today, of which she is one. Abena is currently writing episodes on a YA show for Hulu, as well as a short play for the Hope Mill Theatre and a short episode for an online series for Channel 4/ The Cornershop.

RECENT WORK

2023
UNTITLED TV PROJECT (Ten66)
Writer

November 2023
SPELLBOUND (Hulu)
Wrote 2x25min YA fantasy episodes (E109, E121)

2023
HOW TO BE A PERSON (E4)
Short  Blap Online Series (The Corner Shop)
Co-writer x1 episode “How to Kiss A Boy”
BAFTA-Winner Best Short Form Programme

August 2022 – March 2023
Storyliner – Hollyoaks (Channel 4)

December 2022
Writer – One Day with Simone Ashley (British Vogue)

June – August 2022
Assistant Script Editor – Nautilus (Disney+)

March 2022
Writer – Limerence (Hope Mill Theatre)

January 2022
Writer – How to Kiss Another Boy (C4, The Cornershop)
BAFTA winning queer coming of age comedy

2021
VIGNETTES (Hope Mill Theatre)
Short Play

2021
CORONATION STREET (ITV)
Editorial Trainee

2021
THE GREAT (Hulu, MRC Entertainment)
Director Trainee – Shadowed Ally Pankiw on location during block 4 of
shooting.

2019
THE BEST IS YET TO COME

NFTS/ Disney UK Directors Workshop
Short Film
Writer and Director
World Premiere- NFFTY Seattle- October 2019

2018
LADIES DAY

SHORTFLIX- Creative England Sky Arts
Short Film
Writer and Director
Screened at: Black Star, LSFF, the Iris Prize (shortlisted for Best British Short 2018), BFI Flare #FiveFilms4Freedom and many more.
Awards: Audience Award (NFFTY Seattle), Best Young Director (Hebden Bridge Film Festival), Special Mention (Chicago CineYouth).

2019
UNTITLED DRAMA
BFI FILM HUB NORTH SCRIPT LAB
Writer-Director:
Developed a short film script from concept to finished project
with BFI script executives. Key scenes were performed to a sold
out live audience at the Royal Exchange Theatre in Manchester.

2019
NEW BLACK VOICES
BFI NETWORK/ THE SHOWROOM CINEMA
Curator
New Black Voices, Black History Month 2019.
Curated a programme of six films and Q&As plus a
masterclass from rising black British filmmakers from
around the UK.

 

TRAINING COURSES

2018
SCREEN YORKSHIRE BOOT CAMP
Production training scheme for below the line talent.

2018
LIGHTS, CAMERA, POWER- FEMALE DIRECTORS WORKSHOP
Technical skills workshop at Panavision with hands- on experience of lighting and camera kit.

 

EDUCATION

2019
NFTS Directors Workshop
The National Film and Television School