Amma Asante

The London-born daughter of two Ghanaian immigrants, Amma Asante showed an early predilection for performing. As a child, Asante studied both dance and acting at a theater school in Acton, London and at the age of 18 she landed a role on the long-running British television drama "Grange Hill" (BBC 1978-2008), which followed the lives of British schoolchildren at a comprehensive high school. After her work on the series, Asante appeared in guest roles on various British TV shows, but as she approached her 20s, Asante made the decision to abandon acting in favor of producing and directing. She created her own production company, Tantrum Films, and made her screenwriting and directing debut with the film "A Way of Life" (2004). A harsh, unforgiving view of a troubled teenage mother living in a government housing project in London, the film was widely praised for its documentary-like tone. Asante was awarded the Carl Foreman Award for best debut by a British filmmaker at that year's BAFTA awards. Asante's second feature film was the period piece "Belle" (2013), starring Gugu Mbatha-Raw. Based on the story of a mixed-race daughter of a slave and a navy captain who entered high society in 18th century England, the film was extremely well received. "Belle" screened at the United Nations on April 2, 2014 as part of a program of events pertaining to discussions of the transatlantic slave trade. Asante's next film, istorical interracial romance "A United Kingdom" (2016), starred David Oweloyo and Rosamund Pike.