Commercial production company Gifted Youth, part of independent film studio Caviar, has brought writer and director Boma Iluma aboard its roster for representation in the U.S. spanning commercials and branded content. Caviar will handle global representation for Iluma.
Growing up between Abuja, Nigeria, and Atlanta, Georgia, Iluma has a directorial style which reflects strong emotional, familial connections to both places, their communities, and their histories. From acting in commercials and in the Atlanta theater scene, Iluma soon cultivated an interest in filmmaking, making his directorial debut in 2019 with visual art piece “Negus.”
Drawn to stories centered around fashion, design, and cutting-edge technology, Iluma went on to direct Heirs, a diverse reimagining of Nike’s Air Jordan brand. The film premiered in 2020 at New York Fashion Week and was later showcased at the Jumpman store in L.A.
Backed by his belief that storytelling is all about images in motion, Iluma has directed branded content and commercials for the likes of Oakley, The New Yorker, Jeep, W Hotels, Nissan, Ford, and more. His work on the emotive docu-style branded short film, Azurest, for Jeep demonstrates his talent for developing poetic visual language while integrating story and brand messaging.
Looking beyond commercial work, Iluma’s narrative short film entitled Comfort, which he directed (after being selected as a finalist in Lena Waithe’s Rising Voices Fellowship), premiered at Tribeca in 2021 and was acquired by Amazon Prime Video for distribution. He was subsequently handpicked by Roman Coppola to write and direct a segment in The Seven Faces of Jane, an innovative feature weaving together eight different 8 to 12 minute narrative short films. Iluma was also named a winner in the Young Guns 19 competition, celebrating creative professionals aged 30 or younger; he was among a diverse group of 32 talented creatives in 14 countries and regions to have been selected.
Striving to maintain sensitivity across all his projects, Iluma’s most recent work on Showtime’s The Chi (he directed the fifth episode of season five), displays his skill in bringing out deeply vulnerable and layered performances from his actors. The visually striking and narratively compelling episode will premiere on July 24 exclusively on Showtime.
Iluma said of connecting with Gifted Youth and Caviar, “I am honored and extremely grateful to be joining a diverse community of international artists and storytellers whose work has continually shifted culture and pushed creative boundaries in film and entertainment. Hyped for all that is to come!”
Gifted Youth EP Josh Morse said of Iluma, “His level of experience and the quality of his work at this point in his career is unfathomable and we cannot wait to partner with him as he continues to excel.”
