Sibling Films–part of the NY and L.A.-based brand studio and production company Sibling Rivalry–has added Ewurakua Dawson-Amoah to its roster of directors.
Hailing from a small town in New Jersey, Dawson-Amoah brings a fresh perspective to storytelling, shaped by her upbringing as the daughter of immigrant parents from Ghana and St. Lucia. The rich tapestry of the cultures she embodies is reflected in her work. Dawson-Amoah is an alum of SHOOT’s New Directors Showcase. She made the Showcase cut in 2021 when she was with Greenpoint Pictures. The director now embarks on a new career chapter at Sibling.
Dawson-Amoah has collaborated with various celebrities such as Janelle Monae, Megan Thee Stallion, Serena Williams, Chrissy Teigen, Queen Latifa, and many more. Her latest commercial endeavor comes from Droga5, where she collaborated with Megan Thee Stallion for the Seize the Awkward campaign from the Ad Council. Dawson-Amoah has also directed for MTV, IKEA, AT&T’s "Black Futures," Cricket Wireless, and Lincoln Motors, among other global brands.
Dawson-Amoah said, “I’m all about pushing boundaries and not sticking to the same old rules. I’m a storyteller who likes to think outside the box. At Sibling Rivalry, they celebrate being unique, so it felt like the perfect place for me to spread my creative wings across projects for both Sibling Films and their brand studio.”
Beyond directing, Dawson-Amoah is also a scriptwriter and voiceover artist, often combining all three elements to bring a holistic vision and approach to her projects. As a recent MacDowell fellow, she will delve into all three more deeply during her winter residency.
Darren Foldes, partner and managing director at Sibling Films, said, “Ewurakua is exceptionally gifted at finding the truth in a scene and eliciting authentic performances while simultaneously creating vibrant and dynamic worlds. She has a distinct ability to genuinely connect with people, translating to films that leave a lasting impression.
“Ewurakua is exceptional in her prowess at directing, writing, and voice work,” he continued. “This makes her an incredibly exciting addition to our directorial roster. Her body of work transcends typical advertising conventions and her natural flair at being both a true collaborator and infectious leader is something that’s incredibly hard to achieve, even over years in the business.”
Dawson-Amoah’s work has been recognized in numerous film competitions, including the Fusion Film Festival, Raindance Festival, Cinequest, Toronto Black Film Festival, NFFTY, and with the Tony Hawkins Award for Excellence in Sound Design. In August of 2020, her short film To the Girl That Looks Like Me was named a finalist in the Alternative/Experimental category of the 2020 Student Academy Awards, which was part of the Scene in Color Film Series, presented by Target and designed to shine a light on emerging filmmaking talent.
Dawson-Amoah is passionate about building community across and access for BIPOC creatives. She founded The Melacast Network, a platform to connect actors, directors, and crew of color with opportunities and resources to network and tell their stories.
Review: Writer-Directors Scott Beck and Bryan Wood’s “Heretic”
"Heretic" opens with an unusual table setter: Two young missionaries from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are discussing condoms and why some are labeled as large even though they're all pretty much a standard size. "What else do we believe because of marketing?" one asks the other.
That line will echo through the movie, a stimulating discussion of religion that emerges from a horror movie wrapper. Despite a second-half slide and feeling unbalanced, this is the rare movie that combines lots of squirting blood and elevated discussion of the ancient Egyptian god Horus.
Our two church members — played fiercely by Sophie Thatcher and Chloe East — are wandering around trying to covert souls when they knock on the door of a sweet-looking cottage. Its owner, Mr. Reed, offers a hearty "Good afternoon!" He welcomes them in, brings them drinks and promises a blueberry pie. He's also interested in learning more about the church. So far, so good.
Mr. Reed is, of course, if you've seen the poster, the baddie and he's played by Hugh Grant, who doesn't go the snarling, dead-eyed Hannibal Lecter route in "Heretic." Grant is the slightly bumbling, bashful and self-mocking character we fell in love with in "Four Weddings and a Funeral," but with a smear of menace. He gradually reveals that he actually knows quite a bit about the Mormon religion — and all religions.
"It's good to be religious," he says jauntily and promises his wife will join them soon, a requirement for the church. Homey touches in his home include a framed "Bless This Mess" needlepoint on a wall, but there are also oddities, like his lights are on a timer and there's metal in the walls and ceilings.
Writer-directors Scott Beck and Bryan Wood — who also... Read More