Joy Gharoro-Akpojotor, producer of Blue Story and Boxing Day, has wrapped production on her directorial debut Dreamers, with The Yellow Affair by Newen Connect launching sales at Cannes.
Screen can also exclusively reveal a first-look image of Dreamers, a love story and escape movie set in an immigration removal centre. It focuses on a woman named Isio, played by Screen Star of Tomorrow 2023 Ronke Adekoluejo, who is caught working without papers, trapped inside Hatchworth removal centre, where she learns that finding love, friendship and freedom sometimes means doing the wrong things.
Further cast includes I May Destroy You‘s Ann Akinjirin, Diana Yekinni and Aiysha Hart.
The Yellow Affair by Newen Connect label was created in January 2024, with Finnish outfit The Yellow Affair handling international sales on the independent films produced by France’s Newen Connect, the distribution division of TF1 Group’s Newen Studios. Gharoro Akpojotor is the owner of Joi Productions which has been a part of London’s Ringside Studios, a subsidiary to Newen Studios, since 2022. The film was shot in UK and produced by Emily Morgan’s UK outfit Quiddity Films. This project was developed with BBC Film and BFI through National Lottery funds. Quiddity’s credits include Cannes premieres
I Am Not A Witch and The Settlers, plus Supernova. Newen Connect, Finite Films, and OnSight are also supporting the project. Executive producers include Claudia Yusef from BBC Film, Amy Gardner and Edirinverere Gharoro. The feature film is currently in post-production and should be ready by the end of 2024.
I wanted to create a film that reflected my experience as an migrant and that centered love, joy, and most importantly, hope. It’s a film that aims to remind people of humanity,” said Nigeria-born Gharoro-Akpojotor, a
Screen Star of Tomorrow 2020.The Yellow Affair by Newen Connect is also handling Constanze Klaue’s
Punching The World, produced by Flare Films, and Kontra (working Title), produced by Nimbus Film. The French group Mediawan expands its European footprint by acquiring Germany’s Leonine Studios
