Kenyan filmmaker Tosh Gitonga is among 17 directors selected for the inaugural Director’s Program by Red Sea Labs, a new initiative under the Red Sea Film Foundation, led by acclaimed filmmaker Spike Lee.
Launched to support rising talents from Saudi Arabia, the Arab world, Asia, and Africa, the Director’s Program is a transformative, week-long experience taking place in Jeddah from April 29 to May 3, 2025. The intensive program offers masterclasses, workshops, and one-on-one mentorship sessions with Spike Lee, who will share lessons from his decades-long career shaping modern cinema.
Regarded as one of the most influential filmmakers of our time, Lee is known for culturally defining films such as Do the Right Thing, Malcolm X and BlacKkKlansman which explore critical social and human issues with artistic depth and urgency.
“Welcoming Spike Lee back to Jeddah to lead the inaugural edition of our landmark Directors’ Programme is a groundbreaking moment,” said Shivani Pandya Malhotra, Managing Director of the Red Sea Film Foundation. “This is an extraordinary opportunity for emerging filmmakers and writers to be inspired and challenged, as Spike Lee brings his unparalleled vision and demystifies the craft of directing with insight, passion, and purpose.”
Gitonga is best known for directing Nairobi Half Life (2012), Kenya’s first submission to the Oscars and one of the country’s most consequential films. His other credits include the romantic comedy Disconnect (2018) and its 2022 sequel Disconnect: The Wedding Planner for Netflix, as well as Volume (2023), Netflix’s music drama starring Brian Kabugi as a rising musician navigating a dangerous path to success.
Joining Gitonga in the Director’s Program from Africa are Zimbabwe’s Naishe Nyamubaya from Zimbabwe (Chimbo cheBere, in production) and Nigeria’s Adeyemi Michael (Erased: WW2’s Heroes of Color).
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