Tunde KELANI (1948) attended the London Film School many years ago and today he is a prominent filmmaker in Nigeria. He trained and worked at the former WNTV/WNBS, Ibadan, Nigeria as a cameraman before joining the Nigerian Television Authority in Lagos for a few years. After working in television for about ten years shooting newsreel, documentaries, drama inserts, he decided to become an independent filmmaker. At this time, he worked on contract as a cameraman for BBC World Service and also Reuters covering news and features throughout Nigeria before settling to producing and directing his narrative films.

He has produced a number of films such as Saworoide, Thunderbolt, Agogoeewo, The Narrow Path, Abeni, Arugba and Dazzling Mirage. His latest film is Sidi Ilujinle, an adaptation of The Lion and The Jewel, a play by Wole Soyinka. His recent cinema box-office success, AYINLA, is a musical movie, based on the life and times of a Yoruba Apala musical superstar from Southwest of Nigeria. He is currently in the post-production stage of Cordelia, a high drama produced in collaboration with the Music Department of the University of Delaware, USA, the first leg of the Cultural Fusion Initiative designed to recognise and celebrate cultural diversities between nations.

Some of Tunde Kelani’s films have been featured in notable film festivals like Toronto International Film Festival, New York African Film Festival, Los Angeles International Film Festival, Rotterdam International Film Festival and many others. Kelani is a specialist in the area of literary adaptation and films based on indigenous African languages and cultural heritage. An advocate of alternative technology and relevant themes including SDG (Sustainable Development Goals) initiated by the UN. He has worked for many years as a Cinematographer, Filmmaker and Teacher.