Fred Kudjo Kuwornu
Directing
Biography
Fred Kudjo Kuwornu is an Italian-Ghanaian filmmaker, producer, film curator and educator who holds both Italian and American citizenship, based in New York. He is best known as the director of critically acclaimed documentaries such as Blaxploitalian: 100 Years of Blackness in Italian Cinema, Inside Buffalo, and 18 Ius Soli. His documentaries deal with political and social themes, such as racism, interracial relations, diversity, Afro-Italians and Black diasporic identity in Italy, and the African diaspora in the world. He also teaches courses on production and digital filmmaking, and on Black Diaspora in Contemporary Italy and Europe. He has taught at University of Toronto, University of Minnesota, James Madison University, Middlebury College and Colorado College.
Known For
A documentary that uncovers the careers of a population of entertainers never heard from before: Black actors in Italian cinema. With modern day interviews and archival footage, the documentary discloses the personal struggles and triumphs that classic Afro-Italian, African-American and Afro-descendant actors faced in the Italian film industry, while mirroring their struggles with those of contemporary actors who are working diligently to find respectable, significant, and non-stereotypical roles, but are often unable to do so. Blaxploitalian is more than an unveiling of a troubled history; it is a call-to-action for increased diversity in international cinema through the stories of these artists in an effort to reflect the modern and racially diverse Italy.
Blaxploitalian: 100 Years of Blackness in Italian Cinema
The story of the 92nd Buffalo Division, the exclusively African American segregated combat unit which fought against nazism with outstanding heroism in Italy during the Second World War.
Inside Buffalo
"We Were Here" unveils the untold history of Black Africans in Renaissance Europe through iconic artworks. This multilingual film, shot across Europe, challenges the notion that all Blacks were slaves or servants. It reveals a diverse presence, including princes, ambassadors, merchants, and religious figures. Narrated from an Afro-European perspective, it explores stories absent from traditional history books. The film interweaves art history with social narratives, offering a fresh lens on European Renaissance and the complex tapestry of Black presence often overlooked in conventional historical accounts.
We Were Here: The Untold History of Black Africans in Renaissance Europe
18 Ius Soli examines issues of race, ethnicity, and national identity in 21st-century multicultural Italy. It includes interviews with 18 young men and women born in Italy to immigrant parents who have attended Italian schools, speak Italian, and see themselves as Italian; however, they are not Italian citizens due to current law. Their struggle for citizenship and recognition has affinities with that of the Dreamers, undocumented young people brought to the U.S. as children. 18 Ius Soli thus offers a unique perspective on not only contemporary Italian society, but also the immigrant movements and activism of "dreamers" around the world.