BITTER LEAF (2024)

AFRICAN GIANTS (2024)

Sierra Leonean American Storyteller.

Writer/Director Omar S. Kamara is a Sierra Leonean American and a graduate of AFI. He is a Grand Prize Winner of the DGA Student Film Awards, and his debut feature film, AFRICAN GIANTS, which he independently wrote, directed, and produced, won the Audience Award at the 2024 Slamdance Film Festival and was subsequently picked up for worldwide distribution. 

Kamara was selected as an Inaugural Resident in Dan Lin's Rideback Rise as well as Lena Waithe's Rising Voices. He is currently a fellow in the Highway Labs program for advanced filmmakers. His projects have played at numerous film festivals, including Tribeca, and his work has been featured on HBO Max, Hulu, and Amazon Prime. He is currently developing a TV Series as well as a horror feature with Two-Time Oscar Nominee, Djimon Hounsou.

Kamara’s films touch on his first-generation experiences and strive to highlight and honor the African Diaspora.

MASS AVE (2021)

“Ease is a greater threat to progress than hardship.”

Accolades

  • AFRICAN GIANTS (2024)

    Slamdance Film Festival, World Premiere

  • MASS AVE (Short, 21 min)

    — Grand Prize Winner, Director’s Guild of America Student Film Awards

    —Winner, Franklin J. Schaffner Fellow Award at AFI

    — Finalist, HBO Short Film Competition at American Black Film Festival 2021

    — Winner, Cannes Lions Young Director Award 2021

    — CAA Moebius Film Festival 2021

    — Official Selection, Clermont Ferrand International Short Film Festival

    — Official Selection, Indy Shorts International Film Festival 2021

    — Official Selection, Rhode Island International Film Festival 2021

    — Official Selection, San Diego International Film Festival 2021

    — Official Selection, BronzeLens Film Festival 2021 (Nominee -Best Student Short)

    — Official Selection, HollyShorts Film Festival 2021

    — Official Selection, St. Louis International Film Festival 2021

    — Official Selection, Toronto Black Film Festival

    — Official Selection, Pan African Film Festival

    — Official Selection, Seattle Black Film Festival

    — Official Selection, Maryland Film Festival

    — Official Selection, Cleveland International Film Festival

    — Conservatory Showcase, AFI Fest

  • MASS AVE (Feature Screenplay)

    — Winner, Austin Film Festival Virtual Pitch Competition 2020

    — Finalist, ScreenCraft Screenwriting Fellowship 2020, Top 10

    — Winner, Diverso’s Minority Report Fellowship 2020

    — 2nd Rounder, Austin Film Festival Screenplay Competition 2020

    — 2nd Rounder, Sundance’s Feature Film Development Program & Producing Lab 2021

    — 2nd Rounder, ScreenCraft Film Fund 2020

    — Quarter-finalist, Emerging Screenwriters Genre Competition 2020

    — Quarter-finalist, Scriptapalooza International Screenplay Competition 2020

  • RICE (Short Screenplay)

    Winner, HollyShorts Screenplay Competition 2020

  • RICE (Feature Screenplay)

    — Top 100, Launchpad Feature Screenplay Competition 2021

    — Finalist, ScreenCraft Screenwriting Fellowship

    — Resident, Rideback RISE Fellowship

  • PISADEIRAS (Feature Screenplay)

    — Quarterfinalist, The Script Lab Free Screenplay Competition 2021

    — 2nd Rounder, Launchpad Screenplay Competition 2021

Press