Advisory Board

THE PWFF BARAZA

The PWFF Advisory Board, aka Baraza, is a distinguished group of individuals with diverse backgrounds and expertise, united by their shared passion for wildlife, conservation, and storytelling. This esteemed board brings together renowned filmmakers, conservationists, producers, and industry pioneers who are committed to shaping the direction of the Pridelands Wildlife Film Fest. Through their collective wisdom and guidance, the advisory board plays a vital role in advancing the festival’s mission, breaking barriers, and providing new opportunities for storytellers, particularly from Africa and the global south. Their dedication and expertise contribute to shifting the narrative surrounding wildlife and conservation films, making PWFF a transformative force in the industry.

Mohamed Saïd Ouma

Mohamed Saïd Ouma is an experienced filmmaker, an avid cultural operator and a seasoned festival manager who currently serves as the Executive Director of DocA- Documentary Africa. He has cut his professional teeth as a festival manager for the International Film Festival of Africa and the Islands (FIFAI) from 2004 to 2015 where he managed to coordinate support for the festival from the Municipality of Le Port- Reunion Islands and the national film governing body (CNC). With his team, they focussed on redefining the editorial line towards an author-driven agenda and adjusted it to be in sync with the support policy criteria.

At the helm of DocA, Mohamed aims to foster and nourish strong pan-African ties especially in the documentary film sector, leveraging his invaluable professional network which in the recent past enabled him to bring together key Film Festival stakeholders for FIFAI such as: the Durban International Film Festival, Colours of the Nile in Ethiopia for the East and Southern Africa region, FESPACO in Burkina Faso, Rencontres de Saint Louis in Senegal for the West Africa region. Les Rencontres Cinématographiques de Béjaïa in Algeria, the Tangiers Film Festivalin Morocco, the JCC in Carthage Tunisia, the Egypt based African Chapter of ASIFA, responded to the need for North African connections.

In underscoring the need for the professionalisation of the African film industry, specifically the documentary film sector it is important to maintain constant relations locally, regionally and internationally to facilitate knowledge and skill exchange through both inter and intra-continental partnerships. Being a member of FEPACI, the Pan African Federation of filmmakers he is able to liaise with the rest of the continent’s key industry and role players, to lobby for films and filmmakers.

Mohamed is also involved in The African Heritage Project, a special program that aims to restore fifty African films of historic, cultural, and artistic significance. It is a first-of- its-kind project that seeks to distribute these to new generations of audiences and filmmakers from Africa and the world that have deep affinity for African film History knowledge. Four films have already been beautifully restored to date namely: Soleil O by the late Mauritanian director Med Hondo, Chroniques des années de braise, by Algerian director Mohammed Lakdhar-Hamina, La femme au couteau by Ivoirian pioneer Timité Bassori and Muna Moto by Cameroonian maverick Jean Pierre Dikongue Pipa.

The DocA family is pleased and proud to have a veteran with a wealth of experience in the filmmaking industry who is committed to our core values of support, knowledge building & sharing and pan-African complementary initiatives.

Sarudzayi Marufu

Sarudzayi Marufu is a BAFTA Connect film producer and creative entrepreneur, deeply committed to revolutionising global cinema with the ethos of inclusivity, innovation, and community uplift. As the driving force behind Euras Films, Sarudzayi has achieved remarkable success in connecting with international markets, highlighted by her selection for various prestigious programs.

Current Feature Film Projects include Londoner (selected for the 2024 Berlinale Co-production Market) written and directed by 2023 Teddy Award Winner, Babatunde Apalowo and a co-production with ken Loach’s Sixteen Films, Recipes for Mica Halliday (Selected for the Film London Production Finance Market, EFM BFI Cohort, Bridging The Dragon Hong Kong Filmart Delegation ) and Haven of Hope, a France, Germany, The Netherlands and UK co-production set to start principal photography in October 2024.

Her contributions, however, go beyond film production. Sarudzayi is ardently involved in fostering a robust global film ecosystem through a variety of initiatives, including educational training programmes, offering financial support to filmmakers, and leading the development of infrastructure necessary for sustainable film production. Through her endeavours, she continues to forge a path for a more diverse and dynamic global cinema landscape.

Nancy Rosenthal

Nancy Rosenthal is the Founder and Executive Director of the New York WILD Film Festival (2014-2024.) Through powerful, exhilarating films and conversations, the festival was a platform to create excitement, identify critical issues, build partnerships, and reach audiences that care about exploring, discovering and protecting the planet.

As an active member of The Explorers Club since 2011, Nancy serves on the Explorers Club 50 Committee, the Council of Advisors, Impact Grants Program, and she Co-Chaired the Explorers Club Annual Dinner (2016). She is a Trustee of Egan Maritime Institute, Nantucket, MA.

Previously Nancy made a variety of award-winning films about the natural world for National Geographic before exploring contemporary issues and the performing arts as subjects. The independent feature film Last Dance Nancy worked on was shortlisted for an Academy Award.

Kimani Munene

The Creative Economy Ambassador is a seasoned media executive, entrepreneur, creative economy policy maker and creative industry mentor. With extensive experience in media management, digital media, Film Distribution and Broadcast strategy in the East African region.

An advisor and coach on building sustainable and scalable businesses around their art forms.

Mac Cardona

Mac Cardona is passionate about engaging communities with science and nature, especially those that are still underrepresented in the sciences. With her background in wildlife biology (B.S in Wildlife Biology, Cal Poly Humboldt), science and nature storytelling (M.S. Biology, Cal Poly Humboldt), and community engagement; Mac founded cWave Media. cWave Media is a boutique production agency that helps leverage creative strategies and digital technologies to help communities connect, learn, collaborate and innovate. cWave Media’s team develop content, design programs, facilitate events, workshops, and build collaborative platforms. Mac is especially interested in increasing Latino and other BIPOC representation in all kinds of storytelling.

Mac produced the 2023 Jackson Wild Latinx Film Lab, a week-long intensive program for mid-career Latinx Filmmakers based in the Southern California and the Baja California, Mexico area. She also serves on the Advisory Board for Jackson Wild and Healthy Ocean Coalition and as a member for Save the Redwoods League’s Parks and Public Engagement Committee.

Ciara Bowes

Ciara Bowes is ecstatic to be the administrative coordinator at PWFF! Ciara was born in New York and lived in England for eight and a half years, where she majored in Human Geography at Newcastle University. In her free time, she travels, having spent 3 months in South America and worked on a conservation project. She completed a month-long wildlife filmmaking program in South Africa. She is very excited to be helping with PWFF!

Mkamzee Mwatela

Storytelling is in Mkamzee’s DNA. Coming from a long line of griots and healers, she has continued her family legacy into the modern era working in film, television and theatre. She has 7 musical theatre performance credits with Sterling Quality and NPAS, over 25 theatre acting credits with the Phoenix Players, Back to Basics, Arts Canvas and Heartstrings Ensemble, 6 theatre directing credits , and 3 theatre writing credits. In more recent years Mkamzee has worked onscreen and garnered 4 film acting credits most notably in Lusala and Night of the Lotus, and over 6 television acting credits. When she isn't performing, Mkamzee spends her time writing, directing, and teaching.

Marete Selvin

Marete Selvin is a producer with several years of experience producing news broadcasts, reporting, and storytelling spanning global issues, including health, climate change, agriculture, and conservation. She has produced captivating and informative documentaries for international organizations, non-profit organizations, and research institutions. She is an African Conservation voice fellow. The co-founder of Meraki Africa, a multimedia communication and production company committed to telling compelling stories, collaborating, and connecting ideas with people across impact-driven initiatives that inspire audiences to engage in positive social change.

Resson Kantai Duff

Resson is the Portfolio Funding Director at Maliasili. Having worked in the environmental and conservation space for fifteen years, Resson’s work has grown to revolve around co-creating and advancing a community-led narrative where Africans can reclaim their sense of ownership over their wildlife, culture and land. She previously served as the Deputy Director of Ewaso Lions, a community conservation organisation in northern Kenya. She is a Women for the Environment (WE Africa) Founding Fellow, a TED Speaker, a National Geographic Explorer, and was also conferred the Wild Elements Innovator award in 2021.

Jacquie Pohl

Jacquie Pohl is the Founder and Director of WILD EARTH OCEANIA, Australia's first wildlife-focused film festival. She is dedicated to restoring global wildlife through this initiative. Jacquie has a diverse background, growing up in Africa and developing a social justice and community driven ethos early in life. She developed a love for film at a young age and witnessed the making of the film BREAKER MORANT, a film connected to her family's geographical history. Jacquie's passion for the outdoors led her to engage in adventure sports and become a qualified scuba dive, rock climber, and kayaking instructor. She holds multiple degrees and has specialised in neuroscience as a clinician and academic. Jacquie has a deep connection to the land and spent several years personally nurturing 25 wildlife species while living in a tree house. She has engaged in wildlife rescue and rehabilitation for thirty years. She has a wealth of experience in education and is passionate about empowering youth and vulnerable communities. Jacquie has worked as a national film director and has a strong background in documentary filmmaking. She has also been involved in human rights on an international level. Jacquie embraces a growth mindset and is committed to achieving gender equality in wildlife film and conservation. WILD EARTH OCEANIA is her response to the Black Summer Fires, Covid-19 and the recent flooding in Australia, driven by her values of tenacity, self-reflection, and resilience. She is humbled and delighted to be an advisor to the Pridelands Wildlife Film Festival where her roots are in Africa and believes PWFF is a critical and imperative initiative at this time in history.

Van YANG 楊崗

Van YANG 楊崗 is a Chinese-American director/cinematographer born in Taiwan. His clients include Audi, lululemon, Alibaba, Tencent, Lenovo, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and the national tourism boards of Canada, Perú, and México. Van graduated with a B.A. in Government from Lawrence University in the US with a focus on Environmental Philosophy, studied International Relations at SIT in Switzerland, and Chinese Language at Tsinghua University in China. He currently works in the emotion neuroscience lab of Professor Lisa F Barrett.

Ruwaydah Abdul-Rahman

Ruwaydah Abdul-Rahman is the founder of Ruwaydah Abdul-Rahman Consulting (RARC), specializing in conservation, non-profits, and philanthropy. With over 15 years of experience, she has successfully guided and strengthened missions and visions. Ruwaydah has served in development roles at renowned heritage sites, social impact organizations, and major global fundraising events. She is passionate about improving brand recognition, reputation, and engagement, inspiring confidence and investment from both internal and external audiences. A data-driven and tactical planner, she excels in increasing gifted and earned revenue, forging strategic partnerships, and promoting leadership development. Ruwaydah is dedicated to the art of effective and inclusive storytelling, diversified investment approaches, and the advancement of strategic thinking in resource mobilization. Her work with diverse non-profit organizations has taught her the importance of amplifying the voices of those being served and building strong relationships. She is justice-oriented and known for her authentic communication style, which allows her to maintain effective relationships and collaborate with others. Ruwaydah is grateful for the mentors in her life who have encouraged her to push boundaries, work diligently, and maintain a compassionate and humorous approach to her work.

SHEILA MUGADI - MUNYIRI, FESTIVAL COORDINATOR

Sheila is the founder and proprietor of Jamboree Event Planners, a leading event organising and management agency par excellence. She is a brilliant innovator in event design. Any event organised and managed by Sheila is guaranteed to be stress-free and impeccably executed.

Sheila is not only a brilliant event manager, she is an accomplished Australian registered nurse specialised in dementia care and mental health, with a passion for the improvement of better health and wellbeing of her community. She is a strong advocate of girl empowerment for underserved communities and is a mentor at her high school alma mater.

Sheila is also a Board Member of Association of Alumni Communities of Kenya; founder of the mentoring program for the Pangani Girls Alumni Association and their current Vice Chairperson.

LIZ LENJO, ADVOCATE OF THE HIGH COURT OF KENYA & FESTIVAL LEGAL ADVISOR

Liz Lenjo is the Founder and Managing Consultant of MYIP Legal Studio. She specializes in Intellectual Property, Entertainment, Media and Fashion Law. She is an Immediate Former Member of the Competent Authority, the tribunal established under Section 48 of the Copyright Act (CAP 130). She is also an adjunct faculty member at the Strathmore University Law School where she teaches Media and the Law.

Liz holds a Master of Laws (LL.M) in Intellectual Property Law from the University of Turin (Italy) and World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B) from the Catholic University of Eastern Africa (CUEA) and a Postgraduate Diploma Kenya School of Law. She also holds a Certificate in Fashion Law from Fashion Law Institute - Fordham University Law School (New York). She also has professional certificates in IP Management, Mediation & Arbitration from WIPO Academy and CopyrightX from HarvardX.

Liz is also a published writer and scholar. Her LL.M research paper has been published by the renowned Marquette Intellectual Property Law Review 2018 titled: “Inspiration versus Exploitation: Traditional Cultural Expressions at the Hem of the Fashion Industry.” The paper is available online on Westlaw and Nexis. She has also written and been quoted in several local newspapers including the Sunday Nation, The Star, Up Magazine among others.

Liz is a blogger on www.lizlenjo.com on IP and Entertainment Law matters focusing on non-legal minds to understand basic issues on these areas of law and is a part of Creative Commons Kenya as the Culture & Entertainment Lead. She is also a recipient of the prestigious nomination Business Daily Top 40 under 40 Women 2018 in the legal field.

ROSE ODENGO, FESTIVAL COMMUNICATIONS

Rose is a seasoned communication consultant, and founder of SIGANA, a strategy and communication consultancy firm based in Nairobi, Kenya. She has worked in the world of communication for close to two decades and is on a mission to reshape the narrative of Africa.

She is a published writer and a co-author in a powerful African anthology, Femmolution and runs a Bloggers Association of Kenya (BAKE) nominated creative writing blog. She has tens of articles published in the Guardian, MakeShift magazine, United Press International, Global Press Journal, Boston Review, Msafiri, Daily Nation Newspaper among other international and local publications. Rose believes that copywriting, journalism and fiction writing are her storytelling triage to build the next generation of African stories and brands.