Toby Schmutzler, Kevin Schmutzler, Apuu Mourine Munyes, Vallentine Chelluget (directors)
Toby & Kevin Schmutzler
Toby & Kevin co-direct films since childhood. All Gereration Y, the brothers believe in the transformative power of movies to foster social change. Sparked by a student film on India’s water crisis, the Munich- and Cape Town-based directors founded FilmCrew, an indie production house with a heart for sustainable filmmaking. After a documentary on street children in DR Congo titled “Where the Street Ends“, Toby and Kevin released their multi-award-winning feature film debut “Robin – Watch for Wishes“ which was soon picked up by Electric Entertainment. “Robin”, a bucketlist- movie about an ill child exploring South Africa, wasn’t just a movie – it was a movement as the social campaign Watch for Wishes raised donations for kids in need. After a historical short film venture “About German Women”, and their stage direction debut with “Hunger and Greed“ on crimes of the garbage industry the brothers cocreated the Netflix documentary “Biking Borders”, that has financed the construction of seven schools in remote regions in Africa and South America. Toby and Kevin got to visit Turkana for the first time in 2017 and have since then travelled back and forth as they had been working on NAWI as their second feature.
Apuu Mourine Munyes
Apuu is a musician, designer, and first-time filmmaker born and raised in Turkana, Kenya. In 2016 she graduated from the Learning Lions program and has since then used her passion and talent for creative arts to teach the following eleven generations of young Kenyans going through the program. Despite facing opposition and cultural taboos, Apuu began her music career at a young age. With her music, she continuously wants to drive the transformation of her tribe, the Turkana, as a storyteller and educator. Her cultural work with community-based organizations like “Value Villages”, “Turkfugee” or “Kakuma Sound” provides her with the possibility to use her talents in various arts as a tool for empowerment, awareness, and development. Nawi, as Apuu’s first feature film, was a perfect project for her creative skillset and a dream come true to prove her abilities as a director and musician. Plus: as a woman, a Turkana, and a mother, Apuu has been dealing with the issue of child marriage since she is born. Her greatest lesson from the project: “Teamwork makes the dream work!”
Vallentine Chelluget
Vallentine is a self-made filmmaker residing in Kisumu, Kenya. Val got her expertise through workshops, YouTube, and – despite her age of just 23 – years of field work. As a director, scriptwriter, and producer, Val has created various short films that got her jobs in the directing department of several award-winning Kenyan productions like “Deranged” or “Okethoree”, and the Kenyan Film Prize nominated “Wife for Hire”. Val also works as a trainer in the charity organization “Naweza Films” in Kisumu, which empowers youths through training in filmmaking and storytelling. Growing up in the slums, she has always had a passion for telling the untold stories. To let audiences know and understand the challenges people face, as they inherit their cultures, traditions, and passions. And while her good communication skills have helped her to connect with people from diverse cultures and beliefs to find those stories, her talents in art and film have enabled her to be heard and listened to. NAWI is Valentine’s first feature-length project as a director, a role in which she could put all her experience in Kenyan movie-making in.
