Branwen Okpako

Branwen Okpako is an Associate Professor in the Department of Cinema and Digital Media at the University of California, Davis. She holds a BSc in Political Sciences from Bristol University (1991) and an MFA equivalent in Film Directing from the German Film & Television Academy Berlin (dffb, 1999). Her work spans documentary and narrative films addressing social issues, cultural identity, and historical narratives.

Her films include Dreckfresser (2000, award-winning documentary), Valley of the Innocent (2004, narrative feature), The Education of Auma Obama (2012, biographical documentary), and The Curse of Medea (2014, documentary-drama on Christa Wolf’s legacy). Her latest project, Return to Chibok, is an experimental documentary based on Helon Habila’s book about the Chibok schoolgirls’ abduction.

• Education:
  • BSc Political Sciences, Bristol University (1991)
  • Diplomstudium Regie equivalent/MFA Film Directing, German Film & Television Academy Berlin (dffb, 1999)

Okpako’s awards include the German Newcomer Award for Documentary (2000), African Movie Academy Award (2012), and Pan African Film Festival Founders Award (2012). Her work frequently explores intersections of politics, culture, and human rights in global contexts.

She is affiliated with UC Davis’ Cinema & Digital Media program and actively engages in multidisciplinary projects. Her current research includes adapting narratives of marginalized communities into cinematic forms.