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Josh Olaoluwa is not just a producer; he’s a cinematic bridge builder, connecting authentic African narratives with a global audience. From his groundbreaking work premiering at the prestigious Venice International Film Festival to his mentorship in Hollywood, Olaoluwa has a clear mission: to prioritize great stories, wherever they may be found. We sat down with the visionary filmmaker to discuss his journey, the power of collaboration, and his unwavering commitment to a new era of African cinema. He also shares the story of his latest feature film, ‘1 Woman 1 Bra’.
Your work focuses on telling authentic African stories. What drives this passion, and how do you balance cultural sensitivity with creative expression?
I believe that everything rises and falls on Story. So my goal is always to prioritize the quality of the material, and then every other yardstick is secondary. A great story organically has this balance, and as a Producer, I am not overly concerned with trying to find any balance, I am just a midwife delivering the story that has been entrusted to my hand by the talented writers I identify and choose to work with. So I’ll say that the hardest part of my job is in finding the stories that already deftly does this, or at least have the potential to. That’s half the job.
You’ve worked with notable platforms like Netflix and Amazon Prime Video. What have you learned from these collaborations, and how do you approach mentorship in your projects?
The platforms are just a medium of expression, and it will always evolve. So I would argue that this should hardly be at the center of the discourse. If I have learned anything from working with these global giants, it is the fact that systems and stories are universally resonant. If you already have a great production workflow, then you are just replicating the process, and delivering on the highest level, the same way you would do on any other production big or small. You only need to prioritize excellence and you will always thrive. Same with stories, people subscribe to these platforms to find stories that are engaging, and you have to ensure that your project is strong enough to compete with thousands of other projects out there too. So in simple terms, my lessons have always been to prioritize excellence and a great work ethic, and everything else would fall in place.
How does it feel to have your short film “Deep Dish Dimples” premiering at Slamdance in 2025, and what inspired this project?
It felt incredible. I was doing a special Fellowship with Film Independent called Project Involve, and in their 32 year history, I became the first ever International Fellow of the program. It was a 10-month residency in Los Angeles that involved me Producing a Film in LA, which was a great experience because I got to work as a Producer in Hollywood, it was a union project too, so I got to work with the Screen Actors’ Guild of America, SAG/AFTRA, and I hired over 60 crew members for the shoot which exposed me to the American system of Producing a film. We also did our post production with Major Hollywood studios such as Picture Shop, the same company that worked on projects such as Black Panther, Lion King and Star Wars. The film premiered at the prestigious Slamdance Film Festival in January 2025, which was held at the Director’s Guild of America Theatre in Sunset Boulevard. It has gone on to show at the Oscars Awards Qualifying Hollywood Shorts Festival, and I am so proud for the journey of the film so far.
Can you tell us more about your upcoming feature film “1 Woman 1 Bra” and what it means to be the first Nigerian producer to premiere at the Venice International Film Festival?
This is such an honor for me, because the Venice film festival as you know is one of the most prestigious festivals in the world, and being the First Nigerian to take a feature film there is something I do not take for granted. The Film was developed in Italy by my amazing Writer/Director Vincho Nchogu who is Kenyan. We shot the entire film in Kenya, because that was what the story required and it was such an humbling experience for me, moving to Kenya for 3 full months to produce the film. It was also shot by prolific Nigerian Cinematographer Muhammad Atta Ahmed, so it was a great collaborative experience between the Kenyan and Nigerian crew on the project. It also shows what is possible if we unite as a continent and collaborate more. I feel so blessed, and I cannot wait for the world to see the beautiful work we created. The film is a satire, it is set in the Maasai community and the language of the film is between Maa, Swahili and English.
Congratulations on receiving the 2023 New York Foundation for the Arts prize in producing for “Love & Seclusion”. How did this recognition impact your career?
This was really cool too, because we were the only African project selected at the time. It was in commemoration of the Black History Month in New York, and our Film was selected as the African representative. The film Featured Nigerian Actors Efa Iwara and Tope Olowoniyan as leads, and we had a special screening at the New York University Columbia for the occasion. It was really instrumental to my career at the time, because that was the first time I was able to present my work in person outside of Nigeria, and it was inspiring to see how well the film was received. This screening also led to Cornell University inviting myself and the Director of the Film Orire Nwani for another special screening at the Schwartz Theatre for the Performing Arts, Ithaca. That was 2023 and we have not stopped since then!
As a fellow of the Torino Film Lab, Red Sea Lab, and Biennale College Cinema, how has your perspective on global storytelling evolved, and what insights can you share?
I’ll say access to information sometimes makes all the difference. By virtue of participation in these developmental programs, I have been able to further hone my storytelling skills, and also expanded my Network of professional filmmakers. There’s currently hardly any country in the world where I do not have a filmmaker friend/colleague, and this is all thanks to my participation in these prestigious programs. I am more intentional with the story development process, as this is where everything happens. I have also significantly been able to boost my access to funds and financing through the credibility and platform these programs have provided. I will say that exposure to the rest of the world has been pivotal in my growth as a 360 degree film Producer. I also now have a relationship with International sales and distribution companies, as well as prestigious festival programmers, and this means that I can explore distribution avenues for my projects beyond the shores of Nigeria.
You’ve produced content for film, television, and digital platforms. What are some key differences and challenges you’ve encountered in these different formats?
I have been fortunate to be a filmmaker that cannot be boxed in a niche, and this has taught me that understanding the final market is critical to the approach. From who we are casting, to the writers to promotional strategies. I would say that one thing that is consistent across all the platforms is the demand/need for a good story that is well executed to global standards. A main challenge has always been how to sustain the quality across these mediums, as the budget often differs across this platform. So there is always a tactful dance between maintaining the excellence and high quality you have built over the years, irrespective of the budget band. So yeah, this would be always a constant challenge if you are trying to create across all these platforms.
Your work often highlights underrepresented voices. What do you believe is the role of media in promoting diversity and inclusion, and how do you incorporate these themes into your projects?
I think the media is such a powerful tool, and that is why you see governments from more advanced countries pump money into the media and their image, because the impacts are far reaching. Most of my projects have themes that we tackle in a non didactic or preachy way. One rule for me is that it has to feel organic, because every story shows thematic elements that can either be emphasized on, or downplayed depending on the storytellers. So my job most of the time is to find a fresh angle, and how to explore it in a way that is resonant and sparks conversations.
As a producer, you’ve likely faced numerous challenges. What are some of the most significant obstacles you’ve overcome, and how did you address them?
I believe that for anyone, moving to a new country can be quite daunting. Now moving to new countries and Producing films in places I have never been to is a different kind of hard. I have produced films in languages I do not speak or understand, and hired crew that do not speak my language, creating budgets with currencies I do not spend… I could go on and on. But I am hardly one to dwell on challenges because, for each of these experiences, I come out on the other side not only a better producer, but also a better human because it changes your life in ways I could never have imagined.
One example of these obstacles was when we were shooting ‘One Woman One Bra’ in a remote village that was about 14 hours drive from Nairobi without ATM points, and so everything had to be cash. Imagine the amount of cash I had to carry on me to sustain production. Imagine the risk. To make it worse, our Bank account was temporarily frozen in the United States because of the sheer volume of transactions over a short period. When this happened, I had to call the crew and vendors in an emergency meeting to explain that we are not ‘broke’, but we won’t be having access to money for the foreseeable future. I believe the honesty and clear communication with everyone helped manage the situation in an amicable way till we sorted out the issue. So filmmaking just throws curve balls your way that you do not see coming, and the most important thing is to be open minded and be inventive about solutions.
What’s next for you creatively? Are there any upcoming projects or initiatives that you’re excited about, and how do you see your body of work evolving in the future?
I have a production company in Nigeria that I founded with my very good friend and Director Orire Nwani. We have been developing a few slate of projects in the past few years, and most of these projects have started going into production. Thankfully we have been able to secure financing for our next project happening in the First Quarter of next year, and we are really excited about the story and the new heights we intend to reach with it. For us, the goal is to keep building, and to keep consolidating on each and every of our wins. Already, our productions in the last year have reached over 50 million people across Youtube and Tiktok alone, excluding streaming numbers and cable TV. We are already influencing the culture, and we are confident that we are going to make some of the biggest films out of this part of the world in the coming years. It is very clear for us that we would be some of the leading creative voices of this generation. You can check in with us a few years from now.