Episode 7: Happy birthday

Ano Okera, a Jamaican/American scriptwriter, director, and producer, is crafting a diverse array of political and crime dramas, off-beat love stories, and dark musical thrillers across film/TV, audio/podcast, and theatre. An NYU alum and Goldsmiths MA Scriptwriting graduate, he recently joined the writer's room for the series "The Maroons" and has a coming-of-age drama and a crime thriller in development. Okera's adaptation and direction of Una Marson's play "Pocomania" earned acclaim at its premiere at Theatre Peckham in February 2023. His scripts, such as "Finding Harlem" and "For Little Girls," have received festival recognition. Notably, his debut film, "An American Street Mural In Harlem," won Best Documentary Short, received a Best First Time Director nomination at the New York International Film Awards (2021), and was theatrically released at the Magic Johnson AMC Cinema in New York (2022).

"Inspired by the timeless Jamaican wisdom, 'Sometimes you have to tek a bad ting and mek joke', Happy Birthday is a comedy that explores the profound richness of this philosophy. The narrative unfolds the intricate beauty of British Jamaican family dynamics, navigating the challenges of intergenerational conflicts surrounding contemporary identity and survival in a humorous light."

Credits

Written & Directed by Ano Okera
Produced by Bruce Bigg & Ano Okera
Associate produced by Stephane Ugeux

Starring: Romeo Effs as Ronan, Lauren LaRocque as Anya, Bruce Bigg as Luc, and Buntu Yello as Drameh with Julene Robinson as Mom, and Darragh Hand as Raj.

Romeo Effs as Ronan

Julene Robinson as Mom

Darragh Hand as Ra

Bunta Yello as Drameh

Lauren LaRocque as Anya

Bruce Bigg as Luc