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EWA

DONATE TO OUR FILM

EWA

DONATE TO OUR FILM

A THESIS FILM

PRESENTED BY THE AMERICAN FILM INSTITUTE

EWA

INHERITANCE. INNOCENCE. IDENTITY.

DONATE HERE!!!

SUPPORT OUR JOURNEY AS WE WORK TO COMPLETE OUR FILM!

THE STORY

On the day of his initiation, a boy on the cusp of manhood must choose between his best friend and the obligations of family and culture.

Set over a single day in the American Midwest, EWA follows twelve-year-old Ewa as he prepares for a traditional masquerade ceremony marking his symbolic transition into manhood.

Surrounded by family, tradition, and the expectations of his Nigerian heritage, Ewa experiences a tenderness with his best friend, David, that he does not yet have the language to understand. When that innocence collides with the beliefs and expectations of the adults around him, Ewa is forced to confront a painful question: what happens when becoming yourself comes at the cost of belonging?

Rooted in Nigerian culture and shaped by the experience of life between continents, EWA explores family, masculinity, cultural inheritance, and the fragile moment when childhood begins to give way to the adult world.

THE TEAM

DANIEL ANI-OFFIONG

SCREENWRITER

Daniel Ani-Offiong is a second-year screenwriting fellow at the American Film Institute, where he continues to develop his voice as a writer and filmmaker. After completing his secondary education in Nigeria, he attended the University of California, Los Angeles, where his passion for storytelling grew into a commitment to filmmaking.

He later gained experience in film and television development in cities like Los Angeles and New York, learning about the creative processes behind compelling stories. As a writer, Daniel explores identity, belonging, and life in the diaspora. His work continues to draw on his own experience as an immigrant, examining culture, home, and the universal search for belonging with a sense of delicacy and authenticity.

SAABEAH

CO-WRITER/DIRECTOR

Saabeah is a Ghanaian Greek, Sydney-born, London-based Filmmaker and Actor of mixed Ghanian and Greek heritage. She is passionate about stories that give voice to deeply authentic and beautifully imperfect characters. Her directorial work includes the nationally aired Ode to a Fuckboi (Channel4) as well as films like Saturday Born, shot in London and Ghana. She also directs commercial campaigns for clients including: Google, Reebok, MTV and Paramount.

Beyond her work on screen and behind the camera, Saabeah is committed to reshaping the industry from within. She moves with purpose, striving to create spaces where access, safety, and meaningful opportunities aren’t a privilege but a right. For those whose voices have been sidelined by wealth inequality or institutionalized barriers, she is determined to be a force for change, opening doors, holding them wide, and ensuring others can walk through.

MILAN J. SMITH

PRODUCER

Milan Smith is a multi-hyphenated creative and filmmaker from Kansas City, Missouri. A graduate of Howard University, Milan earned a degree in film before pursuing Entertainment Law at USC Gould School of Law and an MFA in Producing at the American Film Institute Conservatory.

His work spans film, television, branded content, and creative development, with experience at companies including Skydance, MACRO, ESPN, National Basketball Association and UTA and most recently, Serhant Studios. Milan is passionate about creating culturally resonant stories and building meaningful opportunities for emerging creatives.

SREE MAHESWARI DEVI GOLAKOTI

PRODUCTION DESIGNER

Sree Maheswari Devi Golakoti is a production designer from Andhra Pradesh, India, currently pursuing her MFA in Production Design at the AFI Conservatory. With a background in Architecture, she brings an understanding of space, texture, and visual storytelling to filmmaking.

Her experience spans architectural practice, Telugu Film Productions, and independent projects in the United States, with work across production design, art direction, set decoration, and graphics. She is drawn to environments that reveal character, culture, and emotional history. As production designer on Ewa, she aims to create a lived-in world that supports the film’s intimate storytelling and its family relationships.

ZOË BROWN

EDITOR

Zoe Brown is a biracial editor who grew up in Richmond, Virginia. She has been studying music from around the world since 2010. She graduated magna cum laude with a dual degree in Music Performance and Film Studies from Carnegie Mellon University. These studies have allowed her to thrive when working on films with strong musical and cultural influences.

Zoe has worked on several short films, marketing teams, podcasts, and a documentary. Currently she is a second-year editing fellow at the American Film Institute as well as a post-production intern at Sony Television.

*DEADLINE TO FUNDRAISE 10/19/2026**

FILMING BEGINS 11/11/2026

WE NEED

YOUR

SUPPORT

Aside from our team being on a time crunch with principal photography scheduled in November, funding from this campaign would allow us to produce culturally authentic masquerade costumes and ceremonial elements. With your help, we can successfully expand production design to fully realize the film's folkloric world, properly compensate specialized craftspeople and cultural consultants and maintain the production value necessary for a competitive festival run.

This support would help introduce audiences to an underrepresented cinematic world. We know EWA has the potential to reach international audiences and communities eager to see African stories told with beauty, complexity, and authenticity.

Whether your donation is $5 or $500, we deeply appreciate your support!!!

DONATE HERE!!!

IN-KIND DONATIONS ARE WELCOMED

If you work in food, restaurant, film or hospitality, we welcome in-kind donations. These contributions will count toward donor recognition and credits.

***Donations to the production of EWA may be considered 100% tax-deductible. ***

$2000

RECEIVES ASSOCIATE PRODUCER CREDIT

$3500

RECEIVES EXECUTIVE PRODUCER CREDIT

CREDITED PRODUCERS WILL BE INVITED TO FESTIVAL SCREENINGS, SPECIAL PREVIEW AND DISTRIBUTION RELATED EVENTS

$1000

$1500

$500

$150

Covers a full day for our production truck rental!

Covers one day of location fees!

Helps provide lunch for cast & crew!

Helps us design our sets as we imagine!

ALTERNATE PLATFORMS TO DONATE:

ZELLE- (816) 929-1846

VENMO- MILAN-SMITH-15

PLEASE PUT “EWA THESIS DONATION” IN MEMO

FOR ANY QUESTIONS, REACH OUT TO OUR PRODUCER, MILAN SMITH AT MSMITH7@AFI.EDU

PRESENTED BY THE AMERICAN FILM INSTITUTE

EWA

INHERITANCE. INNOCENCE. IDENTITY.

DONATE HERE!!!

THE STORY

THE TEAM

DANIEL ANI-OFFIONG

SCREENWRITER

SAABEAH

CO-WRITER/DIRECTOR

MILAN J. SMITH

PRODUCER

SREE MAHESWARI DEVI GOLAKOTI

PRODUCTION DESIGNER

ZOË BROWN

EDITOR

***DEADLINE TO FUNDRAISE 10/19/2026****

FILMING BEGINS 11/11/2026

WE NEED

YOUR

SUPPORT

DONATE HERE!!!

$2000

RECEIVES ASSOCIATE PRODUCER CREDIT

$3500

RECEIVES EXECUTIVE PRODUCER CREDIT

$1000

$1500

$500

$150

*DEADLINE TO FUNDRAISE 10/19/2026**