Amma Asante facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Amma Asante MBE
Asante in 2015
Born	(1969-09-13) 13 September 1969 (age 55) Lambeth, London, England
Occupation	Screenwriter film director actress
Years active	1986–present
Notable work	A Way of Life (2004); Belle (2013); A United Kingdom (2016)
Spouse(s)	Søren Pedersen ​ (m. 2007)​

Amma Asante is a British filmmaker, writer, and former actress. She was born in London in 1969. Her parents came from Ghana. Amma loved movies and TV from a young age. She even acted in a children's TV show called Grange Hill. Later, she started writing and making her own TV shows and movies. She has won awards for her work, including an MBE from the British Empire.

Early Life and Career Beginnings

Amma Asante grew up in Lambeth, London. Her mother ran a shop selling African cosmetics and groceries. Her father was an accountant. Amma went to the Barbara Speake Stage School. There, she learned to dance and act.

As a child, she appeared in a TV campaign called "Just Say No." This campaign was against drugs. She also acted in other British TV shows. These included Desmond's and Birds of a Feather. For a year, she was also a presenter on the Children's Channel.

Amma Asante is married to Søren Pedersen. He used to be a spokesperson for European police.

Becoming a Filmmaker

Amma Asante's journey into filmmaking began at performing arts school. This is where she wrote her first TV show script. She started as a child actress. She appeared in shows like Grange Hill and Desmond's.

In her late teenage years, Amma stopped acting. She focused on writing for TV and movies. She started her own company called Tantrum Films. Through this company, she wrote and produced a BBC Two drama series. It was called Brothers and Sisters and came out in 1998.

A Way of Life

Amma Asante directed her first feature film, A Way of Life, in 2004. This movie tells the story of a young single mother. She faces many challenges in her life. The film explores themes of family and community.

The movie was praised by critics. In 2004, Amma won the Alfred Dunhill UK Film Talent Award. This was at the London Film Festival. In 2005, The Times newspaper called her the Breakthrough Artist of the Year. She also won a Carl Foreman Award. This award is for new British writers, directors, or producers.

Belle

Amma Asante's second film was Belle, released in 2013. It is a historical romance movie. The story is based on the real life of Dido Elizabeth Belle. She was a mixed-race girl in 18th-century London. Her father was a British Navy captain. He brought her to live with his uncle, Lord Mansfield, and his wife.

In the film, Dido grows up in an aristocratic family. She learns a lot and uses her experiences to question the rules of her time. The movie talks about gender roles and the fight against slavery. It shows Dido's unique position in society.

The film stars Gugu Mbatha-Raw as Belle. Other actors include Tom Wilkinson and Emily Watson. Belle was filmed in the Isle of Man, London, and Oxford. It was shown at the United Nations headquarters in New York in 2014. This was part of events remembering slavery.

A United Kingdom

In 2016, Amma Asante directed A United Kingdom. This film tells another true story. It is about the love between Seretse Khama and Ruth Williams. Seretse was a prince from Bechuanaland (now Botswana). Ruth was a white woman from London.

They married despite opposition from the British government. The film shows their journey as they move back to Bechuanaland. It highlights their fight for love and for Seretse's country's independence. David Oyelowo and Rosamund Pike play the main characters. The film opened the 60th London Film Festival in 2016.

Recent Work

Amma Asante continues to work on exciting projects. She contributed to the 2019 book New Daughters of Africa. This book is a collection of writings by African women.

She also directed episodes of the TV series The Handmaid's Tale in 2019. This series is based on a famous novel. Amma Asante has been recognized as one of the most influential people of African/African-Caribbean descent in the UK. She was listed in the Powerlist in 2020 and 2021.

Amma Asante is also set to direct a movie called Billion Dollar Spy.

Awards and Recognition

Amma Asante has received many honors for her work.

• In 2017, she was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE). This was for her services to film.
• In 2018, she became the first woman to receive an honorary award from the British Urban Film Festival. This award recognized her great contributions to film and television.

Professional Life

Amma Asante has been an elected member of the BAFTA Council. She also served on the BAFTA Film committee. In 2014, she became an Honorary Associate of the London Film School. She had previously been a Governor there.

Filmography

Film

Television

See also

In Spanish: Amma Asante para niños