NOLLYWOOD IN HOLLYWOOD invites you and a guest to attend

The Inaugual Short Film Showcase
featuring 5 very exciting, fresh voices
with eclectic stories from the Black Diaspora:

Knotless
Godpower
First Fruit
Food for the Soul
Hard Conversations

Followed by a Filmmaker Q&A

7:00 P.M. on Thursday, October 15th, 2026

The Ray Stark Family Theater, SCA 108
George Lucas Building, USC School of Cinematic Arts Complex
900 W. 34th Street, Los Angeles, CA 90089

FREE ADMISSION. OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. RSVPs REQUIRED.

FOOD AND DRINKS ARE STRICTLY PROHIBITED IN THE AUDITORIUM.

CLICK HERE TO RSVP

About the Films

KNOTLESS

When a Ghanian-American woman relocates to Ghana in search of community and belonging, a friend’s wedding seems like the perfect opportunity to build connection, until a series of unsettling encounters forces her to confront the country’s unspoken beliefs and practices. As tensions rise, an unexpected bond with her hair braider becomes her only guide through a world that feels both familiar and foreign.

Director Biography - Stephanie Adusei-Boateng
Stephanie Boateng is an award-winning Ghanaian-British director, filmmaker, producer, editor, and writer whose work bridges Africa and the global film industry. A BAFTA Connect member and New York Film Academy alumna, Stephanie lived and worked in LA, UK & Ghana where she developed a strong portfolio across short films, television pilots, music videos, and commercial projects.

Her acclaimed films include Misconception (Best US Film, officially screened at Warner Bros Studios, LA) and Locked-In, shot in Ghana and longlisted for a BAFTA, starring BMF actor Eric Kofi-Abrefa, with selections at Oscar- and Canadian-eligible festivals. She also directed the documentary Be Inspired, starring Wavyy Jonez, who is known for portraying The Notorious B.I.G in Unsolved and co-starring in The Good Doctor & multiple films across the USA & global networks. This screened at Soho House Amsterdam and internationally across Europe and the UK. Her mini-series she co-produced & directed called Johnny premiered at the prestigious venue Curzon Mayfair, London, to a 300-guest audience with coverage by Getty Images.

Stephanie has directed multiple projects in Ghana and internationally, collaborating with Google and leading African music artists including Sarkodie, King Promise, and MzVee. She is currently directing her feature film The Return Ticket, shot in Ghana and starring Wavyy Jonez and Adjetey Anang; a high-profile project that gained national media attention in Ghana and is supported by sponsors Canon and Tap Tap Send.

Beyond filmmaking, Stephanie is the Co-CEO of African Movie Box, an online film database and creative company supporting filmmakers across Ghana and Africa. Through the platform, she led a film competition in partnership with Société Générale Bank Ghana, funding five emerging filmmakers. African Movie Box has also been endorsed by the Diaspora Office and the Office of the President of Ghana for The Return Ticket initiative, which includes both a documentary series and the feature film. Through her work, Stephanie continues to champion African and Diaspora storytelling while expanding global access to African cinema.

GODPOWER

Set in the coastal community of Tarkwa Bay, Lagos, Godpower follows a local surf instructor as he tries to keep his life on track wile family responsibilities and a morally compromising opportunity close in. Created in collaboration with the Tarkwa Bay community, the film tells a deeply human story about resilience, responsibility, and the choices that define who we become.

Director Biography – Geoff Browne
Geoff Browne is a Canadian-American director and cinematographer whose work spans continents and genres. He was nominated for Best Documentary Short at AFRIFF for Call Me Shamsz, which he wrote, shot, and directed; the film also won Best Short Documentary at The African Film Festival (TAFF) and the Audience Favorite Award at the Beverly Hills Film Festival.

Browne specializes in intimate, character-driven stories filmed inside real communities. His work is rooted in empathy and a cinematic style that elevates overlooked voices and underrepresented places. With Godpower, shot entirely on location in Tarkwa Bay, Nigeria, he continues to explore human stories with authenticity and emotional depth.

FIRST FRUIT

In her quiet corner of Los Angeles, a guarded man who finds solace in tending his garden forms an unexpected bond with a vibrant neighbor whose poetry and generosity begin to transform his carefully protected life.

Director Biography - Beverly J Rouse
Beverly J. Rouse, also known as “BJ,” is a writer, director, and producer whose work explores intimate, character-driven stories rooted in emotional truth and cultural specificity. Her storytelling centers Black interiority, ritual, memory, and lived experience, often relying on visual metaphor and quiet observation rather than exposition. She is a member of the Alliance of Women Directors (AWD) and the Black Directors Advancement Initiative (BDAI).

Rouse participated in the former Guy Hanks and Marvin Miller Advanced Screenwriting Program at the University of Southern California and is a recipient of both the Panavision New Filmmaker Grant and the Kodak New Filmmaker Grant. Her productions have received fiscal sponsorship from Film Independent and have been produced as SAG-AFTRA and DGA signatory projects, reflecting her commitment to professional, collaborative filmmaking.

Her short film First Fruit grew from an original poem written before the screenplay, a work that ultimately inspired the film’s title and emotional core. Through stories of care, legacy, resilience, and human connection, Rouse seeks to illuminate the quiet moments that shape our lives and reveal our shared humanity.

FOOD FOR THE SOUL

As cultures clash and insufferable parents meddle, a first generation Nigerian-American and her black Southern fiancée must decide between being true to themselves or trying to live up to their families’ expectation … a risk to their happily ever after.

Director – Chisom Chieke
Chisom Chieke is an Igbo-American multimedia artist and second-generation storyteller with a lifelong passion for narrative. She writes, directs, and produces work that examines the past, present, and future of radical love, acceptance, and growth across diasporic communities.

Chisom is a 2nd Rounder for Sundance's TV Development Track, Official Selection for: The United We Heal Film Festival, OMWAN'EKHUI Film Program, and Stowe Story Labs. Chisom is a SuperSpecial Writers' Fellow and a 2025 BlackStar Director's Lab Fellow. She is also a proud Season 1 alumna of SuperSpecial's TRIBE Writers' Program.

HARD CONVERSATIONS

Jayla has a hard conversation with her fiancé Malcolm about a traumatizing incident in her childhood. The short touches on serious trauma that shapes our lives and how we tell people we love.

Director biography – Bill Sarafina
Billi Sarafina is an accomplished writer, producer, and director hailing from Los Angeles, CA. With several years of experience in content creation, she has focused her talents on writing, having penned and produced over 15 short films in the past five years. In 2023, Billi founded “The Blank Collective” a promising female-led production house dedicated to crafting content by women, for everyone. The collective made waves with its inaugural short film, “Thank You Sade” which Billi wrote and produced. Released in 2024, the film has garnered attention, screening at over 20 film festivals and counting. In 2025 Billi wrote and Produced The Blank Collectives latest project Hard Conversations has one episode currently on the festival circuit. In 2026 Billi created a series titled "Mom Brain" a documentary series of interviews of mothers and their journey through Matrescence the physical, psychological, and emotional transition of becoming a mother. Billi is working towards creating the collective into a successful production house.

About Nollywood in Hollywood

Nollywood in Hollywood is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to celebrating and promoting Nigerian cinema on the world stage. Its mission is to bring the best of Nollywood to Hollywood by connecting filmmakers, industry professionals, film lovers, and the global diaspora through storytelling.

Each year, the organization hosts curated screenings at American Cinematheque venues and at the Norris Theatre at USC’s School of Cinematic Arts, creating opportunities for collaboration, cultural exchange, and global recognition.

Founded in 2018 by Nigerian-American filmmaker Ose Oyamendan, Nollywood in Hollywood promotes Nigerian cinema through cultural exchange and international collaboration. Presented in collaboration with the USC School of Cinematic Arts, American Cinematheque, and O2A Media, the showcase convenes filmmakers, industry professionals, and audiences for screenings, discussions, and networking.

https://www.nollywoodinhollywood.com/

Check-In & Reservations

This program is open to all eligible individuals. The USC School of Cinematic Arts operates all of its programs and activities consistent with the University’s Notice of Non-Discrimination. Eligibility is not determined based on race, sex, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or any other prohibited factor.

This screening is free of charge and open to the public. A reservation confirmation will automatically be sent to your e-mail account upon successfully making an RSVP through this website. Doors will open at 6:30 P.M.

All SCA screenings are OVERBOOKED to ensure seating capacity in the theater, therefore seating is not guaranteed based on RSVPs. The RSVP list will be checked in on a first-come, first-served basis until the theater is full. Once the theater has reached capacity, we will no longer be able to admit guests, regardless of RSVP status.

Accessibility Needs

Individuals with disabilities who need accommodations to attend this event may contact Alessandro Ago, Assistant Dean, Programming and Special Events, at aago@cinema.usc.edu or 213-740-2330. It is requested that individuals requiring accommodations or auxiliary aids such as sign language interpreters and alternative format materials notify us at least seven days prior to the event. Every reasonable effort will be made to provide reasonable accommodations in an effective and timely manner.

Parking

On-campus parking at the University of Southern California is limited. We recommend buying a day pass for the Royal Street Structure, located at the intersection of Royal Street and W. Jefferson Blvd. Parking passes are $20/car. For more information about parking at USC, please visit USC Transportation Website:

https://transnet.usc.edu/index.php/daily-and-hourly-parking/
https://transnet.usc.edu/index.php/about-us/entrance-hours/