Student Kaelo Iyizoba Featured on Sundance Panel

On Friday, January 21, 2022, second-year Creative Producing student Kaelo Iyizoba participated in a panel presented by Blackhouse Foundation and Meta at the Sundance Film Festival’s Filmmakers Lodge. The event, entitled, “Being SEEN: The Black Filmmakers Journey,” featured Iyizoba alongside filmmaker JaSaun Buckner, both of whom are part of Meta’s SEEN Black Filmmakers Program. Blackhouse Executive Director Jenean Glove moderated the event, and Blackhouse co-founder Brickson Diamond and Meta’s Head of Entertainment Creative Shop Jen Barrett also made an appearance at the panel.

Speaking about the opportunity, Iyizoba said, “I am beyond excited to be in conversation with the amazing people from Meta and the Blackhouse Foundation. I am looking forward to speaking on my experience as an emerging filmmaker of color.”

Blackhouse Foundation works to expand opportunities for Black creatives through education about financial, production, marketing, and distribution resources. In addition to its 2022 programming, Blackhouse Foundation will run The Blackhouse Portrait Studio, featuring photographer Erik Umphery, at the festival as well.

Last Friday’s panel was one of many exciting scheduled events from Blackhouse, including a talk with Ms.Tina Knowles-Lawson, the star of the Facebook Watch show, Talks with Mama Tina, and co-founder of the WACO Theater Center.

Kaelo Iyizoba is a Nigerian-American filmmaker currently pursuing a Masters of Fine Art in Film at Columbia University, New York. He was a practicing pharmacist before he found his voice through film. His current work explores the concept of identity, specifically on "otherness" and what it means to belong. He is committed to amplifying the quietest voices. You can find him on Instagram and follow him on Twitter.