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Photo by Megan Jepson
Amber Akaunu is a Liverpool born Nigerian-German filmmaker working in cinema and art to document and imagine Black regional stories.
Her work has previously exhibited at Iniva (Can Publications be Porous?, 2023) and screened at festivals including London Short Film Festival (LSFF x T A P E Collective: Bonded 3.0, 2024).
Amber's recent film, Dear Othermother, was commissioned and exhibited as part of Liverpool Biennial 2025, with funding from BFI Doc Society. The film is her personal take on single motherhood, friendship and matriarchal connectivity in Liverpool 8, one of the UK’s oldest Black communities and where Amber is from. Dear Othermother was highlighted by Harper’s Bazaar, naming Amber as “one of the brightest stars of the festival."
Her creative practice extends to her role as co-founder of ROOT-ed Zine where she works to support Black, Asian and Global Majority artists in the North West of England through publishing, workshops, guest lectures, curating and producing.
Amber holds a BA in Fine Art and an MA in Film and was awarded the BAFTA Kirsh scholarship for her postgraduate studies at Goldsmiths, UoL. She currently lives between London and Liverpool and works for the National Gallery as a Video Producer.
Education
Creative Leadership - The School for Social Entrepreneurs - 2020-22
MA Filmmaking: Screen Documentary - Goldsmiths, UoL - 2020-21 (Distinction)
BA (Hons) Fine Art - Liverpool Hope University - 2015-18 (First Class)
Selected Exhibitions & Screenings
2026
Dear Othermother, San Francisco Documentary Festival (screening) - Online
Dear Othermother, Flamm Festival (solo show) - The Old Library, Bodmin
Dear Othermother, Black Ballad x RM&M Pod (screening) - Genesis Cinema, London
Dear Othermother, Film Night (screening) - Granby Winter Garden, Liverpool
2025
Dear Othermother, Liverpool Biennial (solo show) - Bluecoat Gallery, Liverpool
Dear Othermother, Connecting Thin Black Lines (screening) - ICA, London
2024
Conversations (Group show) - Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool
2023
Can publications be porous? (Group show) - INIVA, London
2022
Homerton 2 Homerton at British Urban Film Festival - Rich Mix, London
Afro Hair Rituals screening - Wash Day - V&A, London
0151: Liverpool, Rap & Politics at LIVIFF - Odeon, Liverpool
Queer/in/g Nature (Group Show) - SEAS, Brighton
Celebrating Beryl Gilroy (Solo Show) - British Library, London
2021
MA Film Screening - Goldsmiths Curzon Cinema, Londo
Agudas Screening - Fringe of Colour - (Online)
Filmed Up - HOME, Manchester
5 Elements Screening - Bluecoat, Liverpool
IFE NKILI Festival - (Online)
2020
Screening 12 - NOW-INSTANT, Los Angeles
Without Walls Exhibition - Liverpool
PUSH Festival - HOME, Manchester
The Screen Group Exhibition - Winchester School of Art
2019
39 (Solo Show) - OUTPUT Gallery, Liverpool
ROOT-ed Zine Group Show (Curator) - OUTPUT Gallery, Liverpool
2018
Black History, Movement & Hair - Tate Exchange, Liverpool
The World Transformed Festival - Baltic Cinema, Liverpool
We Got The Sauce - Drummer Boy Studios, London
Fine Art Degree Show - Liverpool Hope University
Commissions
2022
Jerwood x Tetley Commissioned Curator - Leeds
Artist/Curator Commission - Treasurers of the British Library Display, London
Community Globe Artist - The World Reimagined
2021
15k for 15 years - Shoot The Company, London
Welcome to England (BHM) - Manchester Museum
2020
Agudas (Film) - 20 Stories High
100 years of Justice - Magistrates Association
Talks & Workshops
2022
Artists Exploring Collections Discussion - British Library, London
BHM Screening & Discussion - Liverpool Hope University
2021
Lubaina Himid In Conversation with Amber Akaunu and Sadé Mica - Starr Cinema, Tate Modern
HerStories // Shelf Life - INIVA, London
Film Workshops - WOW Fest, Liverpool
2020
Making Zines & Community Talk - SEAS Brighton
'Should the North take the knee?' Panel - People's Powerhouse
ROOT-ed Zine Lecture - Kingston University
BFI Film Academy Q&A - Instagram Live
Act 1: Ira, Curiosity & Creative Language - INIVA/Manchester Art Gallery
Zine Not Heard Workshops - Blaze Arts x ROOT-ed Zine
Panel Discussion with Lubaina Himid: Black Women Artists Symposium - UcLan
2019
In Conversation with Travis Alabanza for Homotopia - International Slavery Museum, Liverpool
Black History Art Tour - Lady Lever Art Gallery & Walker Art Gallery
Glossary Review Workshop with Jade Montserrat - Humber Street Gallery, Hull
In Conversation with Michelle Williams Gamaker - Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool
The Watermelon Woman Screening & Discussion - Spirit of Liverpool, Toxteth TV
Press Room with Ciara Phillips - The Human Library, Crosby
2018
Graduate Artists in Conversation - Bluecoat Gallery, Liverpool
Features/Publications
2023
My Journey Connecting With My Nigerian and Brazilian Heritage - Black Ballad
2021
Black History Month: 5 Black Artists you should know about by Contact Mcr
Magistrates Association Interview with Amber Akaunu
From Nigeria to Brazil: Responding to Agudas by Amber Akaunu
A reimagining of Relations, a publication by INIVA and Jade Montserrat
2020
A Q&A with Amber Akaunu by a-n
Afro Hair Rituals by Bido Lito
My lips belong to no one by BBC Arts
ROOT-ed Zinte Interrview by Made In Bed
Interview with New Creative, Amber Akaunu bu Voice Mag
Present Tense, a publication by The Double Negative - Chapter 3: Zine Scene meets Art Scene
2019
In Other Words, a publication by METAL and The Live Art Development Agency
Awards
2022
Best Documentary Short at Liverpool International Film Festival
2021
Arts Council Develop Your Creative Practice
2020
BAFTA Kirsch Scholarship
LCR Culture and Creativity Student Inspiration Award
David Lewis Grant Award
2019
Steve Biko Young Achievers Award
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