With decades of experience in film and television, brothers Alfons and Amos Adetuyi have become trailblazers in international co-productions and cross-cultural storytelling. Their most recent venture KIC Group, a groundbreaking collaboration between South Africa’s Known Associates Group and Canada’s Inner City Films (founded by Alfons) and Circle Blue Entertainment (founded by Amos) the Adetuyis are fostering a new era of filmmaking that bridges the South African and Canadian markets.
Their collective mission is to amplify diverse voices and champion stories from the African diaspora for global audiences. Whether through award-winning dramas, documentaries, or innovative development programs, Alfons and Amos are building a platform for creative exchange, driving international collaboration, and shaping the future of inclusive storytelling on the world stage.
We had the pleasure of sitting down with both Alfons and Amos to discuss their career trajectories, their formative experiences at the CFC, how their younger brother Rob got an invite to stay at Norman Jewison’s Malibu home and their vision for KIC Group a transformative joint venture between Canada and South Africa. Read more in the spotlight below:
You both have roots in Canadian film and television. How has growing up in Canada and working in this industry shaped your creative and production processes?
Alfons: Amos and I grew up in Sudbury and many would assume that it wouldn’t be fertile ground for creatives but we had the opposite experience. We had teachers in high school that had worked in film and gave us the framework for our storytelling and creative processes. We had access to cameras and were encouraged to create from the outset. I’m also one of 6 siblings so it helped to have a built in crew. We ended up shooting a sitcom pilot which turned into enuf is enuf, a cable show.
Amos: We feel very connected to Sudbury because that’s where it began for us. We had a lot of opportunity to develop our ideas and the beginnings of a framework of what it takes to see a project through to the finish line. We’re still drawn back home and are in production on “Dreams of the Moon” a coming of age film about a young black girl who dreams of becoming an astronaut when she sees the Apollo 16 crew training for their trip to the moon in Sudbury in 1971.
Amos and Alfons at Durban FilmMart 2024
You both attended the CFC, Alfons for the Director’s lab and Amos for the Producers lab, can you tell me a little bit about your respective times in the program and the network you built while you were here?
Amos: When I was at The CFC you had to have had a screenplay already in development as part of the application process. So I went in with what I thought was a fully formed idea and learned that it was actually just a seed. One of the things that sticks out most to me was the culture of collaboration/feedback that Norman personally created. We’d watch films in 35mm and get feedback not only from the cohort but from folks in the industry that were personally invited. It also gave me the opportunity to focus because it was dedicated time on a project.
Alfons: I agree with everything Amos shared. I’d add that the CFC operated internationally. It wasn’t parochial in its functioning. My time in the directors lab allowed me to start thinking outside of Canada and led to my first foray into international collaboration and production. I began working with Clarence Hamilton a South African filmmaker and writer and it was the beginning of Ekhaya: A Family Chronicle. I pitched it to visiting broadcasters including Channel 4 (UK) while at the Canadian Film Centre and it eventually became a 13 x 1 hr drama series that I produced and directed for the CBC and SABC in South Africa.
Do you maintain the networks you built at The CFC and are there any alum that you have worked with?
Amos and Alfons began recalling partnerships and listed over 20 collaborators from actors to editors, writers to producers and directors – a partial list is included below.
Don’t know if this counts because we’re family but our brother:
- Robert Adetuyi, CFC Alumni 1991
Currently on the Inner City Films and Circle Blue Entertainment teams
- Lisa Di Michele (Editors Lab, 2006)
- Orla Garriques (Media Lab, 2010)
CFC alumni the Adetuyi brothers are currently working with:
- Isoken Ogiemwonyi, CFC Producer Alumni 2023
Project: Matchmaker, rom-com series - Temilola Adebayo, Producers Lab CFC Alumni 2021
Project: To Lagos With Love, rom-com series - Taf Diallo (under the CFC pen name John Virtue), CFC Alumni 2013/14
Project: Diplomatic Security, crime mystery series - Maria Kennedy, CFC Fifth Wave (2021)
Project: Benjamin Ojo, YA crime mystery series - Robert Adetuyi, CFC Alumni 1991
Project: Deadly Secret, murder mystery series
And a few past CFC Alumni talent the Adetuyi brothers have worked with:
- Jennifer Holness (Producers Lab), on Skin Deep, 2000
- Sudz Sutherland (Directors Lab), on Jozi – H, medical drama series, 2006
- Stella Meghie (Producers Lab), on Jean of the Joneses, feature film, 2016
- Liz Gallo (Media Lab), on Love Jacked, feature film, 2018
Can you talk a little bit about your relationships with Norman Jewison and his impact?
Alfons: I was fortunate to have known Norman on a personal level. He would pop in to the program all the time and was always approachable. Looking back it is crazy that we were able to talk to him and have a one on one relationship. Norman was also a connector. He always liked introducing people. He had no problem saying oh you should meet this person or this person can help with this, he always went above and beyond.
Amos: I unfortunately did not get to meet Norman personally during my time at The CFC but we knew well from our brother Rob that being a connector was his MO. Rob was at the CFC as a writer and Norman very casually invited him to LA to help support the building of his network. He was so fortunate that Norman invited him to stay at his home in Malibu and set him up with an agent and a lawyer and through casual interactions opened up a whole world for him where he was immediately a working writer with several projects on the go. Norman was very generous in that way.
KIC Founders at CFC Homecoming: Alfons, Joel and Amos
KIC Group is a fascinating collaboration between your Canadian-based production companies and South African partners. Can you tell us a little about the founding of the company and your plans for the joint venture?
Alfons: KIC Group developed organically from a long term working relationship with Joel (Phiri). I met Joel while directing JOZI H in South Africa (2005/06), he was one of the leading film producers at the time and we realized that we were aligned creatively. We also realized back then we could develop more projects by co-financing and working with other producers. Fast-forward to today, we know that the industry is in a period of rapid evolution and one of the ways for us to get our projects made is to diversify our funding partners which lead to the formation of the KIC Group. Dreams of the Moon is our first feature under KIC and the response to the announcement signaled for us that there is an audience waiting for these kinds of stories. It was a natural fit for us and Joel and with Telefilm’s support it made sense for us to begin with the feature. We’re also interested in ideas around afro-futurism, a combination of science-fiction, history and fantasy and are in development on a sci-fi horror comedy called Neutrino.
Amos: There’s a natural alignment in terms of the stories we want to tell that focus on the African diaspora. KIC Group is able to tap into resources from Canada and South Africa, as well as third party countries depending on the project. We are also developing under the KIC Group 6x1hr murder mystery series, this specialized model focuses on multi-slate development and includes financing from Canada, South Africa and the UK.
I’m also wondering what advice you have specifically for filmmakers looking to work internationally in the way that you do?
Amos: As part of that process try and keep a global perspective in mind. At Circle Blue Entertainment our mission statement is “content without borders” so we’re always thinking about stories that can resonate across cultures and languages. Understanding different markets, building relationships internationally, and being open to collaboration with diverse voices are key elements. The more universal your themes, while staying authentic to your unique voice, the better your chances of finding success on a global stage.
Alfons: The same advice holds – it’s about the work first and foremost you need to be able to tell a compelling story. Practically I also suggest attending international content markets. Locally, Content Canada is a great one for us and we’re looking forward to seeing what TIFF has to offer next year. The OMDC has IFF (The International Financing Forum) and that’s a great resource as well.
And lastly, what advice do you have for aspiring filmmakers?
Both laugh
Alfons: Make good stories. That’s the number one thing – you need to actually create what’s been rattling around as an idea.
Amos: Use all of the resources available to you to bring it to life.
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