Cannes 2026: Ghana’s Ama Ampadu Announced As Critics’ Week Juror – Film Efiko

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Ghanaian-British producer Ama Ampadu is among a group of 4 jurors announced by the Semaine de la Critique section of Cannes.

The group will be led by Payal Kapadia, the Indian filmmaker who was named winner of Cannes’ Grand Prix award at the festival in 2024. Others on the jury include actor Théodore Pellerin, singer-songwriter Oklou, and journalist Donsaron Kovitvanitcha.

This year, the Critics’ Week section has chosen a single film from the continent, “What Do the Maknines Dream”, a 23-minute short from Franco-Algerian filmmaker Sarra Ryma.

Ampadu has enjoyed a storied career in the film industry, becoming an executive at the BFI Film Fund in 2023. She has also had a longstanding relationship with Cannes. Back in 2015, she produced Lamb, which became the first film from Ethiopia to be showcased at the prestigious film festival. And last year, three films from the BFI appeared at Cannes, including My Father’s Shadow, which was Nigeria’s first film in competition at the popular French film festival.

Ampadu grew up in North London and has previously worked at the United Nations. She was credited as an associate producer on Mati Diop’s Dahomey.