Meet Tosin Morohunfola | Filmmaker and Actor

We had the good fortune of connecting with Tosin Morohunfola and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Tosin, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
The film industry is historically vague and inaccessible. It also requires a lot of capital to get projects up and off the ground. As a filmmaker with plenty of my own stories to tell, and no one to give me permission to tell them, it felt like there honestly was no other option than to kickstart my own directing career myself. And that’s a lot of arduous work. Coalition-building. Crowdfunding. Etc. But because I so desperately wanted to see the things in my head come to life, I knew it was worth it. And as a social justice filmmaker, I truly believe it’s worth it for everyone.

I was raised in conservative rural part of Kansas so, as a filmmaker, my stories tend to take place back there because i seek to comment on so many things i experienced there back then. And, being a Black man, I happen to have a pretty unique perspective.

The murders of unarmed Black men in the mid 2010s spurred me to action as a Black Lives Matter activist and turned me into a social justice filmmaker all at the same time.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
Through this fight for the marginalized, my films tend to depict the struggle of progressive voices in rural areas and they warn about the danger that accompanies that social activism. My first film, “On Sight”–a psychological police thriller–calls out the drastic need for police accountability and reform. And my second film, “Endowed”–a parable about fatherhood–is about emboldening others to take courageous loving social stances against prejudice too.

Through the journey of making those films, I really discovered and honed my artistic voice. My writing and filmmaking centers on stories of empathy, awareness, belonging and seeing the human as hero in the face of institutional opposition.

Those virtues and values are the fuel to my fire. They’re why I press on. To, in some way, make the world a better place, through art.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Honestly, I’m a workaholic. But when I finally DO take a break…. I’m a people person, a health nut and a relaxation junky.

So, my favorite best friend trip-day would actually start at the gym. With a nice 90-minute lifting work-out that boosts my dopamine and seratonin (my two favorite drugs).

Then we’d probably go get a big salad from Sweetgreens (I know, so very LA). After that, a hot stone massage would be a DREAM. May a dip in a hot tub too.

Then I’ma need some community. So, a nice evening dinner with long-time friends followed by a movie night with the perfect date, and I’m in heaven. Goodnight!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
So many people! An endless number of folks have built me up and supported me on my journey. Starting with my Nigerian parents who broke from tradition in supporting me as an artist in the first place. Which wasn’t only when I was a child but also further materialized into tangible “vendor goods” when I’ve taken over the family home to shoot my films in their house for free.

One of the next people I think of who emboldened me is my old roommate, Chris Bylsma, who empowered me to shoot my first film. He told me I had vision and was talented enough and I would’ve have never known that about myself otherwise. And then there’s the HUNDREDS of generous contributors to my multiple film crowdfunding campaigns. The list is truly endless.

Website: https://www.thepulpitfilm.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tosin.morohunfola/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/TosinMoBetta

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=16832882

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFQQnxjlyRgc_dck9j5nRdw

Image Credits
Riker Bros Brian Paulette Chris Commons

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