Ghanaian-British Film maker Amma Asante has received her Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (MBE) some three month after she was honoured by the Queen of England during her birthday Honours.

Asante received her MBE from Prince Charles, the Prince of Wale late last week at the Buckingham Palace. The honour was in recognition of her services to the film industry.

An MBE is Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, and is an award given by the Queen to an individual for outstanding service to the community or local ‘hands on’ service.

Photos below. 

Amma Asante was born in London to Ghanaian parents.

She trained at the Barbara Speake Stage School. Kwame Kwei-Armah, Michelle Gayle and Naomi Campbell were some of her schoolmates.

Asante was a member of the cast of BBC’s Grange Hills, and also appeared in other productions in the late 80’s and early 90’s.

She owns Tantrum Films, and was head writer for BBC2 series Brothers & Sisters.

She speaks fondly of her relationship with her dad, who died during the filming of Belle. In an interview with The Guardian, she said her dad was loving but strict. A saying by her dad “What is right can never be impossible” was included in the above-named film.

What matters to Asante is “passion for the project and a vision. As a director, you are the only person carrying the bigger picture and every tiny detail. It is about keeping a cohesive, creative, motivated vibe going.” she told The Guardian in a 2014 interview.

She was invited by the prestigious Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to join its class of 2016 in its push for diversity at the Oscars after severe backlash in previous years.

She made history as the first Black Female Filmmaker to open the 2016 BFI London Film Festival in its 60 years of operation with her movie A United Kingdom.

Asante and the cast of the movie received a standing ovation when it premiered at the 2016 Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF).

The movie is based on the true story of Botswana’s first president, Seretse Khama (played by David Oyelowo), who fell in love with a London office worker, Ruth Williams (Rosamund Pike), who became the First Lady of Botswana.

Source: Kasapafmonline