Kunle Afolayan is a Nigerian film director, producer and actor. He is the son of the highly regarded theatre artist and filmmaker Adeyemi Afolayan (Ade Love).

In 2006, he directed the culturally conscious film IRAPADA (REDEMPTION), which showcased his refined sensibilities for the aesthetics of storytelling, which hadn’t been duly represented in his country’s filmmaking landscape. 

Afolayan received universal acclaim for this work. It became the first Nigerian film screened at the Pan African Film Festival in 2007.

His work FIGURINE (ARAROMIRE) is regarded as the film that ushered in a new wave of conscious filmmaking in Nigeria’s Nollywood, and arguably beyond its ecosystem.  He has since released more critically acclaimed films such as, PHONE SWAP, and the international blockbusters OCTOBER 1 and The C.E.O, including several commissioned projects such as, OMUGWO, ROTI and The Tribunal, three Television films commissioned by MNET AFRICA, ISEDALE YORUBA, a documentary commissioned by MNET AFRICA, “BREEZE” a full length feature film commissioned by SECURITY AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION, HANNATU, a short film commissioned by petroleum giants SAHARA ENERGY just to mention a few.

Afolayan’s films have been screened at FESPACO, International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR), the London Film Festival BFI, New York Africa Film Festival, amongst others.  

He was also invited in 2010 as an expert to the Berlinale Talent Campus, where he discussed the future of African Cinema. And most recently for the “In Conversation with Kunle Afolayan and Genevieve Nnaji “ at the revered Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) where he discussed the current leaps within Nigerian cinema (Nollywood) and its effect on the global sphere and changing perception.

Afolayan has won numerous awards for his outstanding contribution to African cinema. To mention a few:

 CATEGORY              AWARDING BODY

BEST FILM                 AFRICA INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

BEST ACTOR             AFRICA INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

BEST DIRECTOR      OCTOBER 1, AMVCA AWARDS

BEST MOVIE             OCTOBER 1, AMVCA AWARDS

BEST WRITER           OCTOBER 1, AMVCA AWARDS

BEST ART DIRECTOR OCTOBER 1, AMVCA AWARDS

BEST MAKE UP         OCTOBER 1, AMVCA AWARDS

BEST LIGHTING       DESIGNER, OCTOBER 1, AMVCA AWARDS

BEST SOUND             OCTOBER 1, AMVCA AWARDS

BEST COSTUME        OCTOBER 1, AMVCA AWARDS

BEST ACTRESS          OCTOBER 1, AMVCA

BEST DIRECTOR       5TH ANNUAL N.E.A AWARDS

BEST DIRECTOR      NIGERIA ENTERTAINMENT AWARDS NY

BEST DIRECTOR      CITY PEOPLE AWARDS OF EXCELLENCE 2010

BEST PRODUCER     CITY PEOPLE AWARDS OF EXCELLENCE 2010

BEST FILM                 B.O.N AWARDS 2010

BEST FILM                 PHONE SWAP, NOLLYWOOD MOVIES AWARDS

BEST FILM                 CITY PEOPLE ENTERTAINMENT AWARDS 2010

BEST FILMMAKER   NIGERIA HEART OF AFRICA AWARDS

BEST FILM                 (FIGURINE) AFRICA MOVIES ACADEMY AWARD

BEST VISUAL EFFECT (FIGURINE) AFRICA MOVIES ACADEMY AWARD

Kunle Afolayan is presently the brand ambassador for commercial giants, AIR FRANCE.