Production has wrapped on “Chairman,” the debut feature from filmmaker Edem Kelman, starring British-Nigerian actor Ṣọpé Dìrísù alongside Samuel Adewunmi and Heather Agyepong. Filming took place in London, United Kingdom, and Paris, France.
Dìrísù plays Duke, a man determined to unite London's African diasporic community. As his ambitions expand, the risks threaten his aspirations and the lives of those who depend on him. The film examines displacement, belonging and community within the experiences of first-generation African immigrants in Britain.
Kelman co-wrote the screenplay with Noah Reich, who produces for Two by Two Productions alongside James Bowsher and Mike Goodridge of Good Chaos. The project was developed by Film4, the feature-film division of British broadcaster Channel 4, and is co-financed by Film4, the British Film Institute (BFI), HiPo Productions, Amplify Capital, Head Gear Films, Metrol Technology and Bleat Film.
Kelman was selected for Screen International's UK and Ireland Stars of Tomorrow programme in 2021. His previous work includes the 2022 short film “Express,” also backed by Film4, and “Terence” (2025), which received a nomination for Best British Short Film at the BAFTA Awards, presented by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts.
The production brings together British screen institutions, independent production companies and private financiers around a feature centred on London's African immigrant communities. Release and distribution details were not provided in the 15 October announcement.