NY-Gerian

by Adewale Olukayode
Original Teleplay

A comedian struggling to find his voice, is forced to move out of his childhood bedroom to make room for his never-before-seen older sister from Nigeria; as he introduces her to American culture, he realizes her perspective is comedic genius and uses it for material.

Adewale Olukayode is a writer, director, educator and comedian born in Lagos, Nigeria, and raised in New York. In 2021, he graduated with honors from Columbia University with a Film MFA. His films address themes of justice, transformation and healing. His style is influenced by African cinema, which he spoke passionately about at the College de France as a guest lecturer. Adewale won the Director’s Guild of America student award and has been recognized as a "Writer to watch" at the Austin Film Festival. His short film Home has finished its festival run and is now streaming on Topic and Apple TV+. He is currently in production on his first feature, East New York, which won the Princess Grace Louis Srybnik Award.