Ernest Napoleon, is a Russian–Tanzanian film producer and actor.[1][2]
Ernest Napoleon | |
|---|---|
| Born | Ernest Napoleon Moscow, Russia |
| Nationality | Russian Tanzanian |
| Occupation | Actor, producer, writer |
| Years active | 2015–present |
He was born in Moscow, Russia to a Tanzanian father and a Russian mother. When he was 5 years of age, his family moved to Tanzania.[2] After living in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania for 14 years and Los Angeles for 8 years, he currently relocated to Stockholm, Sweden.[1]
At the age of 3, he made his first acting in a Christmas play titled New Year's in the old Soviet Union. While in Tanzania, he worked as a TV presenter for EATV, the largest TV station in East Africa at the time. He also performed as a DJ artist at 'Club Billicanas', a prominent nightclub in Africa where he became a recording artist of Bongo Flava, a music genre in East Africa. He performed there by the name of 'MC Napo'.[2]
As a teen, Ernest moved to Los Angeles and obtained a computer science degree. Then he studied acting and writing for 7 years while in Los Angeles. With the help of his friends and colleagues, he made his maiden feature film Going Bongo.[2] The film is inspired by the life of a British surgeon, Dr Lewis Burger,[3] in which Ernest played the titular role.[4] His film is regarded as the first international film produced by a Tanzanian and the first ever East African film to be accepted by iTunes.[1][5]
In 2017, he made the film Kiumeni which was shot in Dar es Salaam. The film received critical acclaim and later won two awards at the Zanzibar International Film Festival.[2] He is the founder of the production house, Enigma Pictures. In 2017, he was appointed as the president of 'D Street Media Group', international production and distribution company.[6] He also produced the TV Series Mother City and third film Peponi. During the same time, he co-produced the British film Let No Man Know which rotates around a true story about an African American slave.[1]
| Year | Film | Role | Genre | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Going Bongo | Executive producer, writer, actor: Dr.Lewis Burger | Film | |
| 2017 | Kiumeni | Executive producer, writer, actor: Gue | Film | |
| TBD | Peponi | Producer, writer, actor: Dullah | Film | |
| TBD | Let No Man Know | Producer | Film |