Black & Irish, BNI Media and NTA Film & TV Mentorship Programme: Open Call for Mentees

Black & Irish (B&I), BNI Media, and the NTA for Film & TV Drama (NTAFT) are curating a new mentorship programme for emerging writers, directors, and producers.

Black & Irish is dedicated to raising awareness and celebrating the lives of Black and Mixed-Race Irish people. Its mission is to advocate for the Black community in Ireland, build connections between Black communities and wider Irish society, and educate everyone in Ireland to adopt an anti-racist mindset.

About the Mentorship Programme

This Mentorship Scheme aims to support Black, Mixed-Race, People of Colour, and individuals from multicultural backgrounds living in Ireland, by providing one-to-one mentoring to aid their professional and career development within the Film & TV industry

We are now open for applications from new and emerging writers, directors, and producers working in live-action drama film and TV. All applicants must be over the age of 18.

Dates/Duration:

Approx. July - December 2025. Set hours (Approx 10-15 hours) and times and format (in person or online) will be at the discretion of the mentor/mentee team.

Meet the five mentors and learn about the type of mentorship each is offering. More information on each mentor can be found at the end of this page:

Aisha Bolaji (Screenwriter, Director, & Film Curator)

As a mentor, I want to support emerging Black and POC creatives in building confidence, finding their voice, and navigating the early stages of a screenwriting or directing journey. My approach is collaborative, gentle, and practical with focus on story development, creative process, personal brand and sustaining yourself emotionally and financially as an artist. I want to provide practical advice on applying for funding, pitching and networking, as well as addressing the nuances of navigating the industry as an artist that is underrepresented in the film industry. I can also provide insight into navigating the film festival world with perspective from a filmmaker as well as programmer point of view.

Derek Ugochukwu (Writer/Director)

As a mentor, I aim to provide guidance that balances creative vision with industry practicalities. Having navigated various funding schemes for short films and gained insights through shadow directing experiences in television, I can offer perspective on project development, directing techniques, and funding pathways, particularly relevant to multicultural storytelling. My approach emphasises artistic integrity and strategic career development, helping mentees find their unique voice while building sustainable paths forward in the industry.

Grace Odumosu (Producer and Production Executive)

As a mentor, I support new and emerging producers by offering practical guidance across all stages of the production process. I help mentees build confidence, develop essential skills, and make informed decisions as they navigate their producing careers. My support includes helping producers find and apply for the right funding opportunities, offering insight into how to manage a production effectively while balancing creative and logistical demands, and guiding them through the post-production process to deliver a polished final product. I also provide advice on how to network and build meaningful industry connections, and how to identify and select the right stories—those that are both creatively compelling and viable for production.

Nell Hensey (Director & Executive Producer)

Nell loves working with young and up-and-coming filmmakers! She has over three years experience in teaching and supporting emerging talent in areas such as screenwriting, directing, creative producing, project financing and navigating the film and television industry, in Ireland and abroad. She has delivered mentorship and workshops through programmes for various organisations including; IFTA, The National Talent Academy, University College Dublin, The GALPAL Collective, Catalyst International Film Festival, Youth-Rec Ireland, Fresh Film Festival, Emerging Limerick Filmmakers and more.

Seán Gallen (Writer & Director)

I have been writing and learning how to write for over 15 years and so I'm excited to be able to help my mentee improve as a writer, learn about structure, character, plot, overcoming blocks, embracing genre and how to craft a story for a visual medium. I can read drafts, provide in-depth feedback sessions and help take a story from idea to script to pitch. I can also offer my mentee many insights on navigating the industry; how to pitch, how to build a network, how to collaborate, how to manage contracts and financing. From a directing point of view, I can guide my mentee through how to work with actors, how to work with a large crew, how to bring a vision off the page and onto the screen.

How To Apply:

Applicants must apply by completing the linked form HERE

In this form, you will be asked to select your top two preferred mentors for pairing.

Additionally you will need to supply a download (Google Drive or Dropbox preferred) link with the follow materials:

Media CV/ Professional Bio - detailing relevant experience
A personal statement detailing how this mentorship will support your career development and what you want to get out of it. (Up to 2 pages or a filmed statement of up to 3 minutes.)

An incomplete application will not be taken into consideration.

Deadline to apply: June 13th at 12PM Noon

How The Mentorship Will Work:

Mentors and mentees will be matched by B&I, BNI Media and NTAFT with input from the mentors.

Under the guidance of the NTAFT, and BNI Media, goals and expectations of the mentorship will be set. From here, the mentor and mentee will coordinate ten-hours at their convenience (online and in person). Mentors will be paid for their time.

Selection Process:

The applications will be assessed by a panel to include representatives of the NTAFT, BNI Media, Black & Irish, and mentors

This is an open application process. In some instances, however, the NTA Film & TV may work with industry stakeholders including the Guilds, Black & Irish and Screen Ireland to identify talent who are ready to progress and encourage them to apply.

Further Information:

About Black & Irish:

‘Empowering Black and Irish Communities for an Inclusive Ireland. Black and Irish was established with the mission of enhancing the life of Black and Irish people. We aim to work with strategic partners across various areas of society, especially in the areas of Advocacy, Community and Education. Our vision is to create a more equal and inclusive Ireland and improve the quality of life for black and mixed race people in Ireland. Find out more about Black & Irish

About BNI:

BNI Media is a new media network spin off from the Black and Irish organisation. Its purpose is to tell inspiring and creative stories from underrepresented communities and bring a new wave of Black and minority ethnic media to Europe and the world.

For any questions, please email eibh.collins@nationaltalentacademies.ie

The National Talent Academy Film and TV is an initiative of Screen Ireland managed by Ardán

The NTA Film & TV reserves the right to make amendments to this initiative subject to funding, production landscape and health and safety requirements at the time of deliver

Meet The Mentors

Aisha Bolaj

Screenwriter, Director, and Film curator

Aisha Bolaji is a Dublin-based screenwriter, director, and film curator whose work blends surrealism, saturated visuals, and heartfelt storytelling. Drawing from ideas of mythology, community, and playful imagination, her films explore identity and emotion through a lens that’s both whimsical and rooted. As a writer-director their work has featured at the Galway Film Fleadh, Cork International Film Festival, Aesthetica and more. Aisha was most recently selected as screenwriter for the prestigious Element Pictures Storyhouse Labs. Her next short film 'Starlets' is Screen Ireland funded through the Focus Shorts scheme, additionally she is developing a short film for broadcast for TG4 with Samson Films and her first feature 'Ololufé' with Keeper Pictures is under Screen Ireland's development scheme Perspectives. Aisha is passionate about making bold, colourful cinema that feels alive.
Derek Ugochukwu

Writer and Director

Derek Ugochukwu is a Nigerian-born, Dublin-based writer and director, named one of Ireland’s Rising Stars and listed in The Irish Times’ “50 People to Watch in 2025.” His work has screened at SXSW, Sitges, and Galway Film Fleadh, earning an IFTA nomination and multiple Discovery Awards. His recent short Nay Day premiered at Galway Film Fleadh, and he is currently developing a feature with Screen Ireland.
Grace Odumosu

Producer and Production Executive

Grace Odumosu is a producer and production executive working at Keeper Pictures. She produced a VM discovers short called THE KNIFE, a Focus short called MINDING, is in post production on a TG4 Ceim Eile called AN MHÁTHAIR and is the producer on Ololufé, one of the Perspectives films chosen for development. Being a person of color in this industry hasn't been easy, but moving into production was a natural step for her. In 2023 Grace Odumosu was chosen to be one of the participants on the Advance Producers Diploma course in TU Dublin.
Nell Hensey

Screenwriter, Director and Executive Producer

Nell Hensey is an Irish-Filipina screenwriter, director and executive producer from County Clare. Her work has been supported by Screen Ireland, RTÉ, Virgin Media Television, The Arts Council of Ireland and more. She is also one of the co-founders of Pure Divilment Pictures. As a filmmaker, Nell is interested in drama that explore coming-of-age themes, outsider identities and female POV narratives. Her credits include Good Chips (2023) and Falling For The Life Of Alex Whelan (2023).
Seán Gallen

Seán is an Irish/Martinican writer, director, essayist and playwright — whose work has been featured in The Irish Times, at the Cannes Film festival as well as Smock Alley Theatre. He studied Film and Television and English Literature at the University of Glasgow before moving to Berlin in 2014 where he spent two years working on film sets, learning the trade. In 2015, he began writing, directing and producing his own short films, music videos, documentaries and web-series. In 2023, he won a place on the Virgin Media Discovers programme and wrote and directed ''The Head on Him'' which went on an international festival circuit, was nominated for WGI award, landed a distribution deal and is now available on Disney +. He is currently developing two feature film projects as well as a TV pilot project, funded by Screen Ireland development programmes. The last film he loved was Tsui Hark's ''Green Snake''.