THE FOUNDER of the British Urban Film Festival (BUFF), Emmanuel Anyiam-Osigwe, has told the Voice that he has finallly found ‘a story worth directing’.

Anyiam-Osigwe is set to executive produce “Absolutely Marvellous”, a feature documentary which centres on Marvel Opara, the blind mother of heavyweight boxer Joe Joyce.

The film (which is in post-production) marks the latest move into feature production for London-based BUFF Studios, the production arm of the British Urban Film Festival.

Opara, who is of British-Nigerian heritage, is registered as 93% blind and is the mother of heavyweight boxer Joe Joyce who is currently undefeated since turning professional after the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio. 

Joyce is being lined up by hall of fame promoter Frank Warren to fight for the heavyweight championship of the world should he continue his impressive streak of 13 consecutive wins which has seen him win the British, Commonwealth and European heavyweight belts. 

In 2017, Opara took leave from attending Joyce’s professional debut to climb Mount Kilimanjaro and in doing so became the first visually impaired black woman to reach the summit.

The film documents Opara’s expedition, her family life with Joyce and younger son Torann and how she deals with her disability whilst at ringside for Joyce’s fights. The film also features interviews with trainer Sid Khan (brother of London Mayor Sidiq), boxing pundit Spencer Fearon and journalist Gareth A Davies. 

Anyiam-Osigwe, who was previously attached to produce The Mud Hut (directed by Benjamin Johns), is on board to executive produce and direct.

Speaking to the Voice he enthused: “I’ve watched enough boxing films in my time to know that audiences love these types of stories.

“What excites me about this one is that you wouldn’t know that Marvel is blind if she didn’t tell you.

“Her personality and approach to life is something I admire in people who are always up against it in life. It’s taken me the best part of two decades to find a story worth directing and I’m so glad that it’s this one.”

The British Urban Film Festival set up a film and TV division in 2018, releasing their first feature No Shade in November of that year.

Finding Forever, announced during AFM last year, is now set to commence production next year. 

Jean-Paul has his own ‘TV talk show’