MIMO MUKII ON CRAFTING STORIES THAT MATTER

Mimo Mukii. Photo by Sarah Chavdaroska

For emerging producer Mimo Mukii, filmmaking is a way to speak to and reveal the untold stories of underrepresented groups in our society. 

With a passion for creating screen projects that centre underserved communities through new characters and narratives, Mimo Mukii is carving out a career as a producer built on community, cultural resonance and like-minded collaboration.

Mimo’s foray into filmmaking started whilst completing their honours thesis on the need for self-representations of African Australians in the media. During their research, Mimo made essential connections with fellow students from the African Australian diaspora. “That began my interest in making films that focus on [African Australian] stories. And it led me to meet collaborators, like Kalu [Oji] and Ivy [Mutuku],” Mimo shares. 

Alongside fellow producer Ivy Mutuku, writer/director Kalu Oji, writer/director Ranima Montes and cinematographer Gabriel Francis, Mimo helped form the filmmaking collective TEN DAYS, which is dedicated to creating, writing and producing stories from the collectives’ lived experiences for the communities they are a part of.

Since their first connection, Mimo, Kalu and Ivy have built an enduring creative alliance, working on several award-winning short films like Blackwood and The Moon and Me, before developing their debut feature film through VicScreen’s Originate Features initiative, Pasa Faho. 

The success of Blackwood affirmed the demand for stories about African Australian characters who are complex and beyond stereotypes, and set the stage for international recognition. “The first festival we went to was Atlanta Film Festival, and that was really nice to connect with African American filmmakers, and for them to relate to our story,” Mimo reflects. “It also meant that we could make another short, and that people believed in us.”

Breaking barriers as a producer

Despite their rising profile, Mimo is candid about the challenges that come with producing film projects, including working in low-budget spaces, crowdfunding, community support, finding the right team for the job, and lots of problem-solving. At the centre of Mimo’s passion for filmmaking is the desire to tell authentic stories – an aspect of Australia’s media and entertainment landscape that still has some catching up to do, Mimo believes. 

This emphasis on authenticity and inclusion has been central to Mimo’s producing ethos to date. “As a producer, I begin with wanting to crew up the best people for telling that story,” they explain. “[For Pasa Faho that meant] People from underrepresented communities who understood the nuances of the story that we were telling. I always want to be very mindful about who I’m crewing up.”

This approach extends to creating safe, supportive sets. “I also want to make a safe space on set for people that maybe don’t have as much technical experience as others, but bring a lived experience – both for cast and crew,” Mimo explains. 

First time feature

Having first engaged in the Originate Features initiative in 2021, Mimo, Ivy and Kalu made it through multiple stages of the highly competitive program to become one of four projects supported as part of a $2.8 million commitment from VicScreen to create their debut feature film, Pasa Faho. 

Pasa Faho is a bilingual film that highlights the relationship between a father and son within an Igbo Australian family. While it’s rooted in specific cultural dynamics, the themes are universal. Mimo, Ivy and Kalu are currently in the final stages of post-production their film slated for its Australian premiere at Melbourne International Film Festival in 2025. 

“I’m excited for everybody in Melbourne who worked on the film to see it,” Mimo shares, “particularly the Igbo community, because so many of them worked on the film behind and in front of the camera. I think that’s what I’m most excited for— the hometown premiere.”

Looking ahead

Mimo’s vision for the future includes expanding their own expertise through programs like the VicScreen internship, which they describe as a unique opportunity “to become a better producer, to meet lots of people in the industry, and to gain access to information that I feel like is quite hard for people from underrepresented communities to get.”

While they’re at it, Mimo is on a mission to redefine representation in the Australian screen industry. The need for institutions to take risks on emerging storytellers is ongoing, they believe. “It is getting better,” Mimo observes. “But there are still barriers for people to get into the industry. Big companies, broadcasters, governments, whatever – taking a risk on emerging storytellers is – I think – what’s going to change that.”
It wasn’t long ago Mimo had considered throwing in the towel on producing and the screen industry altogether. “There was a period where I was thinking about quitting because I was struggling to move from short filmmaking, where there is no money, to longform work. I wanted to pivot and so I started studying accounting,” Mimo explains. They ended up getting a job in the accounts department on a production supported by VicScreen called Petrol. “I guess there isn't just one way of entering the industry, but if you are continually working on your producing and your own projects, it will eventuate.” 

By working in the accounting department in production, Mimo gained access to a group of vital industry contacts. “I think it has made me a better producer, because I've seen the industry from a different side. I can see what crew are working on in Victoria and what productions are coming from America. It also meant that I could pay my rent and eat and then between jobs I could produce my own projects.”

Mimo’s advice for other aspiring producers is to stay the course, be prepared to pivot and always keep your eyes open for opportunities that will help launch the next stage of your career.  

For more information on how to upskill and enter Victoria’s screen industry, check out VicScreen’s Skills Development programs here.