Ako Mitchell – Biography/Filmography

Ako Mitchell is a film-maker and actor. His directing debut, the short film "I'm in the Corner with the Bluebells", premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2014, won Best Director at the Mica Film Festival in Brazil, Best Drama at the Sunderland Short Film Festival, and the Jury Prize at the Southwest London International Film Festival. Ako's 2017 micro-short "I Promise" won the Cineuropa / Filminute Audience Prize. Ako also won third prize at the 2016 Widening the Lens Pitch Competition at the Bristol Encounters International Short Film Festival. Ako co-produced and co-directed the documentary film "500 Years Later", a winner at the LA Pan-African Film Festival and Black Berlin International Cinema.

As an actor, Ako is performing in the highly acclaimed major new Talawa revival of "Guys and Dolls" as Nicely Nicely at the Royal Exchange Manchester. Ako recently performed in "Caroline, or Change" at the Chichester Festival Theartre. He was Coalhouse Walker, Jr., in "Ragtime" at the Charing Cross Theatre. Ako also recently performed in "The Trial of Jane Fonda" at the Park Theatre with Academy Award nominee and Golden Globe winner Anne Archer. Ako also played Captain James Meadow in the World Premiere of "Beyond the Fence" for Sky Arts and Wingspan. He was Brooks in the European Premiere of "Grey Gardens" at the Southwark Playhouse with Sheila Hancock and Jenna Russell. Ako played Klook in "Klook's Last Stand" at London's Park Theatre where he received an Off West End Awards Best Actor nomination. He was Orin the Dentist in "Little Shop of Horrors" at the Royal Exchange Manchester. He played esteemed British actor Lenny Henry's brother Gabriel in "Fences" in London's West End. Ako has also worked at London's Donmar Warehouse and played opposite Whoopi Goldberg in "Sister Act" at The London Palladium.