I’m determined to pursue my dreams, says Italy-based Nigerian actress Juliet Joseph

Juliet Esey Joseph, an Italy-based Nigerian actress and director has expressed determination to pursue her dream of making films both in Italy and Nigeria.

To date, she has co-produced three pairs of shorts and two feature films with other Italian producers.

One of these is “Minister” (directed by Fide Dayo, 2016), a feature film in which she plays the part of Kemi, a Nigerian woman who runs a successful textile business and is then asked to enter the Italian government as Minister for Immigration, sparking the violent reaction of racist politicians.

“I want to give direct voice to peoples that have been living in Italy for 20 years and more. It’s time for them to speak by themselves, without ventriloquists anymore”, she said.

Juliet has also co-produced the short film “A Special Day” (directed by Gaston Biwolé and Kassim Yassin Saleh) and the web series “Sottomess” (directed by Kassim Yassin Saleh).

“Even if it is very difficult to find distribution for these films, I am determined to pursue my dream: to make films within both Italy and Nigeria, given the global success of Nigerian cinema, Nollywood,” she added.

The actress, director and scriptwriter who hails from Benin city Edo state, believes the effect of entertainment has spread even to the remotest part in the world.

Juliet relocated to Italy in her early 20s. During her stay in Italy, she had an opportunity to become a fashion model and this brought her to the limelight of becoming a film actress in the world of Cinema.

In 1997, she played her first role in a movie directed by a notable Italian actor (Manetti bros) in a television movie titled (Torino boys), conveying a love story and the daily life of Nigerians living in Italy.

The role of (Ifueko)made a progressive impart in her life by tuning the owe channel that leads to her professionalism in the movie industry, paving the way of becoming a movie celebrity, since then Juliet has become one of the most celebrated African film actresses in Italy.

Since the year 2000, Juliet has been casting notable roles in the Italian TV movie series like: “Il segreto del giaguaro” (Antonello Fassari) and “Zora la Vampira” (Manetti Bros).

She entered the cast of “L’Ispettore Coliandro” (series 1 and 4, Magia Nera, 2004), directed by Manetti Bros. She earned a role in “Il bastardo e l’handicappato” directed by Giampaolo Morelli in 2005.

In 2006 and again in 2009 she played the part of Fatma Calangida in the TV movie series “Butta la luna” directed by Vittorio Sindoni. 2007 saw her perform in’s Evaristus Ogbechie “Dare to Dream” (co-produced by Juliet Esey Joseph and Olu Domingo) and in Sindoni’s “Il capitano”.

The following year she appeared in “R.I.S. – Delitti imperfetti” directed by Pier Belloni, before returning under the direction of Manetti Bros in “Scums – The Web Series” (2009) and then of Sergio Sollima in “Crimini” (2010), series 2 and 6. In 2011 she earned roles in “L’arrivo di Wang” (Manetti Bros) and “The Professional” (co-directed by Juliet Esey Joseph and Olu Domingo).

2013 was a successful year with “Song’s Napule” (Manetti Bros) and alongside Checco Zalone in “Sole a catinelle” (Gennaro Nunziante). Then came “Squadra Mobile” (Alexis Sweet, 2015).