The Power of Storytelling: Fatimah Gimsay’s Journey in Film and Television

Nigerian screenwriter, director, and producer Fatimah Binta Gimsay has continued to leave her mark on the African entertainment landscape with a growing body of work that celebrates bold storytelling and fresh talent.

With over five years of experience, Fatimah, the founder of Hello July Films, has risen through the ranks from writer and story researcher to Head Writer, contributing to over 40,000 minutes of primetime television.

Her writing credits span critically acclaimed titles such as AfricaMagic’s ‘Battleground’, ‘Riona’, and season 5 of ‘MTV Shuga Naija’.
She also served as script editor for the Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards (AMVCA)-winning ‘Slum King’, as well as ‘Covenant’ and ‘Chetam’.
Speaking on her journey so f

ar, the screenwriter said that working on TV has been interesting.
“The good thing is storytelling is a muscle, so the more you tell it, the more you build that muscle, and that’s literally how it’s evolved from project to project, keep exercising that muscle, keep repeating the formula, okay, the structure, fibre structure, applying it across, it becomes like, it becomes a habit, it becomes part of you,” she said.
Fatimah’s creative influence extends behind the scenes, having worked as Story Editor for ‘Unscripted’, and as head writer for ‘Checkout’, Africa Magic’s first workplace dramedy.

She notes that her background in Public Relations helped enrich her storytelling approach, having led PR teams for popular series like ‘Red Circle’ and ‘Hush’.

To her credit, Fatimah has produced multiple award-winning short films, including ‘Ijo’ and ‘Fine Girl’, both known for their emotional depth and strong female voices.

Through Hello July Films, she also supports the next generation of Nollywood storytellers via regular writing intensives and mentorship programs.

Her latest project, ‘Lowkey Adults’, is a Young Adult film developed in collaboration with rising star, Susan Pwajok.