George Amponsah
agent: Camilla Chiverton - camilla@sternwild.com
Born and raised in London, George first discovered his passion for storytelling in the 1990s as a photographer and Super 8mm film enthusiast.
Amponsah gained widespread recognition with his 2015 documentary The Hard Stop, which follows two friends of Mark Duggan, whose 2011 death at the hands of London police sparked the London riots. The film is a powerful exploration of systemic injustice, community resilience and personal loss.
Building on the success of The Hard Stop, Amponsah continued to focus on underrepresented stories with empathy and a strong commitment to social justice. His notable works include Enslaved (2020), a documentary series hosted by Samuel L. Jackson that explores the transatlantic slave trade through underwater archaeology, and Black Power: A British Story of Resistance (2021), which examines the British Black Power movement and its lasting influence on the UK’s cultural and political landscape—both produced for the BBC. Most recently, he directed Erased: WW2’s Heroes of Colour (2025), a landmark four-part series for Nat Geo that uncovers the overlooked contributions of Allied soldiers of color during World War II.
George’s films are renowned for their raw, powerful explorations of social issues and the human condition. In the Netflix true crime series Dope (2018), he delves into the complexities of the war on drugs, offering a gripping, unfiltered look at both sides of the conflict. His first scripted feature, Gassed Up (2023), is a high-energy crime drama following a London youth entangled in a gang of moped thieves. The Guardian hailed it as “a Scorsese-like thrill ride.” The film saw a nationwide UK cinema release in 2024 and is now available on Amazon Prime.
George is currently developing his second feature with co-producers New Sparta (Christopher Simon and Sophie Lipsey) and David Harewood’s production company Section 52. The Halfway tells a gripping story of a 55-year-old ex-criminal who sacrifices his own freedom to steer a teenage 'wannabe' gangster away from a life of crime and punishment.
Beyond his own filmmaking, Amponsah is a passionate advocate for diversity in the industry. In addition to his directing work, he is available as an executive producer and consultant, dedicated to mentoring and supporting emerging filmmakers and amplifying voices from underrepresented backgrounds.