Sunu gonera biography channel

Brief Biography of Sunu Gonera: The University of Cape Town Zimbabwean Graduate Making Waves In Hollywood

Zimbabwean Sunu Gonera is curving his name in Hollywood as the director of award-winning and critically acclaimed projects.

Sunu Gonera has been behind the camera in a number of productions such as the award-winning FX series Snowfall and the movies Riding With Sugar and his directorial debut Pride.

He has worked with some Hollywood industry heavyweights such as Terrence Howard, the late Bernie Mac, Tom Arnold and Kimberley Elise.

Background

He was from a humble background and was fortunate enough to be awarded a rugby scholarship to study at a private school in Zimbabwe.  Sunu Gonera was again awarded another rugby scholarship to study at the University of Cape Town.

Career

After completing a degree in organisational psychology at the University of Cape Town, Sunu Gonera worked as a banker.

He left a lucrative banking career to pursue his passion. Gonera knew a few directors in the film industry as a result of his acting work as a college student. Sunu Gonera called Michael Middleton who at first questioned why he was leaving a lucrative career in banking but eventually took him under his wing as a production assistant.

After gaining experience working as a production assistant for two years he veered into directing commercials. Within three years Sunu Gonera had received several prestigious directing awards for commercials such as Nike and Coca-Cola.

His short film, Riding with Sugar, based on his own full-length feature script, was screened at Cannes in 2006.

This prompted him to feel he had learned enough and made enough money to be able to start his own company.

 

Heading To Hollywood

While he was directing commercials in South Africa, Gonera was sending emails to Hollywood directors. He said he probably sent over 1 000 emails and letters and none of them had the response that he was hoping for.

Sunu Gonera was howev

  • Dreamt of becoming a professional
  • Sunu Gonera. Director: Pride. Hailing from

    • Sunu Gonera

    Education

    He was awarded a partial sports scholarship by Falcon College in Zimbabwe. He had written over fifty-three admission letters to the college. While at Falcon, Sunu excelled in several sports including rugby, cricket, hockey and athletics.

    Gonera was then awarded a scholarship to the University of Cape Town, where he completed a degree in Organizational Psychology.

    Career

    Sunu was a banker before he left his career to start as a runner in the film industry. He worked his way up to directing TV commercials. In 2007 he directed a TV commercial for McDonald's.


    Before he to Hollywood to direct his first feature in 2006, Gonera made a 10-minute film titled Riding with Sugar. For years he tried to get financing for his full-length script. He eventually secured funding for his full-length script and Riding with Sugar premiered on Netflix on 27 November. He also directed advertisements for Nike and Coca Cola.His short film Riding With Sugar made it to Cannes.

    Filmography

    TV Series

    • 13 Reasons Why (2 episodes)

    -College Interview (2020)

    -Acceptance/Rejection (2020)

    -Other Lives (2019)

    -Aftermath (2018)

    -The Day (2018)

    • Madam Secretary (3 episodes)

    -North to the Future (2017)

    -The Things We Get To Say (2018)

    -Ready (2019)

    - Chapter 6 (2019)

    - Chapter 4 (2019)

    Movies

    • Riding with Sugar (2020)
    • Lion of Judah (producer) (2011)
    • Pride (2007)
    • An African Tale (producer) (announced) (2020)
    • Out on a Limb (co-producer) (2005)


    He starred in the movie Country Of My Skull (2004) as Lionel. He wrote the soundtrack DARE TO DREAM on Pride.

    Awards

    Image Awards (NAACP)Rome Film FestLocarno International Film Festival
    Nominee-Image AwardWinner- Alice in the City PrizeNominee- Golden Pardino for Leopards of Tomorrow
    Outstanding Directing in a Motion Picture (Theatrical or Television) Pride (2007)Consiglio dei Bambini Prize

    Hailing from the townships of Zimbabwe during the time of the Civil War, Sunu has managed in a very short space of time, to carve out a career which sounds less like a real life and more like a movie. A scholarship at a private school in Zimbabwe and excellent sporting prowess opened doors to international travel and ultimately another scholarship to the University of Cape Town, where he completed a degree in Organizational Psychology.

    Successful sporting achievements and a lucrative banking career were quickly overtaken by his long-term dream of acting and making movies. Sunu quickly worked his way up in the film industry, and within three short years garnered several prestigious directing awards, that were the result not just of his refreshing talent, but also of his courage, diligence and persistence.

    Dubbed in the world of commercials' as one of the finest directing talents, he continues to produce a body of work with a unique voice that has inspired such prestigious clients as Nike, VW, Coca Cola and U.S Tennis Association to mention a few. His short film "Riding with Sugar" based on his own full length feature script screened at Cannes in 2006. In June of the same year, he beat out several more seasoned Hollywood directors and landed his first full length feature directing assignment with Lionsgate.

    Five months later, Sunu sold his home in South Africa, and moved his wife and kids to Hollywood to make his feature directorial debut on 'Pride' starring academy award nominee Terrence Howard, Bernie Mac, Tom Arnold and Kimberley Elise. The director and Howard were nominated for a NAACP Image Awards.

    Set in 1974 Philadelphia, Pride tells the true against the odds, underdog story of Jim Ellis (played by Howard), a black swimming coach who recruits a motley group of troubled inner city youths, some of whom had never swum before, and transforms them into a championship swimming team. Taking a look back at Sunu's life, one can imag

  • Sunu Gonera is a Zimbabwean film

    • .