Fatimah Binta Gimsay

Fatimah Binta Gimsay is a prolific Nigerian screenwriter, director, producer, and founder of Hello July Films, based in Lagos. A Middlesex University graduate, she broke into Nollywood by interning on shows like Hush (2016) and has since scripted over 6,500 minutes of primetime TV, including Battleground, Riona, Enakhe, Unbroken, and MTV Shuga Naija. Known for bold, authentic storytelling, she directs acclaimed shorts like Ijo (2022), Fine Girl (2025), Why Am I Angry? (award-winning), Omozi, and features like Lowkey Adults (2025). A mentor to emerging talents through writing programs, she champions diverse African narratives.

EARLY LIFE

Fatimah Binta Gimsay grew up watching amazing films and series, being inspired by Asian films, Mexican telenovelas, South African soaps, and Nollywood films. She was about to graduate university when she reached out to producer and director Victor Sanchez Aghahowa and offered to intern for free, having been transfixed by MultiChoice original shows like Tinsel, Hotel Majestic, and Hush.

CAREER

Fatimah Binta Gimsay is a prolific Nigerian screenwriter, director, producer, and founder of Hello July Films, based in Lagos. A Middlesex University graduate, she broke into Nollywood by interning on shows like Hush (2016) for producer and director Victor Sanchez Aghahowa, initially as a showrunner’s assistant and then a writer’s assistant. She also worked as a production assistant for the film Babysitting Ejiro (2016) and a story researcher and brief production coordinator for the series Jemeji (2017). In January 2018, she was accepted into her first writers’ room for the Africa Magic show Eve and later branched out to web series. She has since scripted over 6,500 minutes of primetime TV, including Battleground, Riona, Enakhe, Unbroken, MTV Shuga Naija, Game On, MTV Shuga 5, the 260-episode series Covenant, and Slum King. Known for bold, authentic storytelling, she wrote and directed her first short film, 'Why Am I Angry?' (2020), which was award-winning. Her next film 'Ijo' (2022) was screened at the British Council. In 2022, she directed 'Omozi'. Her recent directing work also includes the short film 'Fine Girl' (2025) and features like 'Lowkey Adults' (2025). A mentor to emerging talents through writing programs, she champions diverse African narratives.