Mazi Chimex

EARLY LIFE

Michael Chimex Onwunali was born on 3 April 1985 in Aba, Abia State. His passion for storytelling and creative expression started from childhood. He pursued formal training in filmmaking at the National Film Institute in Jos, Nigeria, where he earned both a Diploma in Filmmaking and a Bachelor of Film Arts degree.

CAREER

Michael Chimex Onwunali is the Lead Filmmaker and founder of Tehilla Films, a production company based in Lagos and Jos. He has over 20 years of experience working across different departments in film and television. He is actively involved in writing, directing, and producing films. One of his notable works is the feature film 'A Bag of Trouble' (2023), where he served as writer. He is passionate about quality storytelling and continues to create content through his production company. His short films have won several awards in Nigeria and internationally, with 'NightFall' notably featuring at the St. Petersburg Open Student Film Festival (2008), Tel Aviv University International Short Film Festival (2008), and Lola Kenya Screen.

PERSONAL LIFE

Michael is married to Chioma Hans Michael. The couple is blessed with three children. He is based in Lagos, Nigeria (with operations also in Jos), and is known to be a lover of football, PlayStation, music, and movies.

Maazi Chimex is respected for his dedication to the craft of filmmaking. He is known for the quote: “We don’t make movies to live, we live to make movies.”