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Filmmaker, human rights advocate & social entrepreneur
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Joana Adesuwa Reiterer
Joana Adesuwa Reiterer, "Jo" Is a Nigerian-born Austrian Entrepreneur and filmmaker. Adesuwa had to start up a business to fund her education. Even while studying polymer technology, she discovered her passion for film and fashion in the creative industry. Her passion for creative art led her into the Nigerian Film industry as early as 1997, where she served as an actor and all-rounder on production sets.
Years after Adesuwa moved to Austria, she founded the civil society Organisation EXIT in 2006 to advocate for survivors of human trafficking, setting a precedent case against the Austrian Asylum courts that forms the basis of the Austrian law's mandate to protect survivors of human trafficking from Edo state, Nigeria. Being the first African woman to publicly condemn the sexual exploitation of Nigerian women in Austria, Adesuwa became known for her outward activism, leading to high media attention and nominations for her preceding advocacy.
Adesuwa produced several short films, including the short feature film "A Place Of Peace," starring a popular Austria personality to raise awareness about human trafficking. One of her films, "Are We Aware," became a training tool for the UNODC and IOM used in 6 European countries to fight against human trafficking. She organised a film festival in Nigeria called the "Nawa Film Festival", hosting prominent voices from Nollywood.
As an actress, Adesuwa acted with Oscar-winner Emma Thompson, starring as "Selma" during the UN role-play in the Austrian parliament and later in New York. She toured with a theatre assemble performing as "Semi" in the play "Peter Pan". Joana Adesuwa Reiterer became nominated to the Alumni of Young Political Leaders (European minority) by the Obama administration in 2009.
In 2008, Adesuwa released her autobiography book called "Die Wassergöttin "available throughout bookstores in German-speaking Europe and online. In 2011, she released a documentary novel called "Hexen Kind" and continued her book tours and speaking engagements throughout German-speaking Europe. The same year, Adesuwa became the lead protagonist for the German TV station BR documentary "Joana und die Mächte der Finsternis", aired on ARD, ZDF and the Austrian National TV, ORF. Since then, she has worked with several companies to develop media reports, documentaries and ventures.
In June 2015, Adesuwa participated in the national television show "2 Minutes, 2 Million" of Puls4 Station in Austria and launched the JoadreFASHION project to empower Nigerian tailors and textile producers. Since the COVID pandemic, Adesuwa has rededicated her energy to film and content production after she launched a new edutainment platform for entrepreneurs, "JoadreTRIBE".
JoadreTRIBE is a web app platform that enables African entrepreneurs and students to find and develop their ideas. Joana Adesuwa Reiterer has received several awards for her work. As a filmmaker, Joana is currently working on several film projects and is in post-production for an international film where she served as a writer and director. To learn more, please follow Adesuwa on IG - @joanaadesuwareiterer and sign up for Joadre Newsletter here > NEWSLETTER. She currently resides in the countryside of Austria and in Lagos, Nigeria.