About
The Natives are a maverick band of global filmmakers. For over a decade we have produced award winning world cinema features, as well as content for streamers and broadcasters such as Netflix, Amazon, BBC, HBO, ARTE, France 2, Channel 4, RAI, ZDF and others. We are open to new stories and partners, as long as they are bold, visionary and told with flair.
Meet the Natives
Director Philip Cox: email
With a background in literature and languages, Phil created the collective Native Voice Films with the intention to produce collaborative and diverse world cinema features along with experimenta and reportage. His recent cinematic features as director/writer are THE BENGALI DETECTIVE (Sundance and Berlin premiere – HBO), LOVE HOTEL (Toronto premiere. Netflix / BBC Storyville), BETTY THEY SAY I’M DIFFERENT (IDFA premiere, ARTE / BBC / Amazon), THE CLEANER (FR2), AND THE SPIDER-MAN OF SUDAN (ARTE / GUARDIAN). His latest work is the 2025 Berlinale award winning KHARTOUM. He is the recipient of a British Grierson Award, a Rory Peck Award, a Berlinale Peace Film award and the Hinzpeter and Prix Bayeux Calvados for his work covering conflict. He is currently developing the Native slate with two scripted narratives based on true stories and a hybrid musical feature with Sicilian fishermen. IMDB
Producer Giovanna Stopponi: email
Giovanna has a background in law and human rights and as co-director of Native Voice Films, has been producing world cinema features and award winning reportage since 2007. Her cinema films include THE BENGALI DETECTIVE, which premiered at Sundance and Berlinale and won a British Grierson Award; the Japanese feature LOVE HOTEL in a UK-France co-production with Oscar winning company Bonne Pioche for Netflix USA, BBC Storyville and France 2; and the ARTE/BBC film BETTY—THEY SAY I’M DIFFERENT. Her work SPIDER-MAN OF SUDAN for ARTE and The GUARDIAN in 2023, won the Prix Bayeux Calvados and Hinzpeter Award. She is the lead producer of recent Sundance and Berlinale world cinema hit KHARTOUM made in collaboration with Sudanese new talent. Giovanna is also Director of REACT a UK charity working with refugees to access education and a dignified life. IMDB
the COLLECTIVE IN 2025
Animation & GFX Philip K Good is an award-winning animator and motion graphics artist. He specialises in using a mixed media approach, combining photography, video, and 2D animation. He works across corporate, major streamers and indies like us! He is kinda a creative genius though too humble to ever admit it. His recent work with the Natives is BETTY - THEY SAY I’M DIFFERENT and KHARTOUM.
Sudanese filmmakers Ibrahim Snoopy, Rawia Alhag, Timeea M Ahmed and Anas Saeed, all became part of the Native collective to produce the world cinema feature KHARTOUM. Made with the Sudan Film Factory and Talal Afifi, these new talent filmmakers worked before and during the bitter war in Sudan alongside creative director and writer Phil Cox and editor and associate producer Yousef Jubeh. They are now engaged in their own new projects in East Africa and mentoring other African filmmakers. See www.khartoummovie.com for more info!
Producer & director Rafa Renas works with the Natives principally out of East Africa. She has a background in law and also working with minority groups alongside commercials and new media as a director. She is the director of THE SALON and Sudan producer for SPIDER-MAN OF SUDAN. We are very lucky to have Rafa’s talents as part of our collective as she brings an energy and crucial street knowledge to projects in this region.
Editor Ben Stark is an experienced multi-award-winning editor based in London, over 20+ years Ben's worked across most genres from documentary feature films, advertising, trails and broadcast TV. Ben is so painfully good at cinematic storytelling we try to keep him a secret. IMDB
Writer and director Sara Ezekiel is a visual artist and author from London. She has lived with MND for over 20 years and works through ‘eye gaze’ technology to create art despite her paralysis. She, along with world famous Drag Queen Cheddar Georgeous, are collaborating with the Natives to produce an eclectic and visionary audio visual work around the experience and perception of MND.
Editor Yousef Jubeh is a Palestinian-Irish producer & editor with a decade of experience in film and television, working for the BBC, Al Jazeera, ARTE, Lorton Entertainment, M&C Satchii, Burst Pictures, and the Natives. Recent features includes ‘Detained under the Houthis’, ‘Tim Westwood: Abuse of Power’ and THE SALON for ARTE France. Yousef was the brilliant editor and associate producer for our feature KHARTOUM.