Mohamett Derman is a self-made independent filmmaker, actor, and writer best known for his short film Dust Will Remember Me. He began his artistic journey creating small experimental films rooted in personal experience and the social realities around him. Derman's work is defined by emotional intensity, psychological realism, and bold visual storytelling. Without formal access to film education, he learned filmmaking independently - driven by passion, curiosity, and lived experience rather than traditional academic pathways. His storytelling explores memory, displacement, community history, and the silent emotional worlds people carry within themselves. Dust Will Remember Me continues to gain international recognition. The film has screened at several festivals, including the Lift-Off Global Network Festival (August 2025), Whittier Film Festival (September 2025), and the Timimoun International Short Film Festival (November 2025). In December 2025, it received a nomination for Best International Short Film at the Toronto Global Film Festival - marking a significant milestone in his emerging career. Later in 2025, the film was additionally honored with a Films That Move Collection Selection, recognizing its emotional depth and contribution to cultural healing, mental health discourse, and humanitarian storytelling - expanding its reach beyond traditional cinema platforms. Derman films often explore the thin line between comedy and tragedy. His characters navigate emotional duality: people who laugh through pain, mask vulnerability with confidence, or hide deep wounds beneath ordinary behavior. His style blends dark humor, raw realism, and poetic visual language, reflecting both personal and cultural identity. As an actor, Mohamett Derman is noted for his versatility and range - delivering grounded, emotionally truthful performances across dramatic, comedic, and psychologically complex roles. His growing body of work includes Dust Will Remember Me and Silence Never Laughs. By late 2025, Derman is recognized as part of a rising new wave of African independent filmmakers redefining cinema outside traditional systems. He continues developing new projects, expanding his craft, and building a cinematic legacy rooted in authenticity, humanity, and fearless storytelling.

Filmography