Writer/Director Noel Calloway is a masterful storyteller, skilled in crafting scripts and guiding camera movements. As a writer, he has penned eleven feature-length screenplays, covering a range of genres from thought-provoking dramas to thrilling comedies. His work has been distributed and licensed through prominent networks such as AMC Theaters, BET, and Viacom Networks.
As a director, Noel has made a significant impact, as evident in his first feature film, "Life, Love, Soul," which won the prestigious Audience Award at the Urban World Film Festival in New York City. The film's success led to its release in AMC theaters across the country and subsequent licensing to BET Networks.
Noel's passion for storytelling extends beyond his professional pursuits. As a devoted father to 14-year-old Kellen and husband to his wife Letitia, he prioritizes his family above all else. In his own words, "If I had a few more millions, my life would be perfect. I get to do what I love, and my family is amazing, it could have gone a different way, so I'm grateful."
However, Noel's journey has not been without its challenges. Raised in Harlem's drug-ridden 1980s and 1990s, he attended the Frederick Douglass Academy, where the mantra "without struggle there is no progress" has become a guiding principle in his life and work. The tumultuous childhood he experienced, including the incarceration of both parents, time in foster care, and the untimely death of his mother at 16, has driven him to break the cycle of his family's past and establish a new legacy for his children and their children.
Noel credits his early responsibility in shielding his younger sisters from the chaos of his life as the primary reason he has remained focused on achieving his goals and avoiding the pitfalls of those around him. Shortly after his mother's passing, he embarked on a life-changing trip to post-apartheid South Africa, where he witnessed the resilience and joy of the native South Africans despite their difficult circumstances. This experience instilled in him a sense of determination and a refusal to use his struggles as an excuse to undermine his future.
After studying film at Clark Atlanta University, Noel returned to New York, where he continued to write screenplays while establishing a career in youth services before making the full-time transition into the film industry. His unapologetic candor in filmmaking reflects the dichotomy that has characterized his life, and he draws inspiration from the mid-1990s, when Black film was at its peak, citing films like Boomerang, Higher Learning, and Love and Basketball as the blueprint for his career aspirations.
Noel is dedicated to telling the stories of his generation, believing that filmmaking gives their stories the depth and latitude they deserve. He is currently working on several projects, including scripted series Lost & Found and The Green Blocks, and is passionate about continuing to produce high-quality content that showcases the beauty and complexity of Black culture.
