Samuel Loe is the prodigy behind all productions at NAJA PROD and is one of Cameroon’s iconic audiovisual gurus. Leo has produced, co-produced, and directed several short films, fiction works, documentaries, and reports. Some of them have been broadcast on TV5Monde, RTS (Swiss Romande Television), CRTV, CANAL 2 International, and various renowned festivals.
Samuel Loe is a key member of the production house, which he co-founded in Germany in 2013 despite receiving little attention from the general public. We have chosen to highlight this behind-the-scenes character by tracing his journey.
Dreams!
Since his early years, Samuel Loe has had a love for the audiovisual world and dreamt of making a career in it. As the president of the journalism club since high school, he decided to pursue studies in film in Germany after obtaining his baccalaureate in 2006. In 2010, he earned a bachelor’s degree in media production. A few years later, he obtained a Master of Art in visual production (digital film production) at the University of Applied Sciences and Art in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Freshly graduated, he was eager to put his skills and knowledge to use for his continent. He firmly believed that Africa is a beautiful continent with immense cultural richness that, unfortunately, is not adequately showcased. For him, it is imperative to tell our own story, and audiovisuals are the ideal medium.
NAJA Project!
His active involvement in the Cameroonian community in Germany and Europe caught the attention of Wesleg Nanse. This encounter led to the idea of producing a TV miniseries. Thus, NAJA was born, a TV series aiming to present the daily lives of Africans in Germany more accurately. Samuel quickly realized the scarcity of African actors in Germany and decided to organize acting workshops for Africans. A casting call was held, attracting candidates from all over Europe for training. Renowned international actors such as Emil Abossolo Mbo, Binda Mgazolo, Félix Kama, Paulin Tadjadeu, Gratia Mahop, etc. joined the venture. What started as a TV series project evolved into a movement that produced several short films with René Tenenjou’s assistance, including Emil Abossolo Mbo’s “MY QUEST.” The NAJA series was later co-produced in the city of Heilbronn, Germany.
Reality!
After completing his studies, Samuel Loe conceived the “Tarrafilms” project, a company exclusively dedicated to the production and distribution of documentaries, fiction, and TV series. Eager to contribute his skills to his country, he worked on several projects for Cameroon. Consequently, he decided to return to his native country to materialize his projects, putting the “tarrafilms” project on hold in favor of the NAJA project, which evolved into a media group: NAJA PRODUCTION, with an online television channel, NAJA TV. Wesleg Nanse and Samuel Loe, who assumed the roles of technical and artistic director, co-founded NAJA PRODUCTION. The structure expanded with the arrival of Jean Bruno Tagne, the former Deputy General Manager in charge of information at Canal2 International. In this context, Samuel Loe produced several episodes of “ECCE HOMO” for the “La Grande Interview” show broadcast on Canal 2 International.
About NAJA project!
NAJA PRODUCTION is characterized by its rigor, a quality undoubtedly inherited from the German culture of its co-founders. NAJA PRODUCTION stands out from other production companies with broad know-how in terms of audiovisual production and management. The multidisciplinary nature of its top management makes a significant difference, with expertise in journalism, directing, post-production, distribution, and the production of quality content. The group owns an online television channel, NAJA TV, which broadcasts its own content. NAJA also specializes in short content production (commercials, music videos, corporate and institutional films). Gradually, the group expanded its services, offering NAJA DIGITAL, NAJA WEDDING, and NAJA EDITION. Undoubtedly, NAJA PRODUCTION has grown in Cameroon, producing numerous institutional films for major international organizations, documentaries, and content for television. In just a few years, NAJA has firmly established itself in the production and media sectors in Cameroon.
A wealth of experience!
Samuel Loe effortlessly transitions from production to camera work, editing, sound, and lighting. This versatility has allowed him to be the architect of several projects. Samuel Loe has numerous accomplishments to his name. In 2009, he produced a documentary on witchcraft in Cameroon, titled “The Nightmare of a Belief.” This 62-minute documentary explores witchcraft from ethnological, anthropological, sociological, and even legal perspectives. It has been translated into several languages (French, English, German, Serbian, Polish, and Czech) and screened at numerous festivals worldwide: in England, Germany, Austria, the USA, Poland, Serbia, and the Czech Republic.
In 2010, in collaboration with Vincent Djeumo, Samuel Loe co-produced a documentary titled “Les traces du Cameroun à Berlin” (“The Traces of Cameroon in Berlin”). This didactic film discusses the traces of Cameroon in Berlin after the 1884–1885 conference, where European colonizers divided the African continent. The film was broadcast on TV5Monde.
In 2018, he co-directed with Paulin Tadjadjeu “Une Affaire de Mini Jupe Saison 2” (“A Mini Skirt Affair Season 2”), broadcast on TV5Monde. In January 2022, Samuel Loe directed and co-produced a documentary about German cooperation in Cameroon. This project, shot in all 10 regions of Cameroon, highlights the splendors and diversity of Cameroon, deserving of its nickname, “Africa in Miniature.”
With NAJA PROD, he co-produced and directed numerous projects, including successful shows like NAJA TALK-SHOW, AUTANT LE DIRE, and many institutional films, documentaries, and television content.
Editor’s Note: The article above is part of a new series of reports MMI will be publishing to celebrate English-speaking Cameroonians and Cameroonians as a whole, who are excelling in the country and abroad.
