‘The Brutalist,’ ‘Nawi’ Creatives in Three-Film Deal, Kenya Soccer Doc

Pierce Capital Entertainment (PCE), the independent film finance and production company founded by Thomas Pierce, who served as an executive producer on Brady Corbet’s Oscar-winning The Brutalist and Olivier Assayas’ The Wizard of the Kremlin, and Munich, Germany-based production company FilmCrew Media have entered into a three-picture co-production partnership.

FilmCrew, founded by brothers Kevin Schmutzler and Tobias “Toby” Schmutzler, had an award-winning breakout hit in Nawi: Dear Future Me, a Kenya-set child marriage drama that was selected as the country’s official submission for best international feature film at the 97th Academy Awards.

The partnership will launch with Champions of Nowhere, a feature documentary to be directed by Academy Award-nominated Ugandan filmmaker and journalist Moses Bwayo (Bobi Wine: The People’s President) via his Los Angeles-based Jajja Productions.

“Set against the backdrop of Kakuma Refugee Camp and the Kakuma Football [aka Soccer] League [in Kenya], Champions of Nowhere follows a community whose shared love of sport becomes a source of identity, resilience and hope,” according to a synopsis. The project builds on FilmCrew’s existing ties to the region through its work on Nawi.

“While Kakuma Refugee Camp is known for its harsh climate and diverse refugee community, its inhabitants have found aspiration through the Kakuma Football League,” said Bwayo. “The once-desolate semi-desert now basks in hope, identity, dignity and a fighting spirit that speaks the universal language of sports. This project offers a window into what sports and a fighting spirit can bring to a community.”

The three-picture partnership brings together PCE’s independent film financing and production model with FilmCrew’s European production infrastructure and track record. Together with producers Lydia Wrensch and Caroline Heim, the Schmutzler brothers focus on producing culturally significant stories that address urgent social issues.

“Partnering with Thomas and the team at Pierce Capital Entertainment gives us a tremendous opportunity to scale our vision and bring important stories to a global audience,” said Toby Schmutzler. Added Kevin Schmutzler: “Our goal has always been to tell stories that entertain first, but also have the power to inspire action. With PCE, we found partners who understand both sides of that ambition.”

FilmCrew’s other projects so far have included Biking Borders, released on Netflix and Amazon, Tierbrücke (The Shelter), which documents animal rescue efforts during the war in Ukraine, and Robin: Watch for Wishes, a feature acquired by Electric Entertainment that supported an international campaign for children facing serious illnesses.

Most recently, the Schmutzler brothers’ original feature Beyond Day Zero was selected by the inaugural Next Narrative Africa Fund and is being developed with Trevor Noah’s Day Zero Productions. The story centers on the daughter of a water tycoon who joins forces with a township gangster to challenge the powerful system that divides their society.

Pierce Capital Entertainment is a Los Angeles- and New York-based film finance and production company focused on “commercially positioned independent films with global reach.” It targets projects with “cultural relevance, awards potential and international marketability.”

“This partnership represents an exciting expansion for PCE,” said Pierce. “FilmCrew has demonstrated that meaningful storytelling and commercial filmmaking are not mutually exclusive. Together, we look forward to building films that connect with audiences worldwide and contribute to broader cultural conversations and positive societal change.”

Additional projects under the partnership will be unveiled at a later stage.