Wikipedia

Draft:Emmanuel Amoako-Jansen

Emmanuel Amoako-Jansen
Director Emmanuel Amoako-Jansen photographed by Meike Kenn at Soho House Berlin for Sleek Magazine in December 2025.
Born1987 (age 38–39)
Haan, Germany
Other namePennedhaus
OccupationsFilm Director, screenwriter, singer-songwriter, music producer, DJ
Years active2008 - present
Notable workDanke - a short film

Emmanuel Amoako-Jansen (born 1987), also known professionally as Pennedhaus, is a German-Ghanaian director, filmmaker, screenwriter, singer-songwriter, music producer and DJ whose work spans film, music and interdisciplinary cultural storytelling.[1] He is the founder of iemagination, a multidisciplinary creative agency through which he developed projects across film, music, culture and brand storytelling. He also founded ATR, an independent film production platform dedicated to long-form storytelling and original intellectual property, as well as the music imprint Farming Society.

Early life and education

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Amoako-Jansen was born in Haan, Germany, and spent most of his childhood and formative years in Düsseldorf. He was raised by Ghanaian parents who migrated to Germany during the 1980s.

Through close family ties on his mother's side, including relatives living in the United States, he spent significant periods there throughout his youth and has described himself as being shaped by African, African-American and African-German cultural experiences. During a visit to New Jersey in 1998, exposure to R&B music and Hip-hop culture played a significant role in shaping his early creative interests. Initially drawn to music, he began with songwriting before moving into music production, arranging and recording. His interest in sound later expanded into visual media, eventually leading him to filmmaking and cinematography.

From 2007 to 2010 he studied Marketing Communications at the Düsseldorf Academy for Marketing Communication. He later attended Deutsche Pop Akademie in Cologne, where he graduated with a diploma in Music Management (2012).

After relocating to Munich in 2013, Amoako-Jansen worked in music consulting and music licensing at the music production office of ProSieben. Alongside his work in the media industry, he continued developing independent projects across music and visual media, laying the foundation for his later work as a director, producer and creative entrepreneur.

Following his time at ProSieben, he became self-employed and increasingly focused on his own creative practice. In 2017 he relocated to Berlin, where he expanded his work across music, film and cultural production. Later that year, he worked with German artist Eunique, editing the documentary series Becoming Eunique and serving as tour manager during her Gift tour.

Music career

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Amoako-Jansen began DJing in 2008 in the Düsseldorf area before becoming active across Munich's music and cultural scene. Between 2014 and 2017 he organized and hosted event formats including Touch, Against All Odds and Make Some Noise, combining music, culture and community-oriented programming.

In 2012, he worked as DJ for Ado Kojo, accompanying him on tours and live performances, including appearances alongside Ryan Leslie. Through his long-term collaboration with Ado Kojo, he later contributed as songwriter and producer to tracks on the album Reise X, including Wer ist dieser Junge featuring Eko Fresh and Venus.[2]

He was also involved in projects surrounding Serious Klein and appeared in the music video Nineties Babies. In 2017, under the name Pennedhaus, he collaborated with Ebow on the track Paradise from her album Komplexität.[3] He co-produced the instrumental, appeared as a featured artist and directed the accompanying music video. The project emerged from a cultural exchange program in Turkey organized by the Goethe-Institut, later documented by the Süddeutsche Zeitung.[4]

Performing under the name Pennedhaus, Amoako-Jansen released music combining influences from contemporary R&B, Rap, Alté, Afrobeat and Pop. His debut single Azonto was released in 2020.[5] From 2020 to 2025 he was signed to a songwriting and producer agreement with BMG Rights Management. In 2021 he founded Farming Society, an independent music imprint operating under a First Flight partnership with Recordjet.

Alongside his own releases, Amoako-Jansen developed soundtrack projects connected to his film work. For his directorial debut Danke, he curated and released Danke - The Soundtrack.[6] The project featured contributions from actor Malick Bauer, journalist Malcolm Ohanwe and television host Anna Dushime. Through Farming Society, he also supported artist Idia Joy across creative direction, executive production and musical development.

RESET

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RESET - Music Inspired by Stilllieben is a collaborative soundtrack project scheduled for release in 2027 and continues Amoako-Jansen's audiovisual storytelling approach. Conceived as an extension of the narrative world of Stilllieben (Bold Love), the project features national and international artists and brings together musicians across genres and disciplines as part of a broader cross-media approach spanning film and music.

Film career

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Among Amoako-Jansen's earliest audiovisual projects was Contradiction (2013), developed in collaboration with BWGTBLD. He wrote the narrative concept and appeared on screen, marking an early intersection of his interests in writing, performance and visual storytelling.[7]

In 2014 he directed and shot Bulletproof for former Monrose member Bahar Kızıl. The project was among the earliest productions associated with the creative platform later established as iemagination and marked an early step in his transition from music into visual storytelling. Over the following years, he expanded his practice across music videos, commercial productions and other audiovisual projects.

In 2020 he wrote and directed Danke, a short film centered on the representation and diversity of Black women. Based on Ella Essien's Eine Handvoll Herbst und eine Prise Sommer, the film was adapted into a screenplay by Amoako-Jansen and later featured by Vogue Germany.[8][9] The film screened at the European Film Festival Ghana and the Silicon Valley African Film Festival.[10]

Alongside his directing work, Amoako-Jansen worked as a cinematographer on productions including Sam - Ein Sachse: Die Doku and the Arte documentary series Reminded.[11]

Since 2019 he has worked on his debut feature film Stilllieben (international title: Bold Love), completed in 2026. Shot between Berlin and Accra, the episodic feature explores intimacy, masculinity and emotional communication through the perspectives of Black men navigating contemporary relationships. The film is currently in festival circulation ahead of an anticipated 2027 release.[12][13]

Stilllieben

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Stilllieben (international title: Bold Love) represents Amoako-Jansen's feature film debut and the culmination of a multi-year development process spanning writing, directing, music and visual storytelling.[14]

In interviews surrounding the project, Amoako-Jansen described an interest in portraying Black male experiences beyond stereotypical representations, focusing on emotional openness, vulnerability and reflection. Writing in SLEEK Magazine, the film was described as an intimate exploration of masculinity and vulnerability centered on the emotional inner worlds of Black men.[15] The project has been cited by Amoako-Jansen as bringing together experiences from different stages of his career, including music, artist development, touring, cinematography and directing. Ahead of the film's release, he initiated a series of curated preview events titled Still Screenings, developed as private, invite-only screenings intended to foster dialogue and community around the project.[16]

Private preview screenings for cast, crew and invited guests, collectively titled Still Screenings, were presented at venues including Fotografiska Berlin, Soho House Berlin and in Accra, Ghana in collaboration with the Africa Film Society, with an additional screening held at NIO House Düsseldorf. As of 2026, Stilllieben is being submitted to international film festivals ahead of its planned public release.

Photography and cultural projects

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In 2017 he presented Half a Century Plus Ten – The Intuition, his first photography exhibition.[17] Developed following a stay in Ghana, the project reflected on Ghanaian independence, cultural memory and diasporic identity. Referencing Ghana's six decades of independence, the exhibition formed part of a broader multidisciplinary concept combining photography, music and cultural exchange.

Journalism and cultural work

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During his years in Munich, Amoako-Jansen became involved in interview and cultural formats connected to international hip-hop culture, featuring artists including Sean Price and EMC.[18][19] He later developed the visual interview platform Make Some Noise, which featured artist conversations and visual interviews with musicians including Rema and Tory Lanez.[20]

Together with Malcolm Ohanwe, he also conducted the first German interview with Rema for BR PULS.[21]

These interview and conversation-based formats later informed the development of 20.14, a curated long-form cultural platform whose ideas originated around 2014 and were formally realized as 20.14 Live in collaboration with Soho House Berlin in 2026. The platform brings together guests from film, music and culture through conversations surrounding creativity, identity and contemporary society. Early guests included musician Adesse and author, journalist and relationship expert Paula Lambert. In July 2024, Amoako-Jansen participated in A Conversation with Director and Audio Visual Artist Emmanuel Amoako-Jansen, organized through the German Summer School at the Pacific at Portland State University. The discussion focused on filmmaking, audiovisual storytelling and cultural perspectives.[22][23] The conversation reflected Amoako-Jansen's interest in "edutainment", an approach combining education, entertainment and cultural dialogue. Amoako-Jansen has also been referenced in discussions surrounding representation and contemporary cultural perspectives.[24]

Filmography

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Films

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Year Title Role Festivals / Notes
2020 Danke - a short Film[25][26] Writer, Director, DOP, Executive Producer Selected for the Silicon Valley African Film Festival and the European Film Festival Ghana; screened as part of Classics in the Park by Africa Film Society
2027 Stilllieben (Bold Love)[27][28] Completed in 2026 and currently in festival circulation ahead of an anticipated 2027 release

Television and series

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Year Title Role Released / Platform Production Notes
2021 Square für Künstler - Ebow[29] Post-production, Editing Arte Arte Episode centered around queer communities, safe spaces and contemporary cultural discourse featuring Ebow
2023 Sam - Ein Sachse: Die Doku[30] Director of Photography Disney+, ARD Mediathek UFA Documentary companion project to the Disney+ series Sam - Ein Sachse
2023 REMINDED[31][32] Arte Florianfilm Documentary series hosted by Malcolm Ohanwe

Documentary films

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Year Title Role Notes
2022 As Above So Below[33] Director, DOP, Editor, Producer Audiovisual documentary collaboration with Idia Joy
2025 Running Echoes[34] Documentary produced in collaboration with Solebox and Puma

Music videos

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Music videos for other artists

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Year Artist Title Role
2014 Bahar Kızıl Bulletproof[35] Director, Director of Photography
2017 Ebow Paradise[36] Director, Director of Photography, Editor, Co-Producer, Featured Artist
2019 Haben feat. Robo Mit mein Nepsis[37] Director, Director of Photography, Editor, Sound Design
2020 Afrob Eins noch[38][39] Director, Camera
2020 Celina Bostic Nie Wieder Leise[40] Director, Editor
2020 MONSOUN (Grace Risch) Heiß[41] Visual Creative Direction, Producer
2021 Idia Joy A Siren's Kiss[42] Director, Director of Photography, Producer, Editor
2021 Ebow Araba[43] Editor, Colourist
2022 Idia Joy My Head[44] Director, Director of Photography, Producer
2022 Idia Joy Song of Psyche[45] Director, Director of Photography, Producer, Editor
2023 Idia Joy Idias Heart[46] Director, Director of Photography, Producer, Editor
2023 TTeo Follow Me[47][48] Director, Director of Photography, Screenplay, Editor
2024 Habesha Weisse Tauben[49][50] Director, Screenplay

Music videos as lead artist

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Year Title Director(s)
2014 Lovehigh[51] Marvin Stroeter, Emmanuel Amoako-Jansen
2015 Patience[52] Emmanuel Amoako-Jansen, Boyd Olthoff
2018 I Don't Know[53] Emmanuel Amoako-Jansen, Boyd Olthoff
2020 Azonto[54][55] Emmanuel Amoako-Jansen
2021 25/8 Emmanuel Amoako-Jansen, Marvin Hillebrand
2023 Mit Dir[56] Emmanuel Amoako-Jansen

Discography

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Albums

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Title Year Notes
Danke - The Soundtrack[57] 2021 Soundtrack accompanying the short film Danke
RESET - Music Inspired by Stilllieben 2027 Collaborative LP project inspired by and extending the narrative world of Stilllieben

Singles

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List of singles as lead artist, showing year released and album

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Title Release year Notes
Azonto[58][59] 2020 Debut single, released via NowNow Records
25/8[60] 2021 Released as part of Danke - The Soundtrack via NowNow Records
Fühlst Mich (featuring Feli Ciano)[61] 2021 Released as part of Danke - The Soundtrack via NowNow Records
Allein[62] 2021 Released as part of Danke - The Soundtrack via NowNow Records
Du + Ich[63] 2022 Released via FRMN
Intro / K.W.A.I.[64] 2022 Released via FRMN
Mit Dir[65] 2023 Released via FRMN
Berlin Accra[66] 2023 Released via FRMN
Was Geht (Heut' Nacht)[67] 2023 Released via FRMN

Guest appearances

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Title Release year Artist Album Label
Paradise[68] 2017 Ebow Komplexität Problembär Records
Ballet On The Moon[69] 2023 Idia Joy Ballet On The Moon FRMN

Production discography

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Selected Production and songwriting and arrangement credits

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Title Year Artist Album Label Credits
Lovehigh 2014 Pennedhaus - Independent Producer, Songwriter
Wer ist dieser Junge 2015 Ado Kojo feat. Eko Fresh Reise X Polydor Songwriter
Venus 2016 Ado Kojo Reise X Polydor Producer, Songwriter
Paradise 2017 Ebow Komplexität Problembär Records Co-Producer, Songwriter
Heiß 2020 Monsoun - NowNow Records Co-Producer
Azonto 2020 Pennedhaus - NowNow Records Producer, Songwriter
25/8 2021 Pennedhaus Danke - The Soundtrack NowNow Records Producer, Songwriter
Allein 2021 Pennedhaus Danke - The Soundtrack NowNow Records Producer, Songwriter
Fühlst Mich 2021 Pennedhaus feat. Feli ciano Danke - The Soundtrack NowNow Records Songwriter
A Siren's Kiss 2021 Idia Joy A Quite Storm (EP) FRMN Producer, Co-Writer
Du + Ich 2022 Pennedhaus - FRMN Producer, Songwriter
Intro / K.W.A.I. 2022 Pennedhaus - FRMN Producer, Songwriter
My Head 2022 Idia Joy A Quite Storm (EP) FRMN Producer, Co-Writer
Song of Psyche 2022 Idia Joy A Quite Storm (EP) FRMN Producer, Co-Writer
Mit Dir 2023 Pennedhaus - FRMN Producer, Songwriter
Berlin Accra 2023 Pennedhaus - FRMN Producer, Songwriter
Was Geht (Heut' Nacht) 2023 Pennedhaus - FRMN Producer, SOngwriter
Idias Heart 2023 Idia Joy - FRMN Producer, Co-Writer
Ballet On The Moon 2023 Idia Joy - FRMN Producer, Co-Writer

References

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  1. ↑ "Mehr davon, Pennedhaus! Der Künstler feiert mit seinem Kurzfilm „Danke" Schwarze Frauen". Vogue Germany. Retrieved 26 May 2026.
  2. ↑ "Ado Kojo feat. Eko Fresh – Wer ist dieser Junge". Offizielle Deutsche Charts. Retrieved 26 May 2026.
  3. ↑ "Ebow – Komplexität". Discogs. Retrieved 26 May 2026.
  4. ↑ "Neuland: Ebow in der Türkei". Süddeutsche Zeitung. Retrieved 26 May 2026.
  5. ↑ "Berliner Künstler PENNEDHAUS – Single Azonto und Kurzfilm Danke veröffentlicht". GSI News. Retrieved 26 May 2026.
  6. ↑ "Danke – The Soundtrack". Spotify. Retrieved 26 May 2026.
  7. ↑ "Emmanuel Amoako-Jansen Interview". Selbstdarstellungssucht. Retrieved 26 May 2026.
  8. ↑ "Perspektivwechsel: Filmemacher Emmanuel Amoako-Jansen porträtiert die Vielseitigkeit von Schwarzen Frauen". Femtastics. Retrieved 26 May 2026.
  9. ↑ "Mehr davon Pennedhaus". Vogue Germany. Retrieved 26 May 2026.
  10. ↑ "European Film Festival Ghana". European External Action Service. Retrieved 26 May 2026.
  11. ↑ "Sam – Ein Sachse: Die Doku". Crew United. Retrieved 26 May 2026.
  12. ↑ "Emmanuel Amoako-Jansen". SLEEK Magazine. Retrieved 26 May 2026.
  13. ↑ "Meine Woche: Filmemacher Emmanuel Amoako-Jansen". The Spot Media & Film. Retrieved 26 May 2026.
  14. ↑ "Meine Woche: Filmemacher Emmanuel Amoako-Jansen". The Spot Media & Film. Retrieved 26 May 2026.
  15. ↑ "Emmanuel Amoako-Jansen". SLEEK Magazine. Retrieved 26 May 2026.
  16. ↑ "Meine Woche: Filmemacher Emmanuel Amoako-Jansen". The Spot Media & Film. Retrieved 26 May 2026.
  17. ↑ "Half a Century Plus Ten – The Intuition". Köşk München. Retrieved 26 May 2026.
  18. ↑ "Sean P Interview". YouTube. Retrieved 26 May 2026.
  19. ↑ "EMC Interview". YouTube. Retrieved 26 May 2026.
  20. ↑ "Rema Interview – Make Some Noise". YouTube. Retrieved 26 May 2026.
  21. ↑ "Interview mit Rema". BR PULS. Retrieved 26 May 2026.
  22. ↑ "Curriculum – Deutsche Sommerschule am Pazifik". Portland State University. Retrieved 26 May 2026.
  23. ↑ "A Conversation with Director and Audio Visual Artist Emmanuel Amoako-Jansen". YouTube. Retrieved 26 May 2026.
  24. ↑ "Mehr Revolt, Maralago". Berliner Ensemble. Retrieved 26 May 2026.
  25. ↑ "Danke – A Short Film". YouTube. Retrieved 26 May 2026.
  26. ↑ "Mehr davon: PENNEDHAUS feiert mit seinem Kurzfilm „Danke" die Schwarze Frau". Vogue Germany. Retrieved 26 May 2026.
  27. ↑ "Emmanuel Amoako-Jansen". SLEEK Magazine. Retrieved 26 May 2026.
  28. ↑ "Meine Woche: Filmemacher Emmanuel Amoako-Jansen". The Spot Media & Film. Retrieved 26 May 2026.
  29. ↑ "Square für Künstler – Ebow". Arte. Retrieved 26 May 2026.
  30. ↑ "Sam – Ein Sachse: Die Doku". Crew United. Retrieved 26 May 2026.
  31. ↑ "REMINDED". IMDb. Retrieved 26 May 2026.
  32. ↑ "Malcolm Ohanwe zur Doku-Reihe "Reminded"". Deutschlandfunk. Retrieved 26 May 2026.
  33. ↑ "As Above So Below". YouTube. Retrieved 26 May 2026.
  34. ↑ "Running Echoes". YouTube. Retrieved 26 May 2026.
  35. ↑ "Bahar – Bulletproof". YouTube. Retrieved 26 May 2026.
  36. ↑ "Ebow – Paradise". Red Bull. Retrieved 26 May 2026.
  37. ↑ "Haben feat. Robo – Mit mein Nepsis". YouTube. Retrieved 26 May 2026.
  38. ↑ "Afrob – Eins noch". YouTube. Retrieved 26 May 2026.
  39. ↑ "Afrob präsentiert mit „Eins noch" eine Hymne für alle Alleinerziehenden". Diffus. Retrieved 26 May 2026.
  40. ↑ "Celina Bostic – Nie Wieder Leise". YouTube. Retrieved 26 May 2026.
  41. ↑ "MONSOUN – Heiß". YouTube. Retrieved 26 May 2026.
  42. ↑ "Idia Joy – A Siren's Kiss". YouTube. Retrieved 26 May 2026.
  43. ↑ "Ebow – Araba". YouTube. Retrieved 26 May 2026.
  44. ↑ "Idia Joy – My Head". YouTube. Retrieved 26 May 2026.
  45. ↑ "Idia Joy – Song of Psyche". YouTube. Retrieved 26 May 2026.
  46. ↑ "Idia Joy – Idias Heart". YouTube. Retrieved 26 May 2026.
  47. ↑ "TTeo – Follow Me". YouTube. Retrieved 26 May 2026.
  48. ↑ "TTeo". Sonar Kollektiv. Retrieved 26 May 2026.
  49. ↑ "Habesha – Weisse Tauben". YouTube. Retrieved 26 May 2026.
  50. ↑ "Habesha – Weisse Tauben". Hiphop.de. Retrieved 26 May 2026.
  51. ↑ "Pennedhaus – Lovehigh". YouTube. Retrieved 26 May 2026.
  52. ↑ "Pennedhaus – Patience". YouTube. Retrieved 26 May 2026.
  53. ↑ "Pennedhaus – I Don't Know". YouTube. Retrieved 26 May 2026.
  54. ↑ "Pennedhaus – Azonto". YouTube. Retrieved 26 May 2026.
  55. ↑ "Berliner Künstler PENNEDHAUS – Single Azonto und Kurzfilm Danke veröffentlicht". GSI News. Retrieved 26 May 2026.
  56. ↑ "Pennedhaus – Mit Dir". YouTube. Retrieved 26 May 2026.
  57. ↑ "Danke – The Soundtrack". Apple Music. Retrieved 26 May 2026.
  58. ↑ "Azonto". Apple Music. Retrieved 26 May 2026.
  59. ↑ "Berliner Künstler PENNEDHAUS – Single Azonto und Kurzfilm Danke veröffentlicht". GSI News. Retrieved 26 May 2026.
  60. ↑ "25/8". Apple Music. Retrieved 26 May 2026.
  61. ↑ "Fühlst Mich". Apple Music. Retrieved 26 May 2026.
  62. ↑ "Allein". Apple Music. Retrieved 26 May 2026.
  63. ↑ "Du + Ich". Apple Music. Retrieved 26 May 2026.
  64. ↑ "Intro / K.W.A.I." Apple Music. Retrieved 26 May 2026.
  65. ↑ "Mit Dir". Apple Music. Retrieved 26 May 2026.
  66. ↑ "Berlin Accra". Apple Music. Retrieved 26 May 2026.
  67. ↑ "Was Geht (Heut' Nacht)". Apple Music. Retrieved 26 May 2026.
  68. ↑ "Paradise". Spotify. Retrieved 26 May 2026.
  69. ↑ "Ballet On The Moon (feat. Pennedhaus)". Apple Music. Retrieved 26 May 2026.

==External links==

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