Geskeva Komba

Geskeva Komba is a trans-disciplinary creative with 13 years’ experience in community development, theatre, film, spoken word and music. Raised in the Western suburbs of Melbourne, Geskeva’s ancestral roots merge from Tanzania and the archipelago islands of Comoros.

A self-taught vocalist and emcee, Geskeva was a founding member of Australia’s first Hip Hop Choir, MASSIVE. Performing as part of the ensemble at festivals, collaborative music performances, and regional or local events. Notable performances include the Falls Music & Arts Festival (2011), and the Melbourne Festival (2013 & 2015). Notable collaborations include international artist Emmanuel Jal, Home-grown talent such as Diafrix, Blue King Brown, Mantra, and the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra.

Geskeva is a former member of the Flemington Theatre Group, a group of young African artists who co-created and performed original theatre shows such as Black Face White Mask and Zamunda. Selling out shows at venues such as the Arts Incinerator, Coopers Malthouse and the Metanoia Theatre at the Mechanics Institute in Melbourne.

In 2017, Geskeva produced, co-directed and performed in a show titled AMKA in collaboration with cohealth Arts Generator as part of the Melbourne Fringe Festival. The production was a partnership with, and presented at the Arts Centre Melbourne and was highly commended by audience members and the community.

Geskeva is a graduate of the Victorian College of the Arts’ Master of Producing, alumni of the Cinespace Story Lab and Story Lab 2.0, as well as the Compton School 3-2-1 Workshop taught by Andrea Buck and David Court. She has also recently completed a six-month Producer Placement with Cathartic Pictures supported by VicScreen in February 2022.

Her recent work as a producer, and graduate film for the Master of Producing course at the VCA titled ‘BLVCK GOLD’ (Dir. Ez Eldin Deng) had its International Premiere at the 30th Pan African Film Festival (2022) and its Australian Premiere at the St Kilda Film Festival (2022). Since then, the film has gone on to screen at the Durban International FIlm Festival (2022), Bronzelens Film Festival (Atlanta) (2022), Montreal Interantional Black Film Festival (2022), Silicon Valley African Film Festival (2022), South African Independent Film Festival (2022), and the 32nd Flickerfest International Short Film Festival (2023). She is also currently collaborating on a 6-part drama titled ‘Common Ground’ produced by Cathartic Pictures as a writer as well as a producer, and the project is currently being supported by ABC/VicScreen.

Geskeva has contributed to four academic publications (Colour Between the Lines: Self-determination and the Creation of Settings as Resistance to Structural Violence (2021; Theatre for Change (2018); Interrogating Conceptions of “Vulnerable Youth” in Theory, Policy and Practice - Young People Speak (2015); How Drama Activates Learning - Drama, Cultural Leadership and Reflective Practice: Taking the Road to Zamunda (2013)

Awards and accolades include Australian Human Rights ‘Racism. It Stops With Me Award’ (2017) and the VicHealth award (2015) for Improving Mental Wellbeing for the Sisters and Brothers program produced in collaboration with cohealth Arts Generator.

Geskeva continues to work in spaces that engage critical thinking, art and community and is passionate about combining her skills working with community, the performing arts and writing stories to build platforms of multiplicity and authentic representation as well as to promote better health and wellbeing.

‘Always hold on to your imagination and curiosity.
This is what drives my love for story, creativity and connection to culture.’