One of the most versatile voices in contemporary storytelling, Janicza Bravo pushes creative boundaries and seamlessly moves between film, television, and acting. From her Sundance Grand Jury Prize-winning short Gregory Go Boom to the critically acclaimed feature Zola, Janicza’s impressive filmography showcases her ability to blend sharp wit with incisive observations about race, identity, and human behaviour. Not content to work within a single medium, her distinctive visual style has elevated everything from indie films to the most acclaimed TV episodes including Atlanta, Poker Face, Dear White People, The Bear, and The Listeners, while maintaining her theatrical roots. Janicza’s expertise in transforming unconventional narratives — like a viral Twitter thread — into compelling cinema has earned her collaborations with top-tier talent and established her as a fearless storyteller unafraid to tackle provocative material.
Join us for a deep dive into her cinematic world. We’ll explore her bold and distinctive visual style, her knack for transforming real-life chaos into surrealist satire, and how she captures the zeitgeist with electric energy and incisive social commentary. In conversation with Clement Virgo, director Steal Away.
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Photo by Pat Martin
Janicza Bravo
Janicza Bravo is an award-winning director, writer, and producer who continues to push creative boundaries by breathing life into the most distinctive of stories. Bravo is known for her ability to blend uncomfortable humor with social commentary, often exploring themes of race, identity, and human behavior.
She directed and co-wrote A24’s Zola, based on the viral 148-tweet thread by A’ziah “Zola” King. The film premiered at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival and received seven Film Independent Spirit Award nominations, including Best Director and Best Feature.
Her debut feature Lemon premiered at Sundance in 2017 and was sold to Magnolia Pictures. Earlier, her short film Gregory Go Boom won the Jury Prize for U.S. Fiction at Sundance.
Bravo’s television credits include Atlanta (the “Juneteenth” episode), Divorce, In Treatment, Dear White People, The Bear, Poker Face, Mrs. America, and the BBC drama The Listeners. She also directed and starred in Lena Dunham’s Netflix series Too Much.