ABOUT US

Expanding the Film Canon

Black Women Directors is a space that honors and uplifts the work of Black women and nonbinary people in film. This digital library is designed to serve as a celebration of their artistry and excellence, because too often, Black women and nonbinary filmmakers’ contributions to the film canon have been underplayed or outright ignored. Black Women Directors is designed to serve as a hub to highlight and celebrate those contributions and foster the further hiring of Black women and nonbinary filmmakers within the industry.

About Danielle

Danielle A. Scruggs is a photo editor and freelance photographer based in Chicago. She graduated from Howard University with a degree in journalism and from the Maryland Institute College of Art with a master’s degree in digital art. She attended the Kalish Workshop for Visual Editing and the New York Times Portfolio Review in 2018. She also is a member of IATSE Local 600 as a unit stills photographer.

She has exhibited her personal work across the United States and has been an artist-in-residence at the Vermont Studio Center, Center for Photography at Woodstock, Byrdcliffe, and the Wassaic Project. She has written about visual culture and film for Teen Vogue, RogerEbert.com, Ebony, The Triibe, and other publications.

“Black Women Directors is for me, first and foremost, a beacon. It is the signal fire that says, This can be done, this has been done, this will be done, by women just like you. It is a light in the darkness to community and lineage, celebration and inspiration...No matter how lonely the road or adrift we may feel, Black Women Directors is the clarion call reminding us that, seen and unseen, celebrated or unsung, our work matters.

”

— Natalie Cash, Executive Producer

what people say

Frequently Asked Questions

I don’t see my favorite director in the index! Where are they?

Black Women Directors, which started as a Tumblr in 2015, is not meant to be a definitive, end-all, be-all, exhaustive list. I have always viewed this platform as an ongoing, ever-growing archive of Black women and nonbinary filmmakers and their work. So, if you don't see your favorite director, fear not! They will be added; just keep checking back.

I should also note that at the moment, Black Women Directors is run by a staff of one, so while the additions may not be instantaneous, they are always coming!

What about gender identity?

“Women” means cis & trans women. Nonbinary and gender-nonconforming folks are also included. This is an inclusive space!

I am a Black woman/nonbinary filmmaker who wants to be added to the index. What should I do?

Excellent! Please send the following to blackwomendirectors@gmail.com:

a headshot
a 2-3 sentence bio
key art/film stills from your films
a link to your website and social media channels. If you don't have a website, a link to your reel on Vimeo or Youtube works as well.

I have an opportunity and I want to hire a black woman director. How do I go about contacting them?

Shoutout to you for expanding your hiring practices! As much as possible, I include contact information for the directors listed on this site—their websites and social media handles so that people can contact them directly for this very reason. However, if you need more research help, contact me!