(A)manda Mutai

Director  |  Writer | Producer

Manda is a queer, Kenyan-American writer/director. As an MFA Directing graduate student from DePaul University, her work pushes the boundaries of the coming-of-age genre and showcases radial and expansive stories from a queer African perspective. Manda focuses on filmmaking and storytelling as a means of reflection and introspection, creating works that explore the many facets of her identity while simultaneously connecting across differences to viewers searching for a shared humanity. Manda is a curious filmmaker passionate about storytelling and the transformative quality of art. She recontextualizes stories about the African continent and those of the diaspora while actively working to reject what Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie calls, “the single story.” Her art explores different depths of love and the ways that they interact, challenge, and fortify each other. She examines the intersections of familial, platonic, and romantic intimacy as they transform relationships amid the mundane and magical turmoil of daily life.

In addition to narrative filmmaking, Manda explores the intersection of art, identity and social justice through her documentary filmmaking work. Their latest project follows Dennis Wise, a community artist who brings his community together through his many forms of creative expression like his sculpture garden. Manda believes in the power of documentary filmmaking to challenge narratives, spark dialogue, and inspire meaningful change.