Leila Djansi

**Leila Afua Djansi** be American den Ghanaian filmmaker wey start ein film career insyd de Ghana film industry.

## Ein Early life
Dem born Leila Afua Djansi for 17 July. Na ein poppie be pilot wey ein mommie be big nurse. Djansi grow up for India den Ghana. Although na acting den writing be ein hobbies, na ein career ambition be make she cam turn gynecologist, a plan wey later change wen she develope an interest insyd forensics. While she dey study criminology, anoda career change occur wen she meet de Ghanaian actor Sam Odoi, wey he convince am make she wrep a script give am. Na she be 19 years old wen na dem make ein script *Babina* into a movie by producer Akwetey Kanyi.

## Ein Education
Djansi attend de Kabore Primary and JSS, Mawuli School for primary, junior den secondary education respectively all dey locate insyd Ho, insyd de Volta Region of Ghana.

She begin ein film education at de National Film and Television School, buh she lef Ghana for de United States make she continue ein Film den Television Degree at Savannah College of Art and Design for an artistic honors scholarship top.

## Ein Career
She be President of Ghana Library Board Readers Club for three years, Djansi start ein entertainment career for 1998, wen she be runner-up for one beauty contest for her junior high school, She be young girl dat time, buh she start shine.

Djansi begin ein filmmaking career insyd Ghana at de age of 19 plus de Ghana Film Company. Djansi work plus de state-owned Gama Film Company, wer na she wrep den produce *Legacy of Love*.

Ein directorial debut *I Sing* *of a Well* insyd 2009 net an unprecedented 11 nominations at de Africa Movie Academy Awards, wey she win de Special Jury Award for Overall Best Film. For addition, na dem present de film plus de BAFTA/LA Choice Award at de Pan African Film Festival for excellence insyd filmmaking.

Djansi follow plus de advocacy film *Sinking* *Sands* wich dey support de Say No to Violence Against Women Campaign for UNiFEM Ghana. Insyd 2011, Djansi ein *Ties* *That* *Bind* win Best Diaspora Film at de San Diego Black Film Festival, e sanso cam turn an official selection to AFI ein New African Films Festival insyd 2012. Na dem nominate de film ein star, Kimberly Elise, for Best Actress at de American Black Film Festival. Na dem sanso nominate de film for Outstanding Foreign Film at de 2012 Black Reel Awards.

Na Djansi ein *Like Cotton Twines* be official selection to de 2016 Los Angeles Film Festival under de World Fiction Section. Dem shoot de film entirely for location insyd Ghana dey explore issues of modern-day slavery wen an African American volunteer dey travel to a rural community insyd Ghana make she teach den discover one of ein students, a 14-year-old girl, cam turn a religious slave.

Ein oda credits dey include *Where Children Play* plus Grammy winner Macy Gray, de LA Film Festival Best Episodic Television Show 40 den Single for AMC ein Urban Movie Channel, den *All The Men in my Life* wey dey star Rochelle Aytes.

Na dem recognize Djansi by various international organizations for continuously wey dey use filmmaking make she bring light to women dema issues, wey na she consistently make movies for women den about women while she employ diversity behind den insyd front of de camera. Dem sanso laud am for revolutionizing Ghana ein film industry plus *I Sing of Well,* wich mark de onset of a unique narrative style never before seen insyd West African storytelling. Ein work sanso inspire Ghanaian filmmakers make dem return, contribute to de telling of African stories. Djansi continue dey receive acclaim for using film make she narrate stories of black women.

## Ein Awards den recognition
Na dem award Djansi ein first film a 2009 worldFest Platinum Award; de film, *Grass Between My Lips*, be story of female circumcision den early marriage, dem set insyd a northern Ghana village.

Insyd 2010, ein debut feature,na dem nominate *I Sing of a Well* for 11 Africa Movie Academy Awards. De film win 3 awards: Best Sound, Best Costume, den de Jury Special Award for Overall Best Film. Insyd 2011, na dem present Djansi plus de BAFTA/LA Pan African Film Festival Choice Award for de film *I Sing of a Well*.                                                            

Djansi ein 2011 film *Sinking Sands* receive 10 Africa Movie Academy Award nominations, plus Ama K Abebrese win de Best Actress Award and Djansi wey she earn de Best Original Screenplay Award.

Djansi ein third directorial effort *Ties That Bind* receive a Black Reel Awards Nomination insyd 2012. De film sanso win de Best Diaspora Film at de 2012 San Diego Black Film Festival.

Insyd 2016, Djansi direct *Like Cotton Twines*, an exploration of de practice of Trokosi insyd ein native Ghana. Na dem nominate de film for "Best World Fiction Film" at de Los Angeles Film Festival. ‘’Like Cotton Twines’’ sanso secure de Best Narrative Feature award at de 2016 Savannah Film Festival, wey she clinch de same honor at de Riverbend Film Festival insyd 2017.

Ein oda credits dey include Film Independent Best Episodic for 2018 40 den Single wich na dem create am give AMCs' Allblk

## References


## External links
Wikimedia Commons get media relate to ******.
*  at IMDb
* Turning Point Pictures
* Keisha Hatchett, "Interview: ''Like Cotton Twines'' Filmmaker Leila Djansi on Slavery, Black Unity and Diversity in Hollywood", *The Mary Sue*, 20 January 2017.
* Borys Kit, ''And Then There Was You''. Garcelle Beauvais to star in Leila Djansi's And Then There was You", *The Hollywood Reporter*, 18 April 2013.
* Stephen Saito, "LA Film Fest '16 Interview: Leila Djansi on Untangling 'Like Cotton Twines'", *The Moveable Fest*, 15 June 2016.