Iyabo Kwayana

Directing

Iyabo Kwayana’s filmmaking career spans from serving as director of photography for fiction films, to director or co-cinematographer for award-winning documentaries, such as the Visions du Réel-premiered “Practice “ and the Locarno-premiered” Palenque” to directing and editing archival experimental films that leverage minstrel imagery and NASA footage to articulate personal trauma and catharsis.

The streaming debut of her film “Practice“ premiered on Criterion in July of 2021 and her BlackStar film festival premiered short “By Water” screened at venues such as Sundance, BlackStar, HotDocs and won jury prizes at San Francisco international film festival, Humboldt film festival, Hot Springs documentary film festival, and Afro Comicon. “By Water” made its broadcast debut on POV’s America Reframed last December. Iyabo currently teaches filmmaking at Dartmouth College.

Known for

Behind the camera3

2026Old Man River Director
2023By Water Director, Writer, Editor
2018Practice Sound, Editor, Director of Photography, Director