Nia Dacosta

Nia DaCosta is a celebrated filmmaker recognized for her impactful storytelling and barrier-breaking achievements in Hollywood. After earning the Nora Ephron Prize for Female Filmmakers at the Tribeca Film Festival for her feature directorial and writing debut Little Woods (2018), Nia DaCosta went on to establish herself as a filmmaker recognized for impactful storytelling and barrier-breaking achievements in Hollywood. Prior to her acclaimed debut, DaCosta built a strong foundation in film, graduating from New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts in 2011 and later completing a master’s degree from London’s Royal Central School of Speech and Drama. Her early career included work as a television production assistant on projects such as Shark Loves the Amazon (2011), I Love the 1880s (2012), and Ke$ha: My Crazy Beautiful Life (2013), collaborating with notable filmmakers like Martin Scorsese, Steve McQueen, and Steven Soderbergh.

She further honed her craft by writing short films, including Livelihood (2014) and Celeste (2014), before directing Little Woods, which was distributed by Neon and garnered critical acclaim. Following the success of Little Woods, DaCosta directed two episodes of the critically lauded British thriller series Top Boy in 2019, further diversifying her directorial portfolio. A significant career milestone arrived in 2021 when DaCosta directed and co-wrote Candyman, a spiritual sequel to the 1992 horror classic, produced by Academy Award winner Jordan Peele. Candyman made history as the first film directed by a Black female director to debut at number one at the U.S.

In 2025, DaCosta will be honored with the Progressive Lifetime Achievement Award at the 20th Rome Film Festival, recognizing her impactful and progressive contributions to the film industry.