Janicza Bravo is an award-winning director, writer, and producer who continues to push creative boundaries by breathing life into the most distinctive of stories. Bravo is known for her ability to blend uncomfortable humor with social commentary, often exploring themes of race, identity, and human behavior.
Most recently, Janicza made her British television debut with The Listeners, a haunting four-episode drama adapted from Jordan Tannahill’s novel. The series, which premiered November 19 on BBC ONE to critical acclaim, follows Rebecca Hall as “Claire,” a teacher who becomes increasingly obsessed with a mysterious humming sound that only she can hear.
Notably, Janicza directed and co-wrote the A24 film Zola, based on a viral 148-tweet thread by A’ziah “Zola” King. The film explores the story of Zola’s road trip to Florida with an unlikely friend, Stefani. What begins as a seductive and glamorous trip quickly transforms into a 48-hour odyssey. Co-written by Jeremy O. Harris and starring Taylour Paige, Riley Keough, Nicholas Braun and Colman Domingo, Zola premiered in competition at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival. The film was nominated for seven Film Independent Spirit Awards, including “Best Director,” “Best Feature” and “Best Screenplay.”
Janicza’s previous film work has screened at AFI, BAM, Carnegie Hall, SXSW, Sundance, and Tribeca. In 2017, her feature film directorial debut Lemon premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and was sold to Magnolia Pictures. In 2014, Filmmaker Magazine named her as one to watch in “25 New Faces of Film.” That same year, her short film Gregory Go Boom won the Jury Prize for US Fiction at Sundance.
On the television side, she directed the “Juneteenth” episode of Atlanta as well as episodes of HBO’s Divorce, Here and Now, In Treatment, Netflix’s Love and Dear White People, and Amazon’s Them and Forever.
In the branded space, she has directed episodes for Kate Spade’s series #MissAdventure and Act IX of Gucci’s video series, The Performer. In 2022, she partnered up with Miu Miu on their Women’s Tales series. Her short film House Comes With a Bird premiered at Neuehouse and won a Webby Award for “Branded Entertainment: Video – Fashion, Beauty, Lifestyle”.
A NYU graduate with a degree in directing and theatre design, Janicza was born in New York City and currently resides in Los Angeles.
