Nikyatu Jusu

Jusu's Sundance win for Nanny was a landmark moment for Black women in independent film. She became only the second Black woman director to win the U.S. Dramatic Grand Jury Prize, following a long gap since the award's inception. The film's success helped launch her from festival circuit to studio-backed features, and her follow-up Mime with John David Washington shows how quickly her stock has risen. Her work consistently centers Black women and immigrants, and her ability to blend genre with social commentary has made her a distinctive voice in contemporary horror.