“I want my stories to paint a picture of what the world could be.”
- Zanah Thirus
Named one of Diversity in Cannes' Top 10 Filmmakers of the Decade, Zanah is a Chicago-based creative strategist and storyteller who thrives at the intersection of strategic thinking and artistic expression.
As a full-time creative strategist in the advertising agency world, Zanah helps develop impactful campaigns that connect with audiences and drive cultural conversations.
In her free time, Zanah channels her passion for storytelling into writing, directing, blogging, and photography, sparking bold conversations around often-taboo topics such as misogyny within Christianity, sexual trauma recovery, the orgasm gap, and Black feminist theory.
Zanah’s films have earned widespread recognition, premiering at three Academy Award-qualifying festivals—Reel Sisters of the Diaspora Film Festival, BronzeLens Film Festival, and St. Louis International Film Festival—and earning accolades from festivals in France, Nigeria, Toronto, and across the United States. Her documentaries are part of over 30 academic library collections, including Harvard University, and have been screened at events like the American Public Health Association's national conference.
Through both strategy and storytelling, Zanah continues to create narratives that resonate deeply and inspire meaningful change.