“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 storyteller and creative strategist based in Chicago IL.
Since launching her company in 2018, Zanah Thirus Productions, Zanah has shifted her focus to merging arts and activism through documentary and narrative storytelling.
In 2020, Zanah’s documentary, ‘Unlearning Sex’, won Best Human Rights Film at the Toronto International Women's Film Festival and The Silver Award at the Spotlight Documentary Film Awards. Her documentary, ‘Black Feminist’, won Best Documentary at Coal City Film Festival (2021) in Nigeria, and the Jury Award for Best U.S. Documentary at the International Black & Diversity Film Festival (2021). Recently, Zanah branched into comedic storytelling with her romantic comedy short, ‘The Love You Want Exists’, which premiered at three Academy Award Qualifying Festivals in 2021 (Bronze Lens, Reel Sisters of the Diaspora, and St Louis International Film Fest).
Zanah’s latest project ‘New Santa’ is set in the North Pole during a diversity, equity and inclusion overhaul where a Black woman is appointed to the position of Santa Claus. The film premiered at Academy Award Qualifying Film Festival, Bronze Lens, in Summer of 2022, and won Best Comedy at the International Black & Diversity Film Festival (2023).
Beyond storytelling, Zanah's passion lies in creative + brand strategy and ensuring creative work reaches its intended audiences. Her projects have reached over 30 academic libraries, including prestigious institutions like Harvard University. Additionally, her work has been screened with various organizations, such as the American Public Health Association's national conference.
Zanah continues to harness the power of story and strategy to shape creative work and make a lasting impact on the world.