Chinonye Chukwu
Birthdate: May 19, 1985
Birthplace: Port Harcourt, Nigeria
Chinonye Chukwu (birthname: Chinonye Chukwu) is a Nigerian-American director who is the first African-born director and first Black woman to win the U.S. Dramatic Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival, for her second feature, Clemency (2019). After studying filmmaking at Temple University, Chukwu made a series of short films, including The Dance Lesson (2010), for which she was director-writer-producer-editor, and won an honorary mention prize at the Los Angeles International Film Festival.
In 2012, Chukwu made her debut feature, Alaska Land, which failed to make the festival circuit. After producing two more short films, as well as serving as assistant director and/or production manager on others, Chukwu returned to feature filmmaking in 2019 with her acclaimed death-row drama, Clemency, starring Alfre Woodard, Aldis Hodge, Richard Schiff, and Wendell Pierce.
It marked a remarkable filmmaking comeback for Chukwu, who followed this up with the Civil Rights-era drama, Till (2022), starring Danielle Deadwyler, Jalyn Hall, Frankie Faison, Haley Bennett, and Whoopi Goldberg.
Personal Details
Born in Port Harcourt, Nigeria, Chinonye Chukwu moved with her family to Oklahoma when she was one year old. At age six, she moved with her family to Fairbanks, Alaska. Chukwu attended DePauw University, where she earned a B.A. She then studied filmmaking at Temple University.
Some Facts About Chinonye Chukwu
Coping Skills: In order to cope with the depression that came from light deprivation living in Fairbanks, Alaska, and being the only Black kid in her school classes, Chinoye Chukwu became a reader and practiced weightlifting.
