Kasi Lemmons

A proven talent as an actress, director and writer, Kasi Lemmons continues to creatively tantalize with each and every project she takes on.  Lemmons’ work as an actress includes roles in Jonathan Demme’s Silence of the Lambs opposite Jodie Foster, John Woo’s first American film, Hard Target, Rusty Cundieff’s parody of the rap music industry, Fear of a Black Hat, Candyman with Virginia Madsen, the Spike Lee produced Drop Squad opposite Eriq La Salle, and Vampire’s Kiss with Nicolas Cage.  Lemmons’ first feature-length film, Eve’s Bayou, became the highest grossing independent film of 1997.  The film won the Independent Spirit Award for “Best First Feature” and received seven NAACP “Image Award” nominations, including “Best Picture.”  In addition, Lemmons received a special first time director award, created just for her, from the National Board of Review.  She also won the “Director’s Achievement Award” at the 9th Annual Nortel Palm Springs Film Festival.  The Caveman’s Valentine, her follow-up feature to the acclaimed Eve’s Bayou, opened 2002′s Sundance Film Festival to audience and critical acclaim. The Caveman’s Valentine was a co-production of Danny Devito’s Jersey Films and features Eve’s Bayou star Samuel L. Jackson.  For the 2002 Oscar telecast, Kasi directed a touching tribute to Sidney Poitier.  She was also involved in an exploration of the roles and representations of black women in film for the 2003 Tribeca Film Festival.  Kasi Lemmon’s most recent feature Talk to Me, starring Don Cheadle, was released nationwide in July 2007 by Focus Features to widespread critical acclaim.  Currently Ms. Lemmons is developing a moving civil rights drama, The Children’s Crusade for HBO/ Picturehouse Films. Lemmons has worked extensively as a mentor and educator.  For the past eight years she has been a board member of Film Independent and has contributed to the Film Independent Filmmaker Labs as a speaker and moderator.  She also continues to serve as an advisor for the Sundance Screenwriter Labs. Guest teaching and speaking credits include Yale University, MIT, UCLA, The Los Angeles Film School and The University of Pristina Film School in Kosovo.  As well as attending New York University School of the Arts, UCLA and The New School of Social Research Film Program, Lemmons was awarded an Honorary Degree, Doctor of Humane Letters, from Salem State College in 1998.   She teaches Directors: Mise-En-Scene at USC Film School.