Over cocktails and kabobs at February’s LOC dinner party, I met a young lady named Kerra. As is normal with our crew, we slipped pretty quickly into a conversation about lesbian life, specifically black lesbian cinema. Before I could go into my “Why I USED to Support All Black LGBT Films” rant, she mentioned she was friends with Deana Williams, the director of the award winning short film Tracks.

Deana, a native of New Orleans Louisiana found her calling at the age of 12. After studying some of her favorite childhood movies, Deana turned to her mother and simply said “I want to do that for the rest of my life” From there, Deana begun writing scripts and acting them out with her family members in front of an old camcorder that she received from her mother. Making short movies was a way to let her imagination soar and soon the magical world of film became her passion.

She followed her dreams all the way to Miami Florida where she studied film at Ai Miami International University of Art & Design.
Deana is the winner of numerous awards for filmmaking and community achievement, including the “Have a Heart Award” and the “Ai MIU Most Outstanding Filmmaker of 2003”. Deana continues to be a student of the craft. While gaining more experience in writing, producing and directing, Deana strives to make new films that explore the lives of women in leading roles.

As a fan of her work, I couldn’t wait to get her on the K Word. Even though she is in pre-production for her new movie Torn, she graciously agreed to be a part of our 10 Things to Know About Series. She is definitely someone to keep your eye on.

Continue reading 10 Things To Know About: Director Deana Williams #SuperGayShorts edition →