Kiara Danae Mangum (they/she) is a film director and editor based in D.C. by way of North Carolina. Rooted in the Black Southern experience, their work explores spirituality and ancestral narratives, tracing the intimacies of family, land, and remembrance. As a filmmaker, Kiara constructs cinematic portals that honor what has been and envisions what could be by crafting intimate, visually rich stories that bridge memory and movement. Their work extends beyond the screen, curating workshops that nurture artists in community-based creative practices. Grounded in documentary photography, they compose each frame with a deep sense of preservation, capturing what longs to be held and is meant to be remembered. Kiara was a 2024 Resisting Narratives of Erasure Fellow with Visionary Justice StoryLab and recipient of the 2025 Haile Gerima MFA Film Founders Award for Directing. Earlier this year they co-curated a group art exhibition titled May Safe Arms Find Me and earned their masters degree in film from Howard University. more...