
Directing
Daresha Kyi is currently in post-production on the feature doc Black Voters Matter. In 2018 she was commissioned by the ACLU to direct Trans in America: Texas Strong, which garnered over 3.5 million views online, premiered at SXSW, won two Webby Awards and an Emmy for “Outstanding Short Documentary.” In 2017 she co-directed the feature doc Chavela.

In the golden age of documentaries, who benefits? SUBJECT reveals the unintended consequences – good, bad, and complicated – of having your life shared on screen. Featuring the protagonists of acclaimed documentaries The Staircase, Hoop Dreams, The Wolfpack, Capturing the Friedmans, and The Square, as well as the filmmakers of Minding the Gap, Cameraperson, An Inconvenient Truth, and more.

When a fiercely independent young African American woman and her nouveau-nationalist photographer boyfriend decide to visit the father she hasn't seen in years, the tragicomic reunion shatters her illusions and provokes the two lovers to reveal that they are both the wounded children of alcoholics. The revelation changes their perception of themselves and each other and serves as a springboard to a new way of relating. This award winning short narrative co-stars Daresha Kyi and Isaiah Washington in his first film.

Trans In America is a verité short documentary series, and an intimate portrait of three transgender individuals as they battle for their civil rights in the United States. The three films reveal the daily impact of discrimination on three families as they battle with bathroom bills, vulnerability in employment and housing, and the aftermath of incarceration, in Texas, Illinois and Georgia. Texas Strong is an intimate portrait of Kimberly and Kai Shappley: a mother has to confront her religious community while her 7-year-old transgender daughter navigates life at school, where she's been banned from the girls' bathroom.

Mama Bears is an intimate exploration of two “mama bears”—conservative, Christian mothers who have become fierce advocates for LGBTQ+ people—and a young lesbian whose struggle for self-acceptance exemplifies why the mama bears are so important.

Mama Bears is an intimate exploration of two “mama bears”—conservative, Christian mothers who have become fierce advocates for LGBTQ+ people—and a young lesbian whose struggle for self-acceptance exemplifies why the mama bears are so important.

Inspired by an exclusive interview and performance footage of Chavela Vargas shot in 1991 and guided by her unique voice, the film weaves an arresting portrait of a woman who dared to dress, speak, sing, and dream her unique life into being.

When a fiercely independent young African American woman and her nouveau-nationalist photographer boyfriend decide to visit the father she hasn't seen in years, the tragicomic reunion shatters her illusions and provokes the two lovers to reveal that they are both the wounded children of alcoholics. The revelation changes their perception of themselves and each other and serves as a springboard to a new way of relating. This award winning short narrative co-stars Daresha Kyi and Isaiah Washington in his first film.

When a fiercely independent young African American woman and her nouveau-nationalist photographer boyfriend decide to visit the father she hasn't seen in years, the tragicomic reunion shatters her illusions and provokes the two lovers to reveal that they are both the wounded children of alcoholics. The revelation changes their perception of themselves and each other and serves as a springboard to a new way of relating. This award winning short narrative co-stars Daresha Kyi and Isaiah Washington in his first film.
Award-winning short drama about friendship and jealousy between a stay-at-home mom and her career-driven friend.

When a fiercely independent young African American woman and her nouveau-nationalist photographer boyfriend decide to visit the father she hasn't seen in years, the tragicomic reunion shatters her illusions and provokes the two lovers to reveal that they are both the wounded children of alcoholics. The revelation changes their perception of themselves and each other and serves as a springboard to a new way of relating. This award winning short narrative co-stars Daresha Kyi and Isaiah Washington in his first film.

An in-depth look at the Electoral College, its slavery origins, and its impact on society today. The film features four dynamic electors from different parties offering insight into the inner workings of this often-misunderstood institution. A timely, nonpartisan film that will fill a stark information gap in American presidential elections.

Inspired by an exclusive interview and performance footage of Chavela Vargas shot in 1991 and guided by her unique voice, the film weaves an arresting portrait of a woman who dared to dress, speak, sing, and dream her unique life into being.
