Nnegest Likké is a

film director A film director controls a film's artistic and dramatic aspects and visualizes the screenplay (or script) while guiding the film crew and actors in the fulfilment of that vision. The director has a key role in choosing the cast members, p ...

screenwriter A screenplay writer (also called screenwriter, scriptwriter, scribe or scenarist) is a writer who practices the craft of screenwriting, writing screenplays on which mass media, such as films, television programs and video games, are based. ...

and

producer Producer or producers may refer to: Occupations *Producer (agriculture), a farm operator *A stakeholder of economic production *Film producer, supervises the making of films **Executive producer, contributes to a film's budget and usually does not ...

in the United States. She is a proud native of the Bay Area and has African American and Ethiopian heritage. She is passionate about telling amusing, heartwarming, and thought-provoking stories that have an impact on society and culture. Her film awards include Best Diaspora Film at the 2016

Africa Movie Academy Awards The Africa Movie Academy Awards, popularly known as AMAA and The AMA Awards, is presented annually to recognize excellence among professionals working in, or non-African professionals who have contributed to, the African film industry. It was fou ...

(AMAA) for " Ben and Ara " which she directed. Her 2019 international romantic drama, ''Everything But A Man'' won the Audience Choice Award at the Pan African Film Festival. Nnegest is one of the first women of color to write and direct a movie distributed by a major Hollywood studio. Her directing credits include Fox Searchlight's romantic-comedy ''

Phat Girlz ''Phat Girlz'' is a 2006 American romantic comedy film written and directed by Nnegest Likké and starring Mo'Nique, as well as Kendra C. Johnson, Jimmy Jean-Louis, Godfrey, and Joyful Drake. Plot Jazmin Biltmore is a smart-mouthed, plus-size ...

'', the multi-award-winning indie love drama '' Ben & Ara'', and ''Everything But A Man''.

Early life and education

Nnegest Likké was born in Oakland, California. She is half African-American and half Ethiopian and grew up in the

San Francisco San Francisco (; Spanish language, Spanish for "Francis of Assisi, Saint Francis"), officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the commercial, financial, and cultural center of Northern California. The city proper is the List of Ca ...

Oakland Oakland is the largest city and the county seat of Alameda County, California, United States. A major West Coast port, Oakland is the largest city in the East Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area, the third largest city overall in the Bay A ...

Bay Area The San Francisco Bay Area, often referred to as simply the Bay Area, is a populous region surrounding the San Francisco, San Pablo, and Suisun Bay estuaries in Northern California. The Bay Area is defined by the Association of Bay Area Gov ...

. During her childhood, Likké had the opportunity of traveling around the world, including throughout Europe and Africa with her mother who Likké referred to as an active globetrotter and Civil Rights Activist. This traveling exposed her to various ways of life besides those known in America. Likké attended Skyline High School in

. After graduating, she attended

Clark Atlanta University Clark Atlanta University (CAU or Clark Atlanta) is a private, Methodist, historically black research university in Atlanta, Georgia. Clark Atlanta is the first Historically Black College or University (HBCU) in the Southern United States. Found ...

(CAU), where she studied film and graduated with a BA in Mass Communications.

Career

After college, Likké moved to

Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...

to pursue screenwriting. While honing her craft, Likké taught Drama, History and English at a high school in Los Angeles. Today, she still mentors at-risk youth.

Films

'' (2006) was Likké's first feature film, starring Academy Award Winner

Mo’Nique Monique Angela Hicks (née Imes; born December 11, 1967), known professionally as Mo'Nique, is an American stand-up comedian and actress. She has received an Academy Award, BAFTA Award, Golden Globe Award, and Screen Actors Guild Award. Sh ...

. This film is a romantic-comedy about two plus-size women who meet the men of their dreams in an unexpected way. Her second film was '' Ben & Ara'', followed by her most recent film ''Everything But a Man'' starring

Monica Calhoun Monica Calhoun (born July 29, 1971) is an American film and television actress. Calhoun is best known for her roles in the films ''Bagdad Cafe'', ''The Players Club'', '' The Salon'', '' The Best Man'', and its sequel ''The Best Man Holiday''. Ca ...

and

Jimmy Jean-Louis Jimmy Jean-Louis (born August 8, 1968) is a Haitian actor and producer. Born in Pétion-Ville, he moved to Paris at a young age with his family in search of a better life. His early roles were in French television commercials and Spanish musical ...

(2019 ). Likké wrote, directed and produced ''Everything But a Man'', about the challenges successful, career-driven women have finding love. Likké is currently working on multiple projects for film and TV.

Filmography

Awards, nominations and honours

* In 2015, Likké received an honorary mention for Best Feature Film at the

All Lights India International Film Festival All Lights India International Film festival (ALIIFF), is an annual film festival of India conducted in Hyderabad. It is usually conducted in December every year. The 4th edition was held from Dec 1-4, 2018 at PVR Inorbit Mall, Hyderabad. Popular M ...

. * In 2016, Likké received the Best Female Protagonist award for her film '' Ben & Ara'' at the Nevada Women's Film Festival. * In 2016, ''Ben and Ara'' won the award for Best Diaspora film by the

(AMAA).

References

External links

*
Ben and AraNnegest Likké
{{DEFAULTSORT:Likke, Nnegest 1970 births Film producers from California Clark Atlanta University alumni American people of Ethiopian descent American women film directors Writers from Oakland, California Living people Film directors from California American women film producers 21st-century American women