Name: Kamau Bilal

Recipient Year: 2019|2020

Major: Film and Television Production

Description: Kamau Bilal is an African American filmmaker based in Central Missouri. He was named one of 25 New Faces of Independent Film in 2018 by Filmmaker Magazine. His short film Baby Brother held its World Premiere at Sundance in 2018, its International Premiere at Sheffield Doc/Fest and was supported by the Points North Institute. The film was selected as one of seven shorts to participate in the Sundance Short Film Theatrical Tour. His previous short film, Crown Candy co-directed with David Wilson premiered at DOC NYC and won the grand jury prize at the St. Louis International Film Festival, an Academy Award qualifying event. In 2016, he photographed the HBO commissioned and Emmy nominated documentary Stories Women Tell, directed by Tracy Droz Tragos (Rich Hill), which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival and aired on HBO. As an editor, he cut the NYTimes Critics pick A Stray directed by Musa Syeed (Valley of Saints), and premiered at SXSW 2016. He teaches film production classes at the University of Missouri.

School Name: Vermont College of Fine Arts

Sponsor: Ghulam and Arifa Azad Family Scholarship|Guillen-Omar Family

LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kamau-bilal-24621919/