Prathiba Parmar – Kenyan Film Maker

Prathiba Parmar is a writer, producer, and director of many non-fiction and narrative films that are all about women. She is well-known on an international scale for her political and controversial documentary film work. Furthermore she is a strong activist on many issues, especially lesbian and feminist movements.

Over the years, Parmar has worked with many activists and artists, even public figures around the world to make a difference. She has focused on helping impoverished communities and people around the world, and her contribution to education and humanitarian rights has been crucial.

Parmar was born in Nairobi, Kenya, but was raised in Britain. She is known for her memorable films, from the visual imagery to the political complexity. Her work shows how women live in South Asian countries and the struggles that LGBT people face on a day-to-day basis. From themes on cultural and racial oppression to women’s empowerment, she uses humor and real-life storytelling to show the realities that some women must deal with every day.

Parmar’s work revolves around identity, gender, LGBTQ issues, feminism, and race, while showing a creativity and will to make things better. In 2016, Parmar was named one of the 100 most inspirational and influential women in the world by BBC. She stated that “if one door closes, kick open another one – never take no for an answer”.

The feminine name Prathiba is a version of the a Hindu name Pratibha taken from Sanskrit with the meaning “ingenuity”, “genius”, “intelligence”, “light”, and “splendor”. The name is a common in Asian, Indian and African cultures.