Wanjiru Njendu is a celebrated Kenyan-American director, renowned for her boundless creativity, which earned her the moniker "Magic" at a tender age. Her unique upbringing, blending African and American influences, has instilled in her a versatile voice, allowing her to effortlessly navigate both African and Western storytelling traditions.
As a writer and director, Wanjiru's work has garnered widespread recognition, with her being selected as a fellow in the prestigious Producer's Guild of America Diversity workshop. Her film credits boast an impressive array of award-winning short films, which have premiered at over 100 film festivals worldwide.
Notably, her short film "Boxed" has achieved remarkable success, with over 100 festival acceptances, numerous nominations, and wins. The film qualified for and was submitted for consideration in the 2020 Academy Awards for Best Short Film- Live Action, and went on to win Best Short Film at the Hague Global Cinema Film Festival and Best Diaspora Short Film at the 2020 African Movie Academy Awards. Furthermore, "Boxed" has been selected by the Académie des César for their Nuits en Or program, set to take place in summer 2021.
Wanjiru's short documentary film "Safari ya Jamhuri: The Journey to Freedom" played a pivotal role in providing evidence for a lawsuit against the British Government by MAU MAU colonial war survivors from Kenya. She has also worked as a shadowing director on the Netflix series "Daybreak" under Mark Tonderai, and recently directed a horror short film, "Stray," which was acquired by 20th Digital Studios for Hulu, Freeform, FX, and premiered at the Cannes Series Film Festival in Fall 2020.
Wanjiru is currently developing several film and television projects, as well as a documentary about a children's S.T.E.M organization in Kenya, showcasing her dedication to storytelling and her passion for empowering young minds.
