One to watch #4: Kezia Sakho

From being a young girl from Marseille to now studying in one the greatest cinema school in New York, Kezia Sakho is a young director, photographer, and graphic designer whose work blends heritage, memory, and imagination. She draws from her Comorian and Senegalese culture to create films and visuals that make people dream, capturing the balance between reality and fantasy, and you need to know about her !

We sat down with Kezia to talk about her background, inspirations, and the stories she hopes to tell through her lens !

SSummary: Hey Kezia ! Can you introduce yourself and tell us where you’re from?

Kezia: I’m a kid from Marseille, born and raised in France! I currently live in New York.

SSummary: Would you like to share your ethnic or cultural background?

Kezia:I’m Comorian and Senegalese!! A West African & East African mix.

SSummary:What do you do?

Kezia: I’m a director, photographer, and graphic designer! I also write about music & cinema.

SSummary: How does your background influence the way you approach photography and film?

Kezia: I would say that my approach to photography and film comes from home. I grew up in Marseille, inspired by my grandfather’s old photos and his love for cinema and music. I approach each project as a dialogue between memory and imagination because I’m a big dreamer!

SSummary: Who or what are your biggest creative influences?

Kezia: My biggest influence is my mom, she’s my queen for real!! The OG GirlBoss of my life!! I’ll also add Kelis, Blaxploitation, and The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill.

SSummary: What kind of stories do you dream of telling through your camera?

Kezia: As I said before, I’m a dreamer. I love to dream and I love films that make people dream too. My first short film explored that topic, and I want my future projects to always leave space for imagination and the possibility to escape reality for a moment.

SSummary: If you had to pick one movie you consider “perfect,” which would it be and why?

Kezia: That’s a hard question, but based on what I said above, I’ll probably pick Les Demoiselles de Rochefort that I rewatched recently! Jacques Demy and Michel Legrand cooked on this one! The music, the colours, the casting!!!! I loved everything!

With a dreamer’s heart and a loud visual voice, Kezia Sakho creates work that bridges memory, heritage, and imagination, inviting her audiences to see the world through her lens and feel the stories she tells ! We know she’s definitely One To Watch, and from very close !!