Anjali Nayar facts for kids

Anjali Nayar is a Canadian-Indian filmmaker who uses her movies to tell powerful stories about people and the planet. Before becoming a director, she was a climate scientist. She also created a special set of reporting tools called TIMBY to help people protect the environment and human rights.

Her movie Hack Your Health, which explores the amazing world of gut health, was released on Netflix in April 2024. It became a huge hit, reaching the top 10 in 77 different countries.

Nayar has directed many other important films. Her movie Silas is about activists in West Africa who use smartphones to uncover corruption. Another film, Gun Runners, tells the true story of two Kenyan warriors who decide to trade their guns for running shoes to become marathon runners.

Besides making films, Nayar has worked as a journalist for major news organizations like Nature magazine, Reuters, and the BBC. She has degrees from top universities, including a master's in documentary filmmaking and another in environmental science from the University of Oxford.

Making a Difference with Films

Silas (2017)

Silas follows the brave activist Silas Siakor and his team of citizen journalists in Liberia. They risk their safety to film and report on illegal activities by large companies and the government. These companies were involved in extractive industries, which means taking natural resources like minerals and timber from the land.

The film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival and was bought by Amazon. It won many awards for its powerful story. Famous people like Leonardo DiCaprio and Edward Zwick helped produce the film.

While making Silas, Nayar helped create a set of tools called TIMBY, which stands for "This Is My Backyard." These tools help activists safely report on problems in their communities.

Gun Runners (2016)

Gun Runners tells the amazing story of two men in Northern Kenya. They were once warriors who carried AK-47 guns. They decided to leave that life behind to chase a new dream: becoming professional marathon runners.

The film was produced by the National Film Board of Canada and first shown at the Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival in Toronto. Instead of just focusing on problems, Gun Runners shows a hopeful story about two friends trying to build a better life in modern Kenya.

Sadly, after the film was finished, one of the main people in the movie, Robert Matanda, and his wife passed away in a car accident. Their youngest child, who was named Anjali, survived. Nayar and the film crew started a fund to help care for the children Matanda had supported. They raised over $10,000 to help the family. The film is available on Netflix.

Just A Band

This film, which is still being made, is about four friends in Nairobi, Kenya. They decide not to follow the usual path of going to university. Instead, they form an art collective called Just A Band.

The film shows how they create their own unique story, inspired by everything from science fiction and Kung Fu movies to hip hop music. Their big dream in the film is to go to space. This movie aims to show a creative and modern side of city life in Africa.

Selected Filmography

TIMBY: Technology for Change

In 2012, Nayar founded TIMBY, which means "This is My Backyard." TIMBY is a set of digital tools designed to help people report on important issues safely and quickly. The tools include a mobile app, a dashboard to review information, and a simple story-making tool.

TIMBY was first created to help with environmental reporting, but now it's used for many issues, like health, human rights, and stopping corruption. The technology was developed with activists in Liberia and Kenya, including Goldman Environmental Prize winner Silas Siakor.

Today, TIMBY is used in 40 countries and in over 20 languages. Here are some examples of how it helps:

• In Kenya, forest communities use it to protect their land.
• In countries like Mozambique and Peru, people use it to track illegal logging.
• In India, it helps workers report unfair treatment.
• In Liberia, communities use it to gather evidence about problems caused by mining and logging companies.

The system is designed to be easy to use, even for people who can't read well, by using colors and icons.

Journalism and Education

Before she was a full-time filmmaker, Nayar was a journalist and a scientist. She wrote articles and filmed stories for big names like Nature magazine, Reuters, and the CBC. Her work often focused on climate, the environment, and stories from the Global South.

Nayar has an impressive education. She was frustrated with how the news reported on climate change, so she decided to study journalism. She earned a master's degree in documentary filmmaking from Columbia Graduate School of Journalism. She also has a master's degree in environmental science from the University of Oxford.