Neema Barnette facts for kids

Neema Barnette is an amazing American film director and producer. She made history as the first African-American woman to direct a TV comedy show that aired during primetime. She was also the first African-American woman to sign a special three-movie deal with Sony Pictures. Neema Barnette has won many important awards for her work. These include a Peabody Award, an Emmy Award, and an NAACP Image Award.

Early Life and Education

Neema Barnette was born on December 14, 1949. She started her journey in the arts at a young age. She went to the High School For The Performing Arts. There, she began her career as an actress on stage.

Neema continued her studies at The City College of New York. She earned a bachelor's degree there. Later, she received a master's degree from NYU School Of The Arts.

Directing and Producing Career

Neema Barnette started directing plays when she was just 21 years old. One of her first plays was The Blue Journey. She directed it at Joseph Papp's Public Theater. In 1982, she helped produce a TV special called "To Be a Man." This show won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Children's Programming.

Neema has directed many different types of shows. These include plays, TV episodes, movies made for TV, and feature films. Her first short film was Sky Captain. She directed it in 1985.

Founding Production Companies

In 1990, Neema started her own company called Harlem Girl Productions Corporation. She has also worked for Harlem Lite Productions since 1997. She even owns another company, Reel Rebel Productions, with her husband.

Directing Popular TV Shows

Neema Barnette has directed many well-known television shows. She worked on multiple seasons and episodes of popular sitcoms. Some of these include A Different World, The Cosby Show, Gilmore Girls, and 7th Heaven.

Feature Films and Documentaries

In 1997, Neema directed the film Spirit Lost. It was a psychological thriller with a ghost story. In 2003, she directed her first full-length movie, Civil Brand. This film was inspired by stories from a women's prison. It won many awards at film festivals like Sundance.

Her movie Woman Thou Art Loosed: On the 7th Day came out in 2012. It was her 11th movie and her third to be shown in theaters. This film was a thriller and family drama. It even received an NAACP Image Award Nomination.

Neema also directed a gospel musical film in 2009 called "Heaven Ain't Hard to Find." She is also an Executive Producer for Black History Mini Docs. These are short videos that share stories of African-American heroes.

Recent Work and Contributions

In 2016, Neema joined the TV series Queen Sugar as a director and producer. She has also directed episodes for shows like Being Mary Jane, Naomi, and The Equalizer.

Neema Barnette is also part of important groups like the DGA African American Steering Committee. She helps judge films for the Pan African Film Festival in Los Angeles every year.

Personal Life and Teaching

Neema Barnette owns her own production company, Harlem Girl Productions. She also runs Reel Rebel Productions with her husband, Reed McCants. Together, they also run Live Theatre Gang. This is a theater company for young artists.

Neema is also a part-time teacher. She teaches directing courses to students at UCLA and USC.

Filmography

Films Directed

• Super Sweet 16: The Movie (2007)
• All You've Got (2005)
• Zora Is My Name!
• Better Off Dead
• Run for the Dream: The Gail Devers Story
• Close to Danger
• Spirit Lost
• Woman Thou Art Loosed: On the 7th Day
• Heaven Ain't Hard to Find
• Better off Dead

Television Directed

• Naomi - Enigma
• The Equalizer Episode - Separated
• Genius: Aretha Episode 2 - Until The Real Thing Comes Along
• Genius: Aretha Episode 3 - Do Right Woman 2021
• Paradise Lost 2020
• Black Lightning 2019
• Raising Dion 2019
• Midnight, Texas 2018
• The Good Cop 2018
• Love is _ 2018
• Luke Cage 2018
• Blind Spot 2018
• The Breaks 2017
• Being Mary Jane 2015-2017
• Queen Sugar 2016
• Miracle's Boys 2005
• Gilmore Girls
• The PJs
• Diagnosis Murder 1994-1998
• 7th Heaven
• Deadly Games 1996
• The Cosby Mysteries 1994-1995
• Scattered Dreams 1993
• The Sinbad Show 1993
• The Royal Family 1991
• Different Worlds: A Story of Interracial Love
• The Cosby Show 1989-1991
• A Different World 1990-1991
• Zora Is My Name! 1990
• China Beach 1990
• The Robert Guillaume Show 1989
• It's a Living 1988-1989
• Hooperman 1989
• Frank's Place 1987
• What's Happening Now 1986
• One More Hurdle (1984)

Produced Works

• King of Stage: The Woodie King Jr. Story (Documentary) (executive producer)
• 2016 Queen Sugar (TV Series) (producer - 13 episodes)
• 2012 Woman Thou Art Loosed: On the 7th Day (producer)
• 2008 Cuttin Da Mustard (executive producer) / (producer)
• 2002 Civil Brand (producer)
• 1986 "To Be A Man", an ABC Television Children's Special, (producer)

Awards and Recognition

Neema Barnette has won many awards and honors for her work.

• She won an Emmy Award for her TV special To Be a Man.
• She has received two NAACP Image Awards.
• She also won a Sundance Film Festival Award.
• Her documentary "The Silent Crime" received four local Emmy nominations.
• She won an International Monitor Award for Best Director for an episode of The Cosby Show.
• Her directing work on "One More Hurdle" earned her first NAACP Image Award.
• The Delta Society gave her the Lilly Award for showing African American images well in film.
• An episode of The Cosby Mysteries she directed won a Peabody and an Emmy Award.

See also

In Spanish: Neema Barnette para niños