Shatara Michelle Ford facts for kids

Shatara Michelle Ford is an American director, writer, and producer. They are known for their first major film, Test Pattern (2019). This movie was highly praised by critics.

Filmmaking Career

Early Success with Test Pattern

Shatara Michelle Ford became well-known in 2019. This was when their first full-length movie, Test Pattern, was released. Ford not only directed this film but also wrote and produced it.

Test Pattern first showed in August 2019 at the BlackStar Film Festival. There, it won an important award called the Lionsgate/STARZ Producer Award. The film also received more awards at the New Orleans Film Festival and the deadCENTER Film Festival.

Future Projects and Influences

Ford is also working on a new film called Queen Elizabeth. This movie is about a young person growing up, often called a "coming-of-age" story. In 2017, the script for Queen Elizabeth was added to The Black List. This list highlights the best movie scripts that have not yet been made into films. The movie is still being developed as of 2021.

In 2024, Ford directed, wrote, and produced another film, Dreams in Nightmares. This movie follows three friends on a road trip across the central United States. They are looking for their friend who has gone missing.

Ford has shared that their work is inspired by two main things. One is German Expressionism, which is an older style of art and film. The other is the famous director Alfred Hitchcock.

Personal Life

Shatara Michelle Ford grew up in St. Louis, Missouri. They use "they/them" as their pronouns. Ford studied screenwriting at Royal Holloway, University of London. They also earned a degree in political studies and sociology from Pitzer College.

Awards and Recognition

Shatara Michelle Ford's film Test Pattern has won several awards. These include the Lionsgate/STARZ Producer Award from the BlackStar Film Festival and Best Narrative Feature from the New Orleans Film Festival, both in 2019. In 2020, it received a Special Jury Prize at the DeadCENTER Film Festival. The film was also nominated for Best Feature and the Bingham Ray Breakthrough Director Award at the Gotham Awards in 2021.