Idil Ibrahim is an
award-winning filmmaker.
One look at the films directed or produced by award-winning Somali-American filmmaker Idil Ibrahim, and it should come as no surprise that her authentic and honest films are among the most respected independent movies of the last 10 years.
Demand Africa

Idil Ibrahim

is an award-winning writer, director, and creative producer whose work spans continents and elevates underrepresented stories on the global stage. A self-proclaimed nomad, she has filmed in or visited nearly every continent, bringing a rich cultural perspective to her storytelling. Her films have been featured at prestigious festivals including Sundance, Tribeca, Toronto International Film Festival, International Film Festival Rotterdam, Clermont-Ferrand, BlackStar, Cinéma du Réel, and more.

In 2017, Idil was recognized with the Extraordinary Women Award by the 92nd Street Y for her contributions to storytelling and her ability to inspire others through her work. She was also honored as one of OkayAfrica's "100 Women" in 2018, highlighting her influence as a creative change maker.

Her short film SEGA–starring Alassane Sy (Restless City, Mediterranea)–explores themes of migration and repatriation and premiered in international competition at Clermont-Ferrand. The film went on to win Best Short Film at the 2019 BlackStar Film Festival and the Golden Dhow for Best Short Film at the Zanzibar International Film Festival. It was later acquired by Canal Plus Cinema for television distribution across Europe and Africa, cementing its impact as a cross-cultural narrative.

Idil's work extends into television, where she co-wrote and served as a consulting producer for an episode on Season 2 of Apple TV's award-winning series Little America, earning a Humanitas Prize nomination for her contribution. In 2022, she was handpicked as a director for the Queen Collective, a partnership between Tribeca Studios, Queen Latifah's Flavor Unit, and Procter & Gamble.

Her film In Her Element premiered on BET during Black History Month as part of the 54th NAACP Image Awards weekend and won the Reel South Short Film Award at the Nashville Film Festival.

She was selected as a filmmaker for the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) Writers' Studio in 2023, where she received the Chanel Women Writers' Network grant as part of the Share Her Journey initiative. In 2024, Idil was awarded the prestigious SF Film Makers Rainin Grant to further develop her debut feature film project.

Through her dynamic body of work, Idil Ibrahim continues to champion immersive, character-driven stories that resonate on a global scale. With projects spanning both television and film, she remains committed to crafting narratives that inspire, challenge, and connect audiences worldwide.

Awards


2017 Extraordinary Women Awards by the 92nd Street Y, Emily Rosenthal Award


Reel South Short Film Award at Nashville Film Festival


Jury Award Best Short Film Blackstar International Film Festival


OkayAfrica's #100AfricanWomen of 2018


San Francisco Film Society (SF Film) Rainin Grant


Jury Award Best Male Performance, Dakar Court International Film Festival


International Jury Member by United Nations International Organization for Migration and UN AOC for PluralPlus 2018


Jury Award Best Short Film Zanzibar International Film Festival

Speaking


ATX TV Festival, Austin, Texas


International Jury Member by United Nations International Organization for Migration and UN AOC for PluralPlus 2018


Bronx Lab School


Nordic Somali Youth Summit, Stockholm, Sweden


Berkeley Film Showcase


Seventh Art Stand at the Doris Duke Theatre, Honolulu Museum of Art


Blackhouse @ Sundance Film Festival 2023


Augsberg College


Bronx Documentary Center “Empowered Storytelling”


Africa is Next, William Morris Endeavor (WME) Agency


Our Community, Our Stories: An Unfiltered Discussion with African Women Using New Media to Amplify the Voices of the Global Female Diaspora, hosted by Okay Africa


Best of Blackstar at Colgate University