Leila Djansi's Biography

Leila Djansi was born Leila Afua Djansi on July 17, 1981. Her father was a pilot and her mother a Senior Nursing officer. She grew up in India and Ghana. Although acting and writing were her hobbies, her career ambition was to become a gynecologist, a plan which later changed when she developed an interest in forensics. Ready to delve into the field of criminology, another career change occurred when she met the Ghanaian actor Sam Odoi who persuaded her to write a script for him. Leila was 19 years old when her script Babina was made into a movie by Producer Akwetey Kanyi.

She took a job with Socrates Safo's Movie Africa Productions where she worked as a Writer/Line Producer. Whilst with the company, she wrote Ghana's first Gay/Lesbian rights screenplay The Sisterhood, the film that included the late Ghanaian screen actress Suzzy Williams. Djansi worked with the state owned Gama Film Company, where she wrote and produced Legacy of love.

In the United States, she established Turning Point Pictures, an independent production company geared towards social issue films.

Djansi's first film was awarded a 2009 worldFest Platinum Award for the film Grass Between My Lips, a story of female circumcision and early marriage, set in a northern Ghana village.

In 2010, her debut feature, "I Sing of a Well" was nominated for 11 African Movie Academy Awards and won 3 awards: Best Sound, Best Costume and the Jury Special Award for Over-All Best Film. In 2011, Djansi was presented with the BAFTA/LA Pan African Film Festival Choice Award for the film I Sing of a Well.

Djansi's 2011 film "Sinking Sands" received 10 African Movie Academy Award nominations, with Ama K Abebrese winning the Best Actress Award and Djansi earning the Best Original Screenplay Award. At the first Ghana Movie Awards in 2011, Djansi's Sinking Sands received awards for "Best Art Direction", "Best Costume", "Best West African Film" and "Best Picture". Sinking Sands was nominated in 14 categories.

Djansi's work and contribution to the Ghana film industry has been recognized by UNiFEM Ghana, The African Women Development Fund, The Ghana Musicians Association and other social issue minded communities.