{{Short description|American director, actor, writer, and producer}} {{Use mdy dates|date=March 2023}} {{Infobox person | name = Kelley Kali | image = Kelley Kali portrait at WikiPortraits Studio at Sundance 2025 4 (cropped).jpg | alt = <!-- descriptive text for use by speech synthesis (text-to-speech) software --> | caption = Kali in 2025 | birth_name = Kelley Kali Chatman<!-- only use if different from name --> | birth_date = <!-- {{Birth date and age|YYYY|MM|DD}} for living people supply only the year with {{Birth year and age|YYYY}} unless the exact date is already widely published, as per WP:DOB. For people who have died, use {{Birth date|YYYY|MM|DD}}. --> | birth_place = Northridge, California, U.S. | death_date = <!-- {{Death date and age|YYYY|MM|DD|YYYY|MM|DD}} (DEATH date then BIRTH date) --> | death_place = | alma_mater = {{Plainlist| * Howard University * USC School of Cinematic Arts }} | other_names = | occupation = Director, actor, writer, and producer | years_active = | known_for = ''I'M FINE (Thanks for Asking)'' | notable_works = }} '''Kelley Kali''' is an American director, actor, writer, and producer. She is the creator of the 2021 indie film ''I'm Fine (Thanks for Asking)'', which has won several awards in the film festival circuit.<ref name="fox">{{cite web |url= https://www.fox5dc.com/video/992924 |title='I'm Fine (Thanks For Asking)' director Kelley Kali |publisher=fox5dc.com |date= October 22, 2021}}</ref> Other directing credits include ''Lalo's House'' (2018), ''Kemba'' (2022), and ''Jagged Mind'' (2023).
==Early life and education== Kali was born Kelley Kali Chatman,<ref name="usc profile"/> in Northridge, California.<ref name="cinpobre">{{Cite web|url= https://cinepobre.org/profile/kelley-kali/4022/ |title= Kelley Kali |website=cinepobre.org |access-date= 24 February 2023}}</ref>
She got her bachelor's degree in anthropology, with majors in archeology and minors in film and classical civilization from Howard University.<ref name="cinpobre"/><ref name="usc profile"/> As a student there, Kali directed on multiple episodes for the Belize dramatic television series ''Noh Matta Wat!''<ref>{{Cite web|url= https://www.7newsbelize.com/sstory.php?nid=4060|title=7 News Belize |website=www.7newsbelize.com |access-date= 24 February 2023}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url= https://edition.channel5belize.com/archives/9154|title= Local T.V. drama set for second season | Channel5Belize.com|access-date= 24 February 2023|archive-date= October 16, 2022|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20221016215549/https://edition.channel5belize.com/archives/9154|url-status= dead}}</ref>
She attended the USC School of Cinematic Arts in TV and Film Production program,<ref name="lalo"/> graduating with a Master of Fine Arts in 2018.<ref name="lalo"/> She released the short film ''Lalo's House'' (2018), a drama concerning child sex trafficking in Haiti. According to Kali, the film was nine years in the making and had been part of her application project as well as her thesis project for University of Southern California (USC).<ref name="lalo">{{Cite web|url= https://cinema.usc.edu/news/article.cfm?id=23542|title=USC Cinematic Arts | School of Cinematic Arts News|website=cinema.usc.edu}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url= https://shadowandact.com/tag/kelley-kali |title=Kelley Kali |first=Blavity Engineering |last=Team |website=Shadow and Act}}</ref> The film won the Programmers Award at the Pan African Film Festival.<ref name="paff">{{cite web |url=https://www.paff.org/voices-of-black-women-get-lift-from-virtual-film-series/ |title=Voices of Black Women Get Lift from Virtual Film Series - Pan African Film & Arts Festival (PAFF) |date= March 9, 2022}}</ref>
Kali was professionally trained in acting at Ivana Chubbuck Studios and received training in directing from the University of California.<ref name="usc profile"/><ref name="kemba"/> Whilst a student, she was the President of the USC School of Cinematic Arts Graduate Council, and represented the school at USC Graduate Student Government events within the USC.<ref name="usc profile"/>
==Career== In 2020, Kali directed, wrote, produced, and starred in the feature film, ''I'm Fine (Thanks for Asking)'', which was released in 2021.<ref name="mubi">{{Cite web |url= https://mubi.com/cast/kelley-kali |title=Kelley Kali |website= mubi.com |access-date= 2 October 2022}}</ref><ref name="apple">{{Cite web|url= https://tv.apple.com/ca/person/kelley-kali/umc.cpc.25lmpwxfxid39wc9gq68qgze0 |title= Kelley Kali | Apple TV (CA)|website=Apple TV |access-date= 6 July 2022}}</ref> She was also selected to work with Ron Howard and Brian Grazer's company New Form to develop her web series, ''The Discovery of Dit Dodson''.<ref name="kemba">{{Cite web|url= https://fliff.com/events/kemba/ |title=KEMBA - Lauderhill Performing Arts Center |website=cinema.usc.edu}}</ref>
In 2022, she directed the film ''Kemba'', which was produced by MPI,<ref name="nesta">{{Cite web |url=https://deadline.com/2022/09/nesta-cooper-to-star-in-drama-kemba-from-mpi-kelley-kali-directing-1235120320/ |title= Nesta Cooper To Star In Drama 'Kemba' From MPI & BET; Kelley Kali Directing |first1=Matt |last1=Grobar |date=September 16, 2022}}</ref> and premiered at the Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival in 2023.<ref name="kemba"/>
In 2023, she directed and produced the film ''Jagged Mind'' starring Maisie Richardson-Sellers.<ref name="mubi"/><ref name="apple"/> The film premiered at the American Black Film Festival, Miami in June 2023.<ref name="jagged">{{Cite web|url= https://vimeo.com/836252391 |title= Jagged Mind - Interview with Director Kelley Kali |author= Gadi Elkon |publisher=vimeo.com |access-date= 24 February 2023}}</ref>
==Awards== {{Like resume|date=October 2022}} {{Unsorted list|reason=MOSLOW|date=October 2022}} * 2021 Academy Gold Fellowship<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://variety.com/2021/film/news/dec-16-news-in-brief-1235134122/ |title=Academy Announces Recipients of 2021 Golden Fellowship For Women – Film News in Brief |first1=Jennifer |last1=Yuma |date=December 16, 2021}}</ref> * SXSW Special Jury Recognition for Multi-Hyphenate Storyteller to Kelley Kali<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://deadline.com/2021/03/sxsw-film-festival-emotionally-charged-drama-the-fallout-and-docu-lily-topples-the-world-among-jury-award-winners-1234717468/ |title=SXSW Film Festival: 'The Fallout' And Docu 'Lily Topples The World' Among Jury Award Winners |first1=Dino-Ray |last1=Ramos |date=March 19, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://womenandhollywood.com/kelley-kali-and-angelique-molinas-sxsw-winner-im-fine-thanks-for-asking-lands-at-bet-her/ |title=Kelley Kali and Angelique Molina's SXSW Winner "I'm Fine (Thanks for Asking)" Lands at BET Her |website=womenandhollywood.com}}</ref> * 45th Annual Student Academy Award * Directors Guild of America Student Filmmaker Award<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://deadline.com/2018/12/dga-student-film-awards-usc-chapman-columbia-university-1202513822/ |title=USC Tops DGA Student Film Awards For Second Straight Year |first1=David |last1=Robb |date=December 4, 2018}}</ref> * KCET Fine Cut Award<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://thehollywoodtimes.today/kcets-fine-cut-announces-student-winners-ahead-of-oct-2-broadcast/|title=KCET's Fine Cut Announces Student Winners Ahead of Oct. 2 Broadcast |website=thehollywoodtimes.today |publisher=The Hollywood Times |accessdate=March 5, 2023 |first=Judy|last=Shields |date= September 27, 2019|type=press release}}</ref> * Shadow and Act's “Rising Award”<ref name="auto">{{Cite web |url= https://shadowandact.com/shadow-and-act-rising-award-winner-kelley-kali-wins-jury-award-and-more-at-diversity-in-cannes-showcase |title=Shadow And Act RISING Award Winner Kelley Kali Wins Jury Award And More At Diversity In Cannes Showcase |first=Monique |last=Jones |website=Shadow and Act}}</ref> * Diversity in Cannes Showcase, sponsored by Viola Davis and Julius Tennon's JuVee Productions - Jury Award and Audience Award<ref name="auto"/> * Florida Film Festival - Special Jury Award for Persistence of Vision to Kelley Kali <ref name="fff">{{Cite web|url= https://www.floridafilmfestival.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/FFF-2021-Award-Winners-Press-Release.pdf |title=The 30th Annual Florida Film FestivalL Announces Grand Jury & Audience Award Winners |work= floridafilmfestival.com |date= September 2022}}</ref> * Paul Robeson Award – ''Noh Matta Wat!'' * Best Short Film at Calcutta International Cult Films Festival – ''Lola's House'' * Carthage Film Festival Award – ''Lola's House'' * The Programmers' Award at the Oscar - qualifying Pan African Film Festival
==References== {{Reflist|refs= <ref name="usc profile">{{Cite web |url=https://gradadm.usc.edu/explore/life-at-usc/kelley-kali-chatman/ |title=Kelley Kali Chatman |work=USC Graduate Admission |publisher=University of Southern California |access-date=October 11, 2022}}</ref> }}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Kali, Kelley}} Category:Living people Category:Actresses from Los Angeles Category:Film directors from Los Angeles Category:People from Northridge, Los Angeles Category:Year of birth missing (living people)