Wanuri Kahiu is best known for her 2018 film Rafiki. Not only because it won her multiple awards, but also because of the court battle it sparked. When the Kenyan Film Classification Board tried to ban the story of two women falling in love, arguing that it “promoted lesbianism”, Kahiu was left unable to submit her feature for the Oscars, so she sued for her right to freedom of expression and artistic creativity.

The judge ruled in her favour and Rafiki was shown throughout Kenya, but the board still prevented the film from being submitted to the Academy. Kahiu went on to found Afrobubblegum, a collective that supports “fun, fierce and frivolous” African art.

Maryam Keshavarz

Iran

Meet the female directors challenging the status quo around the world