Leah Natasha Thomas

Ms. Thomas started her career at Revolution Studios where she worked on MONA LISA SMILE with Julia Roberts and LITTLE BLACK BOOK with Brittany Murphy.

As the former Director of Industry Relations for Ghetto Film School, Ms. Thomas used her knowledge of the entertainment business to create opportunity for young people. During her tenure, GFS received the Mayor's Award for Art & Culture, was recognized by Russell Simmons at his Art For Life Benefit and spear-headed its first Annual Benefit.

She recently produced 25 TO LIFE, winner of the CNN Grand Jury Prize at American Black Film Festival 2014 (AFFRM), directed by Mike Brown and 3 1/2 MINUTES winner of the Special Jury Award for Social Impact, Sundance 2015 (Participant Media, HBO)  directed by Marc Silver. Both documentaries were supported by the Sundance Institute and Ford Foundation. She produced, MURDER IN BLACK AND WHITE, a four part documentary series for TV One on unsolved Civil Rights murders and JOHNNIE MAE CHAPPELL : Wanted Justice, for the History Channel. She is currently producing THE TRIAL OF MUMIA ABU JAMAL, winner of the Garrett Scott Documentary Award, with director Ted Passen and narrative features DOUBLES WITH SLIGHT PEPPER, with director Ian Harnarine, Executive Produced by Spike Lee and an adaptation of COULDN’T KEEP IT TO MYSELF, by acclaimed author Wally Lamb and the women of York Correctional Facility for Women. She is a member of BAFTA, a Tribeca Film Festival Industry Delegate, sits on the grants panel for the Brooklyn Arts Council and was named as one of the Top Ten Rising Women Executives in Entertainment by Uptown Magazine.  

She holds a BFA in Drama and Politics and an MA in Art and Public Policy from NYU-Tisch School of the Arts.

Awards include:

25 TO LIFE

CNN Grand Jury Prize Best Documentary - American Black Film Festival 2014

Official Selection Milwaukee Film Festival 2014

Official Selection New Orleans Film Festival 2014

Official Selection Western NY Black Film Festival 2015

Official Selection Pan African Film Festival 2015

3 ½ MINUTES

Special Grand Jury Prize for Social Impact Sundance Film Festival 2015

Official Selection US Documentary Competition Sundance Film Festival 2015

Official Selection AFI Docs Film Festival 2015

Official Selection Full Frame Film Festival 2015

Official Selection Human Rights Watch Film Festival 2015