Naa Adei Mante
2024 HEAR US Awardee
Graduate Film Class of 2026
naa adei (nah • aday) is a writer, director, and producer based in New York City. Born to Ghanaian immigrants in the DMV, she leverages her layered identity to create films across the diaspora. She loves to tell stories that explore those internal, unspoken, and even unpleasant emotions that Black women struggle with in a post-colonial era.
Project
"glamour day"
When an encounter with her crush prompts Niyah, a self-confident pre-teen, to style her own hair for the first time, she gladly accepts the challenge. The only problem is, she doesn’t know the first thing about hot combs, curlers, or relaxers.
Set in 2007, "glamour day" is a coming of age story set in a youth center in a predominantly Black military community. Based on writer-director, Naa Adei Mante's own personal experiences growing up as a child of an US Army Reservist in Ft. Meade, Maryland, "glamour day" follows a young pre-teen as she tries to navigate adolescence without the support of her mother, who happens to be deployed to Iraq. Despite this maternal presence, Niyah still learns how to love herself (and her hair), thanks to the help of a wise female mentor. This story is a testament to the power of Black women uplifting ourselves and each other.
This storyboard animation is just a preview of what we hope to capture in the live action rendition of this narrative short film. Principal Photography is set to begin in July 2025.
