Nnegest Likké is an American film director, screenwriter and producer from Oakland. Born in the Bay Area and raised in Oakland and San Francisco, she is the daughter of an African-American Civil Rights Activists and a well-known Ethiopian freedom fighter. Many of her works explore themes of cross-cultural relationships between black Americans and Africans, and she is a pioneer of the blended-culture genre. Specializing in comedy, romance, provocative drama and social-issue genres, Nnegest Likké's films are thought-provoking, social impact-films that examine complex issues in society and culture. Her film awards include Best Diaspora Film at the 2016 Africa Movie Academy Awards (AMAA) for " Ben and Ara " which she directed. Her 2019 international romantic drama, Everything But A Man won the Audience Choice Award at the Pan African Film Festival and the movie debuted at #1 on Netflix in Africa and on AMC's ALLBLK channel in the USA. In 2023, the Netflix Original film, A Sunday Affair, which she was the lead writer on debuted at #1 on Netflix Africa and was the most viewed Nigerian film on the platform in the first half of 2023. Nnegest is one of the first women of color to write and direct a movie distributed by a major Hollywood studio. Her directing credits include Fox Searchlight's cult-classic romantic-comedy Phat Girlz, the multi-award-winning indie love dramas Ben & Ara and Everything But A Man, and two documentary features.
Nnegest Likké was born in Oakland, California. She is half African-American and half Ethiopian and grew up in the San Francisco - Oakland Bay Area.
During her childhood, Likké had the opportunity of traveling around the world, including throughout Europe and Africa with her mother who Likké referred to as an active globetrotter and Civil Rights Activist. This traveling exposed her to various ways of life besides those known in America.
Likké attended Skyline High School in Oakland. After graduating, she attended Clark Atlanta University (CAU), where she studied film and graduated with a BA in Mass Communications.
After college, Likké moved to Los Angeles to pursue screenwriting. While honing her craft, Likké taught Drama, History and English at a high school in Los Angeles. Today, she still mentors at-risk youth.
Phat Girlz (2006) was Likké's first feature film, starring Academy Award Winner MoâÂÂNique. This film, widely considered a cult-classic is a romantic-comedy about two attractive, full-figured women who meet the men of their dreams while on vacation. Her second film was Ben & Ara, followed by the top-ranked indie Everything But a Man starring Monica Calhoun and Jimmy Jean-Louis (2019 ). Likké wrote, directed and produced Everything But a Man, about the challenges successful, career-driven women have finding love. Her most recent film, which she was screenwriter on is the #1 Netflix Original Nigerian film A Sunday Affair. Likké is currently working on multiple projects for film and TV.