Ryan Coogler

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Award-Winning Writer and Director
Entrepreneur and Founder, Proximity Media
Founding Member, the Blackout for Human Rights Campaign
Activist and One of TIME's "30 People Under 30 Changing the World"

Award-winning producer, director, and screenwriter Ryan Coogler is a singular storyteller and one of the greatest filmmakers of his generation. Coogler is known for the history- and headline-making films Fruitvale Station, Creed, and The Black Panther and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. The Black Panther shattered box office records to become the highest-grossing film of all time by a Black director. Coogler’s work is not just critically and commercially successful but has been hailed for celebrating often overlooked cultures and characters and bringing unprecedented diversity to the silver screen. As a speaker, Coogler offers eye-opening insights on the power of storytelling, creating racial equality, and innovative approaches to changing the world.

Coogler has been named to TIME’s “30 People Under 30 Who Are Changing the World,” and has won numerous awards, including four NAACP Image Awards and three Academy Awards. His short film Locks won the Dana and Albert Broccoli Award for Filmmaking Excellence at the Tribeca Film Festival, and his breakout film Fruitvale Station received the U.S. Grand Jury Prize and the Audience Award at Sundance. Coogler’s upcoming projects include a series with Disney+ set in the world of Wakanda as well as a scripted drama for Onyx Collective for Hulu, Sheba – the story of the first African queen’s rise to power, based on true events. Coogler has been in demand for events with groups like Google and Salesforce, who shared this rave review after his keynote presentation: “Ryan was a firm favorite both with the team and the audience.”

Past Hosts Include:

California African American Museum
Amplify Africa's AFRICON 2022
BAFTA 2022 David Lean Lecture

Google
Salesforce
Apple, INC

“

We would love to express our sincere thanks to Ryan for his participation in the closing keynote for Salesforce’s 2nd Annual Representation Matters: Racial Equality Summit. Ryan was a firm favorite both with the team and the audience, we loved that he's a genuine ally to these groups (and also to female talent) on and off screen. - Salesforce

”

Keynote - How identity, community, ritual, fear, and time shaped my career | BAFTA [49:28] - Get Sharable Link

Keynote - How identity, community, ritual, fear, and time shaped my career | BAFTA [49:28]

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Now

Ryan Coogler remarks at A Taste of Sundace Opening Night Dinner | Sundance

In Conversation - The transition of stories from comics to big screen, the subversive nature of the comic genre, and more | California African American Museum [534:38]

Morning Show - Writer and director Ryan Coogler on new "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever" film | CBS Mornings [7:16]

In Conversation clip - On Black Identity | BAM [5:27]

In Conversation - Creative Process, Storytelling Vision, and Trajectory | Sundance Film Festival [16:22]

In Conversation - Rendez Vous Avec Ryan Coogler | Cannes Film Festival [1:36:57]

In Conversation - Black Panther Q&A | Film at Lincoln Center [39:58]

Talks & Conversations with Ryan Coogler

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A Moderated Conversation with Ryan Coogler

RYAN COOGLER is behind history and headline-making films like The Black Panther, which shattered box office records and become the highest-grossing film of all time by a Black director, as well as Fruitvale Station and Creed, Coogler is celebrated as one of Time’s "30 People Under 30 Changing the World" and he has earned Variety’s Creative Impact Award. In conversation about creativity, innovation and the power of storytelling, audiences come away with a sense of why Coogler is one of the standout filmmakers of a generation.

Biography

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Ryan Coogler was born in Oakland, CA. He was an avid student-athlete and earned a football scholarship to St. Mary's College and later transferred to California State University, Sacramento, where he graduated with a degree in Finance.

Having always harbored a talent for storytelling, Ryan discovered his own passion for filmmaking as a college freshman, and began shooting shorts with his teammates and friends. After being admitted into the USC School of Cinematic Arts, he went on to create his award winning shorts Locks, Fig and Gap. Locks was shown at Tribeca Film Festival and was winner of Dana and Albert Broccoli Award for Filmmaking Excellence, Gap received the Jack Nicholson Award for Achievement in Directing, and Fig won the HBO Short Filmmaking Award, DGA Student Filmmaker Award, and was nominated for the Black Reel Award for outstanding independent short film.

After receiving his M.F.A., he began to work as a juvenile hall counselor before creating his first feature film Fruitvale Station, which debuted at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival. The film went on to win both the U.S. Grand Jury Prize for dramatic film and the Audience Award for U.S. dramatic film, two of the festival’s top honors. Following its success at Sundance, Fruitvale Station competed at the 2013 Cannes International Film Festival and won the Cannes Prix L'avenir Award in Un Certain Regard. The film was produced by actor Forest Whitaker, stars Michael B. Jordan and Octavia Spencer.

Later, Ryan went on to write and direct Creed for MGM starring Michael B. Jordan and Sylvester Stallone. Ryan’s latest film, Black Panther won three Oscars and was nominated for 6 Oscars including Best Picture.

In early 2021, Disney shared that Coogler is creating a series for Disney+, set in the world of Wakanda.

Coogler still resides in the Bay Area with his wife Zinzi Evans.

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Ryan Coogler

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ideal speakers for upcoming events