Shola Lynch

Lynch is an award-winning American filmmaker who burst on the scene in 2004. Her eagerly anticipated second feature documentary "Free Angela & All Political Prisoners" is a first-hand account of the events that thrust Angela Davis into the national spotlight from a young college professor to a fugitive on the FBI's Ten Most Wanted list. This complex film has challenged Lynch and showcases her progress as a promising director and producer.

Shola's first independent feature documentary, "Chisolm '72 -- Unbought & Unbossed," about Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm's historic run for president in 1972, premiered at the Sundance Film Festival, aired on PBS's POV series, and garnered two Independent Spirit Award nominations and a prestigious Peabody for excellence.

Shola honed her filmmaking skills as a visual researcher and associate producer for Ken Burns and Florentine Films. Her work on the two-part "Frank Lloyd Wright" documentary and 10-part "Jazz" series inspired her to pursue the craft of storytelling. Since then she has produced and scripted stories that have aired on BET, CNN, ESPN, HBO Sports and PBS.

Shola also holds a graduate degree in journalism from Columbia University and is working on a book based on her new film. She lives in Harlem, N.Y., with her husband and two young children, Julian and Violet.