---
name: "Kira Kelly"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/kira-kelly"
roles: ["Cinematographer"]
reviewed_on_fi1m: 2
average_fi1m_score: 82
updated: "2026-09-17T05:19:39.503437+00:00"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Kira Kelly

Cinematographer.

## Details

- **Work:** Cinematographer

## Biography

Kira Kelly is an American cinematographer. She graduated from Northwestern University with a degree in radio, television and film, and began her career working as an electrician and gaffer before becoming a director of photography.

Her credits include the documentary *13th* (2016), for which she received an Emmy nomination, three seasons of the series *Queen Sugar*, the limited series *Self Made: Inspired by the Life of Madam C.J. Walker* (2020), an episode of *Insecure* (2020) that earned her a second Emmy nomination, and *Y: The Last Man* (2021). She has also worked on features such as *Were the World Mine* (2008) and *Rez Ball* (2024).

In 2020 Kelly became the first Black woman invited to join the American Society of Cinematographers. She has been recognised on lists including American Cinematographer’s Rising Stars of Cinematography and Variety’s Top Cinematographers to Watch.

*Sources: theasc.com, en.wikipedia.org, televisionacademy.com, imdb.com.*

## On Fi1m (2)

- *13th* (2016), Fi1m 84, Cinematography — [page](https://film.one/film/13th.md)
- *Insecure* (2016), Fi1m 81, Cinematography — [page](https://film.one/tv/insecure.md)

## Also known for

- *Echo* (2024), Director of Photography
- *HIM* (2025), Director of Photography
- *Self Made: Inspired by the Life of Madam C.J. Walker* (2020), Director of Photography
- *Y: The Last Man* (2021), Director of Photography
- *Were the World Mine* (2008), Director of Photography
- *Rez Ball* (2024), Director of Photography

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/kira-kelly