Crystal Kayiza Bio: Age, Net Worth, Height, Parents, Career, Siblings, Husband

Crystal Kayiza is a talented filmmaker, director, and artist celebrated for her documentary and narrative work exploring themes of identity, family, migration, Black communities, and intergenerational experiences.

A Ugandan-American creator raised in Oklahoma and now based in Brooklyn, she has earned acclaim for her visually intimate storytelling and has been recognized as a leading voice in independent film.

Quick Facts

• Full Name: Crystal Kayiza
• Stage Name: Crystal Kayiza
• Born: 1990
• Age: 36 years old
• Birthplace: Harlem, New York
• Nationality: American
• Ethnicity: Ugandan-American
• Occupation: Filmmaker and Director
• Height: Unknown
• Religion: Christianity
• Parents: Ugandan immigrant family
• Siblings: Unknown
• Spouse: Unknown
• Children: Unknown
• Relationship: Unknown
• Net Worth: $1 million

Early Life and Education

Crystal Kayiza is a talented filmmaker and director. Born in 1990 in Harlem, New York, she was raised in Jenks and Tulsa, Oklahoma, surrounded by a close-knit Ugandan immigrant community.

This upbringing profoundly influenced her work, which often examines cultural identity, family dynamics, and the Black American experience. She pursued filmmaking from a young age, attending Ithaca College where she studied documentary production and graduated in 2015.

Her early projects emerged from high school and college, including award-winning shorts that led to her recognition in independent film circles. Her ethnicity is Ugandan-American. Her religion is Christianity.

Career

Crystal Kayiza began making documentaries in high school and gained early attention with films like All That Remains (2011, winner of a Heartland Regional Emmy). She was named one of Filmmaker Magazine’s “25 New Faces of Independent Film.”

Her notable works include Edgecombe (2018), a short documentary on trauma and resilience in a rural Black community in Edgecombe County, North Carolina, which premiered at Sundance.

Rest Stop (2022), a narrative short about a Ugandan-American girl and her mother traveling across the US by bus, premiered at TIFF, won the Jury Prize for Best US Short at Slamdance 2023, and screened at Sundance.

Other projects include The Gardeners, Bloodlines, Mississippi (2025, a 22-minute documentary on health and community), and contributions to Art21.

She has received prestigious support including a Guggenheim Fellowship in Film-Video, Jerome Hill Artist Fellowship, Tribeca Through Her Lens grant, and Creative Capital funding. Her style emphasizes tangible intimacies, family journeys, and social justice themes, often blending documentary and narrative elements.

Awards and Nominations

• Guggenheim Fellowship in Film-Video
• Jerome Hill Artist Fellowship
• Tribeca Through Her Lens grant (2020)
• Jury Prize for Best US Short, Slamdance Film Festival (2023) for Rest Stop
• Heartland Regional Emmy (2012) for All That Remains

Social Media

• Crystal Kayiza does not have a social media account

Personal Life

Crystal Kayiza keeps her personal life private, focusing publicly on her filmmaking, themes of family and identity, and advocacy for underrepresented stories.

She draws from her Ugandan heritage and Oklahoma upbringing in her work but shares limited details about relationships or family beyond professional contexts.

She resides in Brooklyn, New York, and continues to develop new projects while mentoring emerging filmmakers.

Net Worth

Crystal Kayiza is a talented filmmaker and director. Net worth is around $1 million from grants, fellowships, festival prizes, commissions, and independent film work.

Filmography

• All That Remains (short documentary, 2011)
• Edgecombe (short documentary, 2018)
• Rest Stop (short narrative, 2022)
• The Gardeners (documentary)
• Bloodlines, Mississippi (short documentary, 2025)