We didn't need another reason to dive into the latest season of Sex Education but as chance would have it we've got. Season 3 of Sex Education is directed by Zimbabwean director Runyararo Mapfumo alongside Ben Taylor. She has directing credits on episodes 4, 6, 7 and 8 of the latest season of Sex Education.
Sex Education is a British comedy-drama streaming television series created by Laurie Nunn for Netflix. The series depicts the lives of the students, staff, and parents of the fictitious Moordale Secondary School as they contend with dilemmas in their personal lives, often related to sexual intimacy. It features an ensemble cast that includes Asa Butterfield, Gillian Anderson, Ncuti Gatwa, Emma Mackey, Connor Swindells, Kedar Williams-Stirling, Aimee Lou Wood, Tanya Reynolds, and Patricia Allison.
In a post sharing lessons she learned working on the show Runyararo wrote:
Love yourself, have faith, trust your gut, love others, kindness is everything and always invest in relationships (not just romantic ones) oh, and invest in good weather proof gear. It’s all worth it.
[mini thread] Today’s the day! The love, adventures, scandals, good times and hardships of our Moordale friends have been released to the world.
— Runyararo Mapfumo (@Runyararo_M) September 17, 2021
Thank you again to our incredible @sexeducation cast and relentlessly brilliant crew. pic.twitter.com/gLl9kLVmg6
Runyararo is a director and a writer based in the UK. She graduated from Sheffield with a first in Film and Visual Effects in 2013. Her storytelling balances drama and sensitivity with a humanity that is relatable and engaging.
Runyararo’s short films study human nature and are grounded in reality. In Masterpiece, she explores brotherhood and socio-political themes through a group of friends’ interpretation of modern art. In Sensational Simmy! we observe a former World Champion take her power back and instinctively decide to fight for what's hers when a hate crime occurs. The film originated from the question 'what does it mean to be British?' and also explores themes around failure and resilience.
The BFI/BBC funded Dawn In The Dark looks at the relationship between an uncle and his niece as they struggle through a family crisis. The film premiered at BFI London Film Festival 2019. It was also selected for the BAFTA-qualifying Underwire Film Festival 2019, earning Runyararo a nomination for directing. Her previous short film Masterpiece premiered at BFI LFF 2017 and screened at a variety of BAFTA qualifying film festivals throughout 2017 and 2018, and was selected as a BFI Network Pick of the Month and a Vimeo Staff Pick.
In 2020 Runyararo was selected to create one of 21 films by 21 directors for the Uncertain Kingdom – a unique portrait of the nation in 2020: What’s In A Name profiles a handful of Brits with non-Western names, and how those names have affected their lives and shaped who they are.
Runyararo is currently developing her debut feature film.