Michelle Mama is a Canadian-Parsi writer, director, producer, and LGBTQIA+ advocate known for her work in film and television. She directed the episode Fluid: Beyond the Binary for CBC's The Nature of Things and co-founded Gay Agenda, a Toronto-based production company focused on LGBTQIA+ stories. Mama has been nominated multiple times for Canadian Screen Awards, including for her work on Lost Car Rescue and Shine True, and has won several industry awards for her documentary and reality television productions.[1][2][3]
Michelle Mama was born to parents who immigrated to Canada from India and Pakistan. Her family is of Zoroastrian descent, part of the Parsi community.[4] She is a vocal advocate for LGBTQIA+ rights and representation in the media.[5]
Career
Writer and director
Mama has worked for over two decades in various roles across the entertainment industry. As a writer, she contributed to Baroness Von Sketch Show (Season 5, IFC/CBC), a series known for its sharp humour and social commentary.[6] She also directed the award-winning documentary 21 Days to Nawroz, a film exploring the cultural significance of the Iranian New Year, as well as Your Beautiful Cul de Sac Home, a feature comedy.[7]
In 2023, Mama directed Fluid: Beyond the Binary, an episode of The Nature of Things featuring non-binary comedian Mae Martin. The episode explores the complexity of gender identity, with an emphasis on queer representation in media.[8]
Mama's production credits include In The Making, which was nominated for several awards at the 2019 Canadian Screen Awards[11] and Summer Qamp (executive producer), a documentary that follows a group of LGBTQIA+ youth in rural Alberta.[12] She is also the showrunner, series producer, and director for the Shine True documentary series, which received recognition for its focus on LGBTQIA+ fashion and beauty.[13]
Advocacy and cultural impact
Mama is a vocal advocate for LGBTQIA+ inclusion in the media. In 2023, she co-founded Gay Agenda, a queer-owned production company based in Toronto, focused on telling stories by, for, and about queer communities.[14]
Her work often highlights issues of identity, belonging, and culture, with a special focus on the intersection of queer and South Asian narratives. This includes her ongoing involvement in the documentary AntiDiva: The Confessions of Carole Pope, which is set to delve into the life of Canadian rock icon Carole Pope.[15]
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