I am compelled by a central belief that all people deserve to feel safe, have equal access to opportunities and be treated with dignity. I am compelled to tell stories where this is not the case. It’s how I resist. It’s how I affect change.
Mary-Lyn Chambers is an award-winning filmmaker born in Fiji and raised in New Zealand. She is a directing Fellow in both the Sony Pictures Television Diverse Directors Program and Film Independent's diversity mentorship program, Project Involve. She is a current participant in the Alliance of Women Directors in-house shadow program.
Her short film exploring child refugees in US detention centers, "Debris (Escombros)", screened in three programs during the 2016 Cannes Film Festival and traveled to festivals in Canada, Iran, the US, and the UK. The film won several awards including “Best International Short” at the Manchester International Film Festival, “Best Dramatic Short” from the 2016 Alliance of Women in Media Genii Awards, and “Best Female Director” at the Hollyshorts Film Festival.
Her award-winning pilot, "The Plural of Blood", about a mixed-race police couple, had a robust festival run and can now be found on Amazon Prime. "Tijuana", her second Spanish-language project, and her first-period piece had its world premiere at the 2019 Slamdance Film Festival and will be presented at the Bentonville Film Festival, created by Gina Davis.
In addition to developing two television shows, she is also developing her first feature film set in New Zealand. Chambers is known for hiring women and minorities in the majority leadership roles on her crews while tackling stories in the social justice/effecting-change space. She worked for a decade for the Los Angeles Film Festival and the Independent Spirit Awards.
  • Writer (4 Credits)
    Revolution Avenue
    Television Script
    Tijuana2019
    Short, Television, Web / New Media, Other
    The Plural of Blood2017
    Short
    Debris - Escombros2016
    Short
  • Director (4 Credits)
    KARANGA2022
    Experimental, Music Video, Short, Other
    Tijuana2019
    Short, Television, Web / New Media, Other
    The Plural of Blood2017
    Short
    Debris - Escombros2016
    Short
  • Producer (1 Credit)
    Tijuana2019
    Short, Television, Web / New Media, Other
Official Selection
Tijuana
Bentonville Film Festival
Bentonville
2019
Best TV Pilot
The Plural of Blood
Downtown Los Angeles Film Festival
Los Angeles
2018
Jury - Honorable Mention
Debris - Escombros
Ojai Film Festival
Ojai
2016
Best Female Director
Debris - Escombros
HollyShorts Film Festival
Los Angeles
2016
Genii Award for Best Dramatic Short Film
Debris - Escombros
57th Alliance of Women in Media Genii Awards
Los Angeles
2016
Best International Short Film
Debris - Escombros
Manchester International Film Festival
Manchester, United Kingdom
2016
I am compelled by a central belief that all people deserve to feel safe, have equal access to opportunities and be treated with dignity. I am compelled to tell stories where this is not the case. It’s how I resist. It’s how I affect change.
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