Michelle Melles
Introduction (2-3 lines)
Michelle Melles, MFA, is a Canadian-American filmmaker, director, producer, and story editor based in Toronto. A passionate advocate for the interplay between personal experiences and political realities, Michelle believes in the transformative power of multidimensional storytelling. With over twenty years of experience in creating TV documentaries, her work consistently challenges conventional narratives and explores complex social issues. Drunk on Too Much Life, her first independent feature documentary, exemplifies her commitment to impactful, thought-provoking film.
Michelle Melles, MFA, is a Canadian-American filmmaker, director, producer, and story editor based in Toronto. Under her banner, Parallel Vision Pictures, she creates independent documentaries that challenge conventional beliefs and offer fresh perspectives on the human experience. With over twenty years of experience, Michelle has produced a wide array of documentaries, television docu-series, and unscripted content across broadcast, streaming, and digital platforms. Her expertise spans entertainment writing, story editing, and producing internationally distributed docu-series.
Michelle earned her MFA in Documentary Media from Toronto Metropolitan University, graduating summa cum laude and receiving the Gold Medal and a SSHRC (Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council) grant for her research and documentary work. Her feature-length documentary Drunk on Too Much Life (2021) has been broadcast across Canada on TVO, The Knowledge Network, and will soon air in the U.S. on PBS.
Michelle’s career launched with the internationally syndicated, critically acclaimed docu-series SexTV (1999-2008), where she produced, directed, and story-edited groundbreaking documentaries on global issues of sexuality and gender. Notable works include Intersexuality: Redefining Sex (2000), Sex, Love & Race: A Legacy of Slavery in America (2001), Unnatural Selection: Eugenics in North America (2005), Quiverfull - Shunned From God’s Army (2008), and Sister Wives: Born into Polygamy (2008). These documentaries delve into complex social issues, focusing on gender, sexuality, and the narratives of strong, multifaceted women.
