Chelsea McMullan is a Canadian documentary filmmaker, best known for their 2013 film '' My Prairie Home'', a film about
transgender
A transgender (often shortened to trans) person has a gender identity different from that typically associated with the sex they were sex assignment, assigned at birth.
The opposite of ''transgender'' is ''cisgender'', which describes perso ...
Filmmaker
Filmmaking or film production is the process by which a Film, motion picture is produced. Filmmaking involves a number of complex and discrete stages, beginning with an initial story, idea, or commission. Production then continues through screen ...
'', January 19, 2014.
McMullan is
non-binary
Non-binary or genderqueer Gender identity, gender identities are those that are outside the male/female gender binary. Non-binary identities often fall under the transgender umbrella since non-binary people typically identify with a gende ...
, and uses they/them pronouns.
Early life
McMullan grew up in Langley, British Columbia as an avid basketball player. They received a basketball scholarship to play at
Brookswood Secondary School
Brookswood Secondary School is located in the community of Brookswood in Langley, British Columbia. Among other resources, the school has an automechanics workshop, two gymnasiums, a theatre, a dark room, and a television studio. The school als ...
and were scouted to play at the university level in Canada, but eventually decided to pursue an interest in film.
Career
Chelsea McMullan studied film in the Department of Film (now Cinema and Media Arts) at York University in Toronto; graduating with a BFA (Specialized Honours) in 2007.
McMullan's early film credits include the documentary films '' Derailments (Deragliamenti)'' and ''The Way Must Be Tried'', and the short films ''Plume'' and ''Bath Time''.
McMullan has worked on several projects with the
National Film Board of Canada
The National Film Board of Canada (NFB; ) is a Canadian public film and digital media producer and distributor. An agency of the Government of Canada, the NFB produces and distributes documentary films, animation, web documentaries, and altern ...
. In addition to ''My Prairie Home'', their prior films ''Mise en Scène'' and ''Deadman'' were made for the NFB; they first met Spoon when they wanted to secure rights to one of Spoon's songs as background music for ''Deadman''.
''My Prairie Home'' competed in the World Cinema Documentary program at the
2014 Sundance Film Festival
The 2014 Sundance Film Festival took place from January 16, 2014 until January 26, 2014 in Park City, Utah, United States, with screenings in Salt Lake City, Utah, Salt Lake City, Ogden, Utah, Ogden, and Sundance Resort in Utah. The festival opene ...
Canadian Screen Award
The Canadian Screen Awards () are awards given for artistic and technical merit in the film industry recognizing excellence in Canadian film, English-language television, and digital media ( web series) productions. Given annually by the Academy ...
CBC News
CBC News is the division of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation responsible for the news gathering and production of news programs on the corporation's English-language operations, namely CBC Television, CBC Radio, CBC News Network, and CBC ...
4th Canadian Screen Awards
The 4th Canadian Screen Awards was held on March 13, 2016, to honour achievements in Canadian film, television, and digital media production in 2015.
Nominations were announced on January 19, 2016. Throughout the week before the main ceremony, aw ...
Crystal Pite
Crystal Pite (born December 15, 1970) is a Canadian Choreography (dance), choreographer and dancer. She began her professional dance career in 1988 at Ballet British Columbia, Ballet BC, and in 1996 she joined Ballett Frankfurt under the tutelag ...
, was also released in 2022.
In 2023, McMullan released ''
Swan Song
The swan song (; ) is a metaphorical phrase for a final gesture, effort, or performance given just before death or retirement. The phrase refers to an ancient belief that swans sing a beautiful song just before their death while they have been ...
'', a documentary film profiling
Karen Kain
Karen Alexandria Kain (born March 28, 1951) is a Canadian former ballet dancer and was the Artistic Director of the National Ballet of Canada from 2005 to 2021.
Early training and childhood
Kain's mother enrolled her daughter in ballet trainin ...
Variety
Variety may refer to:
Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats
* Variety (radio)
* Variety show, in theater and television
Films
* ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont
* ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...
'', July 25, 2023.
McMullan's forthcoming projects include a documentary film, ''Michael Shannon Michael Shannon John'', and a narrative feature film, ''Swan Killer''.