Mary-Lyn Chambers is a Writer-Director based in Tāmaki Makaurau. Born in Fiji and raised in Nauru and Aotearoa New Zealand, she crafts stories exploring inequality, cultural intersectionality, and identity.
Chambers is a filmmaking Fellow of the Sony Pictures Television Diverse Directors Programme, Film Independent, DEGANZ Incubator, Alliance of Women Directors, and La Napoule Art Foundation, Chambers is earning recognition across the industry. Her series pilot The Lads was among 34 scripts chosen from 600 for the 2024 The Women’s List. Content London’s Short2Series programme selected her Mexican series, while Diversity in Cannes named her a top ten female director to watch. In 2023, she joined New Zealand’s groundbreaking Five in a Room television intensive writers’ room.
Currently, Chambers is developing two compelling series: a female-driven historical crime drama set in 1920s Tijuana and a historical mystery unfolding during New Zealand’s 1981 Springbok Tour. She is slated to direct an episode of Headlands, an anthology series tackling mental health.
Her recent work Karanga, a collaboration with Māori choreographer Merenia Gray for SkyTV, premiered at Māoriland and opened the 2024 Melbourne Women in Film Festival. Chambers’ films and pilots have graced hundreds of festivals, including Slamdance and HollyShorts. Her accolades include Best TV Pilot at the Downtown Los Angeles Film Festival, Best Female Director at HollyShorts, Best International Short in Manchester, and Best Screenplay at Largo. Her work has found audiences on Amazon Prime, Sky, and Telemundo.
Chambers honed her skills in the international arena, working at the Spirit Awards and notable film festivals, including the former LA Film Fest and Doha Tribeca Film Festival. She is an advocate for justice, inclusion, and equality in the film industry and beyond.
She is delighted to bring her experience, wisdom, and enthusiasm for connecting creative people to serve the DEPOT ArtsLab community.
