Trailblazer
Awards
Fawzia Mirza
Director & Writer
Raised in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, Fawzia Mirza is a filmmaker and writer dedicated to amplifying marginalized voices in North America's Muslim, LGBTQIA+, and people of colour communities since 2012. A member of SAG, WGA, and DGC, she's recognized as a White House Champion of Change in Asian storytelling. Fawzia's impressive journey includes participation in acclaimed programs like the Tribeca Film Institute, TIFF Writer's Studio, Filmmaker Lab, Ryan Murphy's Half Initiative, and the Canadian Academy of Women Directors' Program. Her script "HEIRLOOM" was featured on The Black List's 2022 Muslim List. Her directorial debut, "THE QUEEN OF MY DREAMS," premiered at TIFF 2023 and the BFI London Film Festival, earning nominations for the Director's Guild of Canada's Jean-Marc Vallée Discovery Award and the BFI's Sutherland First Feature Award. Notably, she co-wrote and starred in "SIGNATURE MOVE," a 2017 rom-com that received 15 awards, including the US Grand Jury Prize at Outfest. Her work on "THE RED LINE," a CBS series, made history with the first queer, Muslim romance on network TV. Fawzia's talents extend to short films, one-person shows, and digital series. She co-founded BABY DAAL PRODUCTIONS with her wife, Andria Wilson Mirza, and serves as an executive producer on several impactful projects.
Meet the Trailblazer
What drives you?
LOVE
Who impacted your career the most?
All the women and folx who have loved me. My manager Alexander. And my wife, Andria Wilson Mirza.
How did you build the team around you?
Surrounding myself who really saw and understood me and who also have the same values as I do.
What was your best experience in this business?
Making this movie.
Is there a theme in the work you do or choose?
“How do we become who we are?”
Was it luck or strategy that helped you find success?
Both
Did you ever give up hope that you’d make it?
Constantly. And does anyone ever “make it”? There is always higher to go, further to climb, so enjoy the ride and find your joy in the little moments.
What was your worst experience in this business?
There have been many – but when a former manager told me I wouldn’t be successful because, “There is a WAY you do things in this business” and I wasn’t doing it.
Advice to someone just starting out?
What project are you most proud of?
Patience.
All of them. Because they all shaped me and helped me learn something about myself or my work.
Was Reelworld instrumental in your career? AND/OR Did Reelworld inspire you in any way?
Tell us about your next project.
My intersectional communities have always supported me before I even knew I was a filmmaker or a director. Asian community and film festival have been essential me finding my voice and feeling safe in community.
Too early to say but follow me on insta @thefawz to keep updated.
Give us a quote that will inspire emerging talent.
What are you most proud of in your career?
Be patient with yourself. Be patient with your career. And be patient with others.
I hope my career is just beginning and there are many things to come to be proud of! AND, I am proud of being able to make a living and take care of my family through art, writing and directing.