Tina Mabry

Tina Mabry is an American film director, screenwriter, producer, and television director whose work centers the lives of Black families, women, and LGBTQ+ communities through emotionally nuanced storytelling. Born in Tupelo, Mississippi, she earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Mississippi (Ole Miss) before completing a Master of Fine Arts in Film Production at the University of Southern California School of Cinematic Arts. Her Southern upbringing and personal experiences have remained central influences throughout her creative career.

Mabry gained national recognition with her acclaimed independent feature Mississippi Damned (2009), a semi-autobiographical drama examining the lives of three Black siblings growing up in rural Mississippi. The film received numerous festival awards and established her as an important voice in independent cinema for its honest portrayal of family dynamics, poverty, trauma, and resilience. Earlier, her short film Brooklyn's Bridge to Jordan also received critical acclaim on the festival circuit and helped launch her directing career.

Alongside her independent filmmaking, Mabry has built an accomplished career in television as a writer, producer, and director. Her credits include Queen of the South, Queen Sugar, Insecure, Pose, Dear White People, Swagger, Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story, and Found. She also directed the Disney film An American Girl Story: Melody 1963: Love Has to Win and the feature film The Supremes at Earl's All-You-Can-Eat. Through both film and television, Mabry has consistently championed authentic representation and emotionally grounded storytelling while creating opportunities for stories that have historically been underrepresented on screen.