Deepa Mehta

Deepa Mehta, an India-born Canadian film director and screenwriter, is best known for her acclaimed Elements Trilogy, comprising 'Fire' (1996), 'Earth' (1998), and 'Water' (2005). 'Earth' was India's official entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the Academy Awards, and 'Water' was submitted by Canada in the same category. Apart from directing, Mehta is also a successful screenplay writer. Along with her spouse, David Hamilton, Mehta co-founded Hamilton-Mehta Productions in 1996. She was honored with a Genie Award in 2003 for penning down the screenplay of 'Bollywood/Hollywood' and received the Governor General's Performing Arts Award for Lifetime Artistic Achievement in 2012. Born in the militarized border-town of Amritsar in Punjab, Mehta experienced the impacts of the Partition firsthand. Her family moved to New Delhi during her childhood, and she was exposed to a broad spectrum of cinema growing up, prompting her career in filmmaking. Her career took off in Canada, where she co-founded a production company with her brother Dilip and then-husband Paul Saltzman. Mehta has directed several documentaries and dramas, sparking both acclaim and controversy along her path. She continues to explore cultural, social, and political issues through her lens, making her a prominent figure in world cinema.