I’m Milena Mikael-Debass, an Emmy-winning journalist, documentary filmmaker, and founder of Candid Productions..

I seek out stories that reveal the humanity, resilience, and creativity of people around the world. From underground balls in Lagos to favelas in Rio, I’ve spent the past decade covering stories of cultural resistance and human rights struggles. I directed a variety of short and longform series at VICE News, notably an episode of the Peabody-winning Transnational and Black Lives Matter: A Global Reckoning, a docuseries I co-created on global racial justice movements. I’ve had the privilege of filming diverse voices, including police whistleblowers, Afrofuturist creatives and UFO enthusiasts.

I love creating and building projects from the ground up. I helped launch Al Jazeera America’s The Stream and co-founded SmartPhilm, a mobile film festival. My work has been recognized by the Emmys, GLAAD, Webbys, and the Scripps Howard Awards, and I’m proud to be part of communities like Brown Girls Doc Mafia, Film Fatales, and the Video Consortium.

Born to Eritrean parents in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, I carry a perspective that bridges cultures, borders, and ideas. I studied International Relations and French at the University of Virginia, then earned a Master’s in Global Communication with a focus on conflict studies from George Washington University and Sciences Po Paris.