Megan Mylan
Encyclopedia
Megan Mylan is an American documentary film director, known for her films Lost Boys of Sudan
and the 2008 Academy Award-winning Smile Pinki
.
Mylan was born in California and raised in Dallas, Texas, where she graduated Highland Park High School
. She earned a bachelor's degree from the Georgetown University
School of Foreign Service, and master's degrees in journalism and Latin American studies from the University of California, Berkeley
. She worked for Ashoka
in Brazil
before deciding to pursue documentary filmmaking.
In 2003, Mylan and Jon Shenk directed Lost Boys of Sudan, a feature-length documentary about two Dinka
boys who fled the Sudan
ese civil war for the United States. The film won an Independent Spirit Award and through theatrical release, PBS broadcast and an extensive social action campaign raised millions of dollars for refugee scholarships.
In 2008, Mylan directed Smile Pinki
a film on efforts to provide free cleft palate surgery in India. She focused on the work of the Smile Train program in Varanasi
, India
. The film won the 2008 Academy Award for Best Documentary (Short Subject).
Mylan is currently working on a film on the struggle for racial equality in Brazil.
Lost Boys of Sudan (film)
Lost Boys of Sudan is a documentary film by Megan Mylan and Jon Shenk about two Dinka boys from Sudan, Santino Majok Chuor and Peter Nyarol Dut, who reached the United States after fleeing the civil war in their country...
and the 2008 Academy Award-winning Smile Pinki
Smile Pinki
Smile Pinki is a 39-minute documentary directed by Megan Mylan. The film shows the story of a poor girl in rural India whose life is transformed when she receives free surgery to correct her cleft lip...
.
Mylan was born in California and raised in Dallas, Texas, where she graduated Highland Park High School
Highland Park High School (University Park, Texas)
Highland Park High School is located in University Park, Texas.Highland Park is a part of the Highland Park Independent School District. It serves all of the city of University Park, most of the town of Highland Park, and portions of Dallas.-History:...
. She earned a bachelor's degree from the Georgetown University
Georgetown University
Georgetown University is a private, Jesuit, research university whose main campus is in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Founded in 1789, it is the oldest Catholic university in the United States...
School of Foreign Service, and master's degrees in journalism and Latin American studies from the University of California, Berkeley
University of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA...
. She worked for Ashoka
Ashoka: Innovators for the Public
Ashoka: Innovators for the Public is a nonprofit organization based in Arlington, VA, supporting the field of social entrepreneurship. Ashoka was founded by Bill Drayton in 1981 to identify and support leading social entrepreneurs through a Social Venture Capital approach with the goal of...
in Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
before deciding to pursue documentary filmmaking.
In 2003, Mylan and Jon Shenk directed Lost Boys of Sudan, a feature-length documentary about two Dinka
Dinka
The Dinka is an ethnic group inhabiting the Bahr el Ghazal region of the Nile basin, Jonglei and parts of southern Kordufan and Upper Nile regions. They are mainly agro-pastoral people, relying on cattle herding at riverside camps in the dry season and growing millet and other varieties of grains ...
boys who fled the Sudan
Sudan
Sudan , officially the Republic of the Sudan , is a country in North Africa, sometimes considered part of the Middle East politically. It is bordered by Egypt to the north, the Red Sea to the northeast, Eritrea and Ethiopia to the east, South Sudan to the south, the Central African Republic to the...
ese civil war for the United States. The film won an Independent Spirit Award and through theatrical release, PBS broadcast and an extensive social action campaign raised millions of dollars for refugee scholarships.
In 2008, Mylan directed Smile Pinki
Smile Pinki
Smile Pinki is a 39-minute documentary directed by Megan Mylan. The film shows the story of a poor girl in rural India whose life is transformed when she receives free surgery to correct her cleft lip...
a film on efforts to provide free cleft palate surgery in India. She focused on the work of the Smile Train program in Varanasi
Varanasi
-Etymology:The name Varanasi has its origin possibly from the names of the two rivers Varuna and Assi, for the old city lies in the north shores of the Ganga bounded by its two tributaries, the Varuna and the Asi, with the Ganges being to its south...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. The film won the 2008 Academy Award for Best Documentary (Short Subject).
Mylan is currently working on a film on the struggle for racial equality in Brazil.