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Mykel is a queer Indigenous filmmaker from the Pueblo of Laguna, New Mexico, whose work explores the intersections of desire, grief, and power. Her confrontational, body-forward films center on queer women and intimacy through an unflinching female gaze. Deeply influenced by the stark landscape and isolation of the Southwest, Mykel’s storytelling blurs the line between realism and the surreal, using memory and ritual, rather than traditional plot, as its narrative engines.

Formally, Mykel’s directing style is precise, lyrical, and deeply physical. She employs long takes that trap the viewer within a moment, invasive close-ups that refuse distance, and deliberate pacing that withholds release. Relying on sparse dialogue, her camera watches, waits, and sometimes punishes, creating a psychologically rich experience.

A Directors Guild of America director and 1st AD, Mykel brings a unique blend of discipline and defiance to her work. Forged on high-pressure sets while simultaneously building art within queer and activist communities, she has contributed to award-winning projects featured at Sundance, Tribeca, and Berlin. Her own directorial shorts: Dear Judith, The Woods Are Lovely, Dark and Deep, and Quiet on Set, have screened at multiple Oscar-qualifying festivals and garnered over 15 accolades, including Best Director, Best Queer Film, and Best Cause-Driven Film. Her latest short, The Bookstore, was done in collaboration with many non-profits and legislators for the 2026 New Mexico Legislative Session, which helped pass the historic Immigrant Safety Act.

A Rising Star honoree from the New Mexico Film & Television Hall of Fame, Mykel is in-development of her first feature film, Noli Me Tangere, a transgressive psychosexual body horror reimagining of Mary Magdalene.

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director

Awards

Mykel Salazar

Los Angeles Independent Film Festival Awards

Paris Independent Film Festival

Indie Short Fest

Lonely Wolf International Film Festival

World Film Festival in Cannes

Berlin Indie Film Festival

LA Femme Short Film Festival

Women X Film Festival

WSXA International Film Awards

Belgrade International Film Festival

Madrid International Short Film Festival

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