Shazia Javed – Stage to Screen

Shazia Javed is the Founder and CEO of LifeSketch Media, an entertainment company that champions equity in leadership roles. She recently produced, directed,and show ran the TV series Potluck Ladies (Hollywood Suite, YES TV, Prime Video), earning two Canadian Screen Award nominations (Best Drama Series & Best
Writing, Drama Series). Her work on Potluck Ladies also won her the Best Drama Series Award at SeriesFest, Denver & and nominations for two awards at Yorkton Film Festival.

Her documentary, 3 Seconds Divorce (Netflix, ORF), won the Audience Choice Award at Reelworld Film Festival. She wrote and directed Namrata (NFB, Hot Docs, Durban International), a finalist for three Alberta Motion Pictures Industries Association (AMPIA) awards. Recognized as one of Playback’s 10 to Watch in 2020,

Shazia is an alumna of numerous esteemed career accelerators including Sheridan EDGE Rise, BANFF Spark Accelerator, Netflix/BANFF Diversity of Voices, Reelworld E20, Women in Director’s Chair (WIDC), BIPOC Film & TV showrunners bootcamp, and the DOC Breakthrough Program, where she won the Development Award for best pitch. Her work has been supported by the Canada Media Fund, Independent Production Fund, ISO, various art councils, and Canadian and international broadcasters.

Throughout her career, Shazia has received recognition for both her
artistic contributions and entrepreneurship from organizations such as the City of Mississauga, Sheridan Edge, and United Way Toronto’s SACAC, in addition to receiving three MARTY awards from the Mississauga Arts Council. She is currently overseeing a robust slate of projects at LifeSketch Media.