AIYANA SHULER

ABOUT

Osiyo, my name is Aiyana Shuler. 

I was born in Oregon, raised in Alaska, traveled around the Americas,  and came to New Mexico to study film. I am a director, writer, and freelance editor based in Albuquerque, New Mexico. My style is heavily based in narrative and experimental styles, which adapts well to various different needs. Through my film school experience I learned to take directorial inspiration from directors such as Jim Henson who sought to spread kindness and positivity  working on set and bring back the joy of filmmaking to everyone involved in the process. As an independent filmmaker I am always vastly aware of my place in history and am proud to be a part of this generation of new filmmakers coming out of New Mexico as this state quickly becomes a hotspot for the industry. 

I approach writing and directing from my own specific queer and Indigenous point of view. Being queer and being Indigenous means that any story I breathe life into is fundamentally queer. My identity as a queer Indigenous person is a joy just as much as it is a horror which inspires the focus I take in my creative projects. Combining this greater goal and intention with my own intersectional life experiences, Indigeneity and queerness tend to meld together in my voice not only as a writer but as a director.  I often write characters who are queer and Indigenous and are forced to navigate horrific societal scapes. Through my future films I desire to flip the expectation and write stories where queerness and Indigeneity are indicators of hope and not doom. My short Indigenous horror film ‘Be Good, Stay Safe’ showcases this perspective through my unique and surrealistic film style.