ABOUT
Boccella Productions makes movies that bridge communities and cultures to inspire connection, compassion and awe.
Mia Boccella is a filmmaker, photographer, artist, life coach and equestrian. Her four grandparents emmigrated from Italy to Pittsburgh, PA where she was born and raised. She began her film career in Pittsburgh before moving to Santa Fe, NM where she worked for ten years on feature films. She founded Boccella Productions in 2005 and produced two full length documentary films and many short films. In 2019 was invited to photograph at the inauguration of the first two Native American Congresswomen at the U.S. Capital in Washington D.C.
Most recently Boccella Productions was awarded a grant from The Dressage Foundation to support it’s current documentary in development. In 2022 Boccella Productions was the recipient of the Getty Images Creative Grant and won 2nd prize for a proposal about The Blind Equestrian Community, of which Mia is a member. Mia also edited a photographic volume “Pittsburgh Streets 1950s” by Michael Rosella, which was launched at the Heinz History Center in 2022.
Mia received a BFA cum laude from Carnegie Mellon University, studied Italian language at E.N.A.I.P. BOLOGNA in Bologna, Italy and earned a Life Coach certification from Coach Training Alliance. Mia is a member of the ReelAbilities Commitee, the Blind Equestrian Community, Documentary Filmmakers with Disabilities (FWD-Doc) and the Italian American Advisory Council at the Heinz History Center.
She has previously volunteered with Blind and Visual Rehabilitation Services of Pittsburgh, Native American Democratic Caucus of New Mexico, Pittsburgh Public Schools where she taught a documentary film class “Movies with a Message” and served on the board of the New Mexico Women’s Foundation. In 2013 Mia was recognized and honored as a “Leading Lady” by Oakland Catholic High School.
From 1990-2000 Mia worked on dozens of films as a member of the Art Department on location in Pittsburgh PA, Santa Fe, NM and Los Angeles, CA for Universal Pictures, Twentieth Century Fox, Sony Pictures, Good Machine, Tri-star Pictures, CBS Entertainment, Orion Pictures, Warner Brothers, Castle Rock Entertainment.
Another facet of her life is intentional allyship and respectful advocacy for cultural preservation of Indigenous communities. She has a relationship with Diné (Navajo) and Pueblo tribes of New Mexico that spans over 40 years.
Boccella Production’s first film, “When Your Hands are Tied” premiered at the Native American Film Festival in San Francisco in 2006 and received the Empowering Youth Award at the Sin Fronteras Film Festival and Best Native Women in Film and TV award at The Red Nation Film Festival in Los Angeles,CA. Her film “Elefamila” was a finalist at the International Wildlife Film Festival and was included in The Jackson Hole Wildlife Film Festival.
From 2013-2025 Mia worked for Argentine Productions as associate producer, writer, researcher and recorded audio description for videos and multi-media installations for national parks, museums and nonprofits.
Bocella Production’s films have been screened and broadcast Internationally in Australia, South Korea, China, Turkey and many other countries across Europe, Latin America and the Middle East. Her films have also been used as educational tools by thousands of people in schools, universities, treatment and rehabilitation centers, prisons and Indigenous communities in the US and around the world.
Mia has been losing her vision for the past 30 years and her visual limitations have challenged her but ultimately fueled her determination and creativity. Riding horses has been life-changing for her and provides guidance and joy for both her body and mind.