Movies by Maya Forbes

Maya Forbes is a bold and distinctive voice in independent cinema, crafting poignant character studies that explore the complexities of family, identity, and mental health. After honing her skills as a screenwriter and producer on acclaimed projects like The Larry Sanders Show, Forbes made a striking directorial debut with 2014's Infinitely Polar Bear, a deeply personal drama that drew from her own experiences growing up with a bipolar father. In Infinitely Polar Bear, Forbes' empathetic lens captures the turbulent daily life of a family navigating the challenges of mental illness with tenderness and humor. This sensibility carries through to her subsequent directorial efforts, including the quirky crime caper The Polka King and her most recent film, the darkly comedic The Good House. Whether tackling real-life inspirations or more fantastical premises, Forbes consistently brings a keen emotional intelligence to her work, creating stories that are both wildly entertaining and profoundly human. Through her nuanced character studies and insightful explorations of the human experience, Maya Forbes has firmly established herself as a filmmaker to watch. Her distinctive voice and her ability to find the poignancy in life's messier moments make her a refreshing and vital presence in independent cinema.