Mama Bears

Conservative, Christian beliefs have defined their entire lives, but now they’re championing their LGBTQ children. A mama bear's love is ferocious.

Mom with sign mama bear hugs
Funding Initiative
Open Call
filmmaker Daresha Kyi
Producer/Director

Daresha Kyi

Daresha Kyi: Daresha writes, produces, and directs film and television in Spanish and English. In 2018 she directed "Trans In America: Texas Strong" as part of an ACLU web series on transgender rights, which won two Webbys, garnered over 2 million views on YouTube, and premiered at SXSW in 2019. She also directed a series of shorts for the Family… Show more Independence Initiative about their work empowering families to escape poverty. In 2017 she co-directed the multiple award-winning film, "Chavela." Currently a Chicken & Egg and Creative Capital fellow, this former Firelight Documentary Lab fellow has produced programming for FX, WE, AMC, Oxygen, E!, Telemundo, Bravo, and FUSE, among others. Show less

filmmaker Laura Tatham
Producer

Laura Tatham

Since making the move to film production, Laura has worked on a number of social justice projects. She served as the associate producer for two feature-length documentaries—“Chavela”(which had its world premiere at the 2017 Berlinale) and “Dispatches from Cleveland” (which partnered with Color of Change for their 2016 #VotingWhileBlack viral… Show more campaign). Laura also acted as the NYC production office manager for “America" (which had its world premiere at the 2019 Sundance Film Festival). Originally hailing from the world of book publishing, Laura has spent a decade in both the corporate (Simon & Schuster) and nonprofit (Feminist Press) publishing sectors, working on countless New York Times bestsellers, as well as Lambda Literary and Pulitzer Prize–winning works. Show less

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The Film

Mama Bears explores how the lives of conservative, Christian mothers are utterly transformed when they decide to accept their LGBTQ children. Spread throughout the country but connected through private Facebook groups, they call one another “mama bears” because of the ferocity with which they fight for their children’s rights and those of the entire LGBTQ community. Although they grew up as fundamentalist, evangelical Christians praying for the souls of LGTBQ people, these mama bears are now willing to risk losing friends, family, and faith communities to keep their children safe—even if it challenges their belief systems and rips apart their worlds. Along the way they struggle through grief, denial, anger, and deep depression. Mama Bears takes us inside their journey to becoming LGBTQ allies, following a few of the 8,000 dedicated moms across the United States who have connected at a complicated juncture to create a network of love and conviction.

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