Drunk on Too Much Life

Michelle Melles, Director/Producer/Co-writer

Michelle Melles, MFA, is a Toronto-based documentary filmmaker, writer, multimedia artist and mental health advocate specializing in family care and education. Her artistic practice explores the intersection of personal experience and the broader social systems that shape our lives. As the American psychologist Carl Rogers once said, “What is most personal is most universal.” Michelle harnesses the transformative power of documentary storytelling to challenge norms and inspire change. With decades of experience creating broadcast TV documentaries, docu-series, and streaming content, her work delves into complex social and personal themes with a goal to question conventional narratives, push boundaries, provoke thought, and offer fresh perspectives on the human experience. Michelle did her undergraduate degree at the University of Toronto and completed her MFA in Documentary Media at Toronto Metropolitan University where she was awarded the Gold Medal and a SSHRC (Social Sciences Humanities Research Council) grant for her documentary work and research on mental health. Her debut independent feature, Drunk on Too Much Life, exemplifies her dedication to changing the way we understand mental illness as well as socially conscious and deeply personal storytelling.

Pedro Orrego, Co-Producer, Writer

Pedro Orrego is a seasoned TV writer, producer and musician based in Toronto. He has worked on numerous series and documentaries for broadcast and streaming for the last 25 years.  He won a Gemini (now called Canadian Screen Award) for his work on the groundbreaking Canadian docuseries SexTV and was nominated a few more times. He has worked as a producer and writer for North America’s most prominent streamers and broadcasters, including the Smithsonian Channel, Paramount+, Hulu, A&E, Roku, Discovery, History, HGTV, the Home Network, CBC, CTV, Apple TV and Amazon Video. Along with his collaborator Steve Koven, he plays and records improvised music which is used in films and videos.  Pedro has a BA from the University of Toronto where he studied Anthropology and Film.

Drunk on Too Much Life is his first feature length documentary film.

Corrina, the Protagonist and Collaborator

Corrina (she/her) is a poet, artist, musician and peer support worker, with a background in psychology from Toronto Metropolitan University.  She is a kind, empathetic, and outgoing person who loves to help others and is a huge animal lover.  She completed her peer support training at the Mood Disorders Association of Ontario works as a peer support worker in the psychiatric ward and emergency unit at one of Toronto’s most prominent hospitals. She performs her poetry throughout Toronto, works as a visual artist and continues compassionate care and social activism wherever she can.

Rob Ruzic, Editor

Over two decades, Rob Ruzic’s documentary editing has encompassed a wide range of subjects including social issues, nature, crime, visual arts, sports, performing arts, and biography. Films he has worked on have screened at film festivals worldwide, including the Toronto International Film Festival and Hot Docs. Previous credits include The Face of Anonymous (2020), League of Exotique Dancers (2015, opening night film at Hot Docs), Mugshot (2014, Winner Yorkton Film Festival Golden Sheaf Award for Best Documentary Arts & Culture), and Remembering Arthur (2006, named one of the best films of the year by Artforum Magazine).

Heather Frise, Animator

Heather Frise is a Toronto-based filmmaker, educator and visual artist.  Her experimental films and animations have screened internationally and won several awards, including a Genie Award for Bones of the Forest (w/Velcrow Ripper). Her drawings have appeared in exhibitions and publications in Canada and the US. For over seven years, she worked on collaborative, interactive documentary projects at the National Film Board of Canada and was Senior Documentary Development Editor on the Emmy-Award winning, Highrise.  

She has worked for decades as a teacher, facilitator, and collaborator on participatory community media projects. She holds an MFA in Visual Art from York University and currently teaches drawing and time-based media.