Nneka Onuorah started her career at Viacom by being dubbed the “Super-Intern” at BET Networks by The New York Times in an article titled “Dancer at Heart, an Executive in the Making.” After moving her way up from intern, to coordinator, to producer, Onuorah used her television experience and personal story to create “The Same Difference,” her first film. For the past five years she’s been an Associate Producer on the Black Girls Rock Awards.

“The Same Difference” will make its Canadian Premiere at the 2016 Inside Out LGBT Film Festival on May 28.

W&H: Describe the film for us in your own words.

NO: “The Same Difference” is a documentary about lesbians who discriminate against other lesbians based on gender roles. Oftentimes the media portrays the LGBT community as rainbows, parades, equality, and pride. What is not often publicized is the dark, judgemental climate and heavy policing of heteronormative performance expectations. “The Same Difference” takes a look into the underground side of the lesbian community.

W&H: What drew you to this story?

NO: My personal life — I am a lesbian woman. In my life growing up as a young girl in this community, I was faced with great pressure to choose to be a “masculine” lesbian or a “feminine” lesbian. I had a lot of strong women in my family who explained to me early on that a woman is not pre-defined: she creates herself based on own her experiences and beliefs.

With that knowledge, I chose to be myself but I knew a lot of the women in my community didn’t. They were fearful of going against the grain. The lesbian community is a passionate and forceful community and not easy to stand up against. I wanted to help liberate my sisters.

W&H: What do you want people to think about when they are leaving the theater?

NO: When they leave the theater I want people to recognize that we are more alike than we are different, no matter the color, the economic status, the region. We all have the same differences and we all can relate to being outcast in some area of society, social groups, or subcultures.

W&H: What was the biggest challenge in making the film?

NO: My challenge in creating the film is that it all came out of my savings account. Ha. I had to have a limited amount of time to shoot because I had a limited amount of money.

W&H: How did you get your film funded? Share some insights into how you got the film made.

NO: My pocket. I did a Kickstarter and didn’t make my goal. Then did an Indiegogo but only made enough for lawyer fees. It was still helpful though.

I think if your vision is so strong that everyday you get out of bed you think of it then you do what you need to do to make it come true. Favors go a long way. You can probably make a whole film on the barter system. At least for the first movie.

W&H: What’s the best advice you’ve received?

NO: The best advice I received is not to take in every single piece of advice so much so that it changes your vision. Filmmakers are artists. We decide how we tell our story. There is no right or wrong. Especially now with the experimental film styles.

Some of the best advice I have comes from myself after my experience with “The Same Difference.” I’ve learned that we do not have to measure the ultimate success of our film on distribution, but on impact. My ultimate goal for my film career isn’t a particular network. It’s changing the world. Making the invisible visible. Making the silenced loud.

Don’t get down on yourself as a filmmaker when someone tells you it’s not going to work. Just hold true to your vision.

W&H: What advice do you have for other female directors?

NO: For other female directors I would say don’t feel like you are secondary to any male filmmakers. You are just as good. Without us knowing, who we are comes through in our films. Don’t be shy about your greatness. Speak proudly and boldly about your film. I’d give the same advice to male directors. Even though we are so awesome as women, don’t feel secondary to us either. Ha.

W&H: Name your favorite woman-directed film and why.

NO: My favorite female-directed film is Kasi Lemmons’ “Eve’s Bayou.” That film is so powerful it captured the essence of Louisiana culture and had some powerful actresses in it, too.

W&H: What does it mean for you to have your film screen at an LGBT festival?

NO: It means the world to me! It isn’t often we get to see ourselves represented. Being in a place where we are able to see ourselves in abundance is the best feeling in the world.