FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 11, 2001
Top women directors chosen for
acclaimed Women In the Director’s Chair Workshop
Banff, AB--Creative Women Workshops, in
conjunction with The Banff Centre and ACTRA announce the selection of the 2002
Women in the Director’s Chair Workshop (WIDC) participants.
This intensive and highly acclaimed
seventeen-day course takes participants through all the components of a
professional dramatic media production for the screen. International
award-winning Canadian writer / director / producer Nanci Rossov
(UnBowed feature film, The Adventures of the Black Stallion TV
series) will lead this year's team of talented director participants (see bio,
attached). CTV Inc. has become an on-going sponsor of the Mentor Director’s
chair for this acclaimed directing program, through its BCE-CTV Benefits.
"Every year The Women In the Director's
Chair Workshop brings together an eclectic group of individuals from across the
country. The combination of the WIDC program with the diverse backgrounds and
skill-sets of the participants generates a phenomenal synergy of growth and
creative development," says workshop producer Carol Whiteman.
This summer Whiteman was nominated for a Governor General's Award for
promoting women's equality in Canada.
The director participants for this year's
workshop include award-winning Aboriginal actor / writer / director / producer Shirley
Cheechoo (Bearwalker), award-winning Saskatchewan-based
filmmaker Maureen Bradley, and the writer and executive
producer of Gemini Award-winning series These Arms of Mine, Susan
Duligal, who is crossing over to directing (see bios, below). Regional
and national bodies like British Columbia Film, the Union of BC Performers, the
Directors Guild of Canada and the National Film Board sponsor director
participant scholarships.
"There's no other program in the world
that dedicates the care and attention to grooming creative indigenous female
talent in this industry," says Sara Diamond, artistic director of
Media & Visual Arts at The Banff Centre. She adds that a great diversity of
resources, ranging from technology to expert mentoring, has played a key role in
supporting the innovation and professional development of numerous Canadian
women in media production.
"ACTRA is proud to partner with The Women
In the Director's Chair Workshop program, promoting the development of Canadian
women storytellers. This year’s director participants are vibrant makers of
film and television products that effectively reflect the diverse face of
Canada," says Brian Gromoff, Treasurer of ACTRA.
Graduates of The Women In the Director’s
Chair Workshop go on to write, produce and direct a variety of award-winning
programs. This year director/producer Veronica Tennant received a star on
Toronto’s Walk of Fame, Gerry Rogers’ (St John’s,
Newfoundland) autobiographical My Left Breast garnered accolades across
Canada and around the world, while Ottawa’s Katie Tallo went to camera
on a full length dramatic feature film. Previous mentor directors have included
acclaimed writer / director / producer, Anne Wheeler (Vancouver,
BC) and Winnipeg-based Gemini nominated director / producer, Norma Bailey.
The upcoming session of The Women In the
Director's Chair Workshop takes place January 25 to February 10, 2002 at The
Banff Centre. Media representatives are welcome to visit the workshop, by
appointment only please. Photos are available.
For more information see:
http://www.actra.ca/actra/control/main
http://www.widc.org/
http://www.creativewomenworkshops.com/
THE WOMEN IN THE DIRECTOR'S CHAIR WORKSHOP
SHORT BIO OF 2002 MENTOR DIRECTOR
Nanci Rossov -- Over her more than two-decade career Rossov has
consulted for the Canadian Film Centre, frequently represented Canada at
international forums related to film, dance, theater and television, and was a
key advisor to the Canadian government on the role of women in the broadcast
industry. She is a member of the Directors Guild of Canada and co-founder
of the ACTRA Women’s Caucus, the provocative precursor to the current National
ACTRA Women’s Committee. Before traveling to Los Angeles where she
graduated from the American Film Institute Directors' Program she co-founded
Theater Aquarius, a leading Canadian Regional Theater Company becoming the
youngest Artistic Director of a theatre in Canada with over 20 stage productions
now to her credit. Working in both Canada and the U. S., she has directed
for television in both documentary and drama formats, most notably THE
ADVENTURES OF THE BLACK STALLION where series lead Mickey Rooney cited Rossov as
"one of the finest directors I have had the pleasure of working
with."
In 1995, Rossov founded the award-winning
non-profit production company, FILMANTHROPIC, providing training in film
production and access to key creative positions for individuals typically
under-represented in mainstream filmmaking in California. Her feature
film, UNBOWED has screened internationally garnering awards at festivals around
the world and is scheduled for television broadcast in spring 2002. She is
now in development with MY NAME COULD BE ANNE, an MOW for PBS, adapted from a
play by the same name, written, produced and directed by Rossov. Her
handling and original interpretation of this time-less tale inspired by the Anne
Frank story has earned her personal commendations from the Governor of
California, the California Legislative Assembly and the City of Los Angeles.
DIRECTOR PARTICIPANT BIOS
(in alphabetical order)
Annie Bradley, Toronto, Ontario
Crossing over to directing with ten years experience as an AD, Bradley’s
first dramatic short COCKTAILED CONFUSION, debuted at the Montreal Film
Festival. She is currently optioning a best-selling novel for her feature
directorial debut and will be directing a dance opera project, which she has
written called IN THE HOTHOUSE with Triptych Media. Annie's future
directing/writing projects include short films, BAG LADY STRIP TEASE and THE
SHUT IN and she is currently polishing a first draft of a feature for Acetylene
Films.
Maureen Bradley, Regina Saskatchewan
Since reaching her largest audience of 1.5 million in 1992 on CBC’s Road
Movies, media artist Maureen Bradley has changed lenses to focus on dramatic
filmmaking. As she prepares to shoot her next narrative short, JOE,
audiences at international festivals are splitting a gut over her recent short
comedy THE CHOSEN FAMILY.
Shirley Cheechoo, M’Chengeng, Ontario
An accomplished aboriginal filmmaker, playwright, director, screenwriter,
producer, actor and visual artist, Dr. Shirley Cheechoo has established herself
as an emerging Canadian talent. She has won numerous awards and honors and
has participated in workshops at the prestigious Sundance Institute in the
Writers and Directors Lab's with creative advisor Robert Redford. Her work
has been seen in many festivals around the world. Her dramatic feature
BEARWALKER screened at the 2000 Vancouver International Film Festival and
Toronto's Reel World Festival.
Susan Duligal, Vancouver, BC
A Vancouver-based writer, producer and story editor crossing over to
directing, Duligal co-created the recent Gemini Award-winning CBC comedy drama
THESE ARMS OF MINE and also served as its executive producer and principal
writer. She is currently developing two feature-length screenplays,
BABYLOVE and SEE YOU, JIMMY as well as another series for television, JEWEL OF
THE ROCKIES.
Patti Henderson, West Vancouver, BC
Her first short dramatic film, UP THE WALL, the first Digital Video - 35mm
project to be financed by B.C. Film, is currently hitting the festival circuit,
while her Art Video entitled, FEAR NO ART - An Inquisition, is awaiting rotation
on BRAVO! Newstyle Arts Channel. She has written a prize-winning feature
length, female action script, and her latest short film, SALMON CHANTED EVENING
(selected from over 350 scripts and produced in association with CBC and British
Columbia Film), will be airing on CBC nationally in 2002. Henderson is
also an accomplished script supervisor and picture editor member of IATSE
891.
Andrea Mann, Toronto, Ontario
With a career in film and television spanning over twenty years, Andrea Mann
has taken on a variety of roles: award winning choreographer; actress, with the
distinction of being the first B.C. actress to win a leading role in a U.S.
network series; and producer of award-winning television specials, documentaries
and shorts. In 1999, she launched her directorial debut with the comedy
short, "XXXposed", enjoying both critical and audience
recognition. Mann is currently in development on two feature film scripts.
Shandi Mitchell, Wellington, Nova Scotia
Mitchell worked extensively as an assistant director before joining Emotion
Pictures as a creative and producing partner. She collaborated on the
critically acclaimed films THE HANGING GARDEN and BEEFCAKE before deciding to
return to her first passions, writing and directing. She is currently in
post-production with her film BABA’S HOUSE.
Jacqueline Samuda, Vancouver, BC
Samuda is a writer/director/actress, President of WIFV - Vancouver, BC Film
Writer Fellow, and screenwriting instructor at Vancouver Film School. Her
second screenplay has been optioned, and she is contracted to direct. She
directed the short film, THE SKY’S THE LIMIT, which screened recently at
Vancouver’s Celluloid Social Club, as well as several plays including
ZASTROZZI for which she received a Dramalogue Award for Directing (L.A.).
For more information also visit www.creativewomenworkshops.com
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