Canada’s largest artist-run film production and education organization, the Liaison of Independent Filmmakers of Toronto (LIFT), has launched an intensive five-month mentoring program for women directors.
According to a press release, Filmmentor participants will take part in “a series of hands-on technical and creative workshops taught by female film professionals working in the field.” They will also make two narrative shorts to be screened on January 11, 2015, as part of LIFT’s yearly members screening.
Funded by the Canada Council for the Arts, Filmmentor is a response to the gender inequalities plaguing the Canadian film industry. A study of films released in Canada during 2010 and 2011 revealed that only 21% of those films were by women writers or directors.
The mentors and/or instructors include Mary Daniel, Maureen Dorey, Rebecca Gruihn, Sue Johnson, Lara Johnston,Terra Jean Long, Rany Ly, Zoe Mapp, Kelly O’Brien, Laura Perlmutter, Elinor Svoboda and Ingrid Veninger.
The eight Filmmentor participants, who were selected from a pool of 75 candidates, are Jade Blair, Hedyeh Bozorgzadeh, Jaene Castrillon, Imogen Grace, Thembani Mdluli, Cheyenne Scott, Rolla Tahir, and Laura White.
Their bios can be found here.
Previously: Fox Launching Mentoring Program for Women Directors
