TIFF 2023 Films by Female Directors: Shannon’s Picks
The Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) 2023 has come to a close. This year, I had attended the Industry Conference, as I do every year, and between events and parties, managed to screen a few films directed by women – and loved them. Here are the highlights:
Me, attending the Women in Film and TV TIFF party
- La Chimera:
A romantic drama set in the 1980s in Tuscany, Italy. Directed and written by Alice Rohrwatcher and starring Isabella Rossellini and Josh O’Connor. La Chimera is a story is about a young English archaeologist who gets involved in the underground world of the ‘tombaroli,’ the nocturnal raiders of tombs and thieves of stolen Etruscan artifacts, and “lost love.” The film also has a female cinematographer, Hélène Louvart, and editor, Nelly Quettier – a powerhouse of female talent.
- Origin:
At the heart of the story is “connecting” the roots of discrimination of India’s caste system, racism in the United States, and the persecution of Jews in Nazi Germany. Origin is a biographical drama written and directed by Ava DuVernay (U.S.), based on the award-winning book, Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents, by Pulizer-Prize writer, Isabel Wilkerson. The film delves into the life of Wilkerson as she journeys into writing the book while grieving. Starring Connie Nielsen as Wilkerson, and includes Jon Bernthal, Vera Farmiga and Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor.
- The Peasants:
From the makers of the Oscar-nominated film, Loving Vincent, The Peasants is a Polish film about a 20th century, teenaged girl, Jagna, known for her beauty who is forced to marry a rich older farmer, despite her love for his son. This causes the village to gossip and ultimately shun her. But all along she longs for independence and freedom, to be herself and love who she desires. The story was adapted from a 20th century Nobel Prize-winning novel written by Polish author Władysław Reymont.
The film was shot using live-action and then all the individual film frames were hand-painted by dozens of artists, with the end result looking like a moving painting from the 20th century.
Directed by Dorota (DK) Kobiela along with Hugh Welchman (wife and husband team), who are based in Poland. Starring Kamila Urzedowska as Jagna, Mirosław Baka as Boryna the wealthy farmer, and Robert Gulaczyk (Loving Vincent) as his son and Jagna’s love interest, Antek.
Me, attending the India Film Industry TIFF party (photo credit: Bill Newcott)
There were other films by women screening at the festival, but unfortunately these are the only one’s I was able to screen.
Please support women in the film and television industry.
Shannon Skinner is an award-winning inspirational television host/producer of ExtraordinaryWomenTV.com, speaker and writer covering travel, wellness and wine.
Guests for Feb. 11th on Extraordinary Women TV airing on Rogers TV
Tonight’s guests on Extraordinary Women TV airing on Rogers TV
actress Lisa Berry and dancer/Extension Method founder, Jennifer Nichols
TORONTO, Feb. 11, 2013 – Tune-in to Rogers TV Cable 10 & 63 in Toronto/Scarborough tonight at 7:30pmET for the next episode of Extraordinary Women TV when host Shannon Skinner speaks with Toronto-based actress, Lisa Berry, best known for her role on Combat Hospital, who talks about her success journey from makeup artist to actress on stage, in film and TV; and dancer/founder of the Extension Method, Jennifer Nichols
Extraordinary Women TV with Shannon Skinner is a first-of-its-kind web TV talk show that is an inspirational, relevant and informative resource for women who want to follow their hearts and dreams. The show now airs on Rogers TV Cable 10 & 63 in Toronto/Scarborough Monday nights at 7:30pmET, with repeats throughout the week.
Shannon’s guests are successful women from all walks of life – many high-profile — from Toronto and across Canada, from a range of industries, including: arts and entertainment, business, finance, charities, eco, media, experts – and more. Some notable guests include: singers/songwriters Suzie McNeil, Sarah Slean and Amy Sky; media personality/relationship expert Jen Kirsch; journalist/author Jan Wong; businesswomen Rebecca MacDonald (Just Energy) and Kelsey Ramsden (Belvedere Place Development); actresses Sarena Parmar, Lisa Berry; Plan Canada’s Rosemary McCarney; former Chatelaine editor Rona Maynard; among many others.
More than 170 one-on-one interviews have been conducted and archived since its inception in September 2010.
Rogers TV’s full scheduling information: www.rogerstv.com/ExtraordinaryWomenTV
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For information, contact:
Shannon Skinner
Producer/Host, Extraordinary Women TV
416-576-8809 (cell)
shannon@skinnerpublicity.com
www.ExtraordinaryWomenTV.com
Extraordinary Women TV announces guests for episode two airing on Rogers TV
For Immediate Release
Extraordinary Women TV announces guests for episode two airing on Rogers TV
InteraXon’s Ariel Garten and stunt performer, Angelica Lisk-Hann
TORONTO, Jan. 13, 2013 – The special guest line-up for episode two of Extraordinary Women TV with Shannon Skinner , airing Jan. 14, 2013 at 7:30 p.m. ET on Rogers TV Cable 10 & 63 in Toronto/Scarborough are: Ariel Garten, CEO/Co-Founder, InteraXon, a Toronto-based technology company that develops thought-controlled computing – powered by brainwaves; and one of Canada’s top female stunt performers, Angelica Lisk-Hann, whose credits include Jumper, Kojack, Sacrifice and Total Recall.
“Both of these guests share some intriguing highlights about their fascinating careers that will give viewers insight into how to overcome self-doubt and fear in order to pursue what you desire,” says Shannon Skinner, producer and host, Extraordinary Women TV. “So tune in and get inspired!”
Extraordinary Women TV with Shannon Skinner is a first-of-its-kind web TV talk show that is an inspirational, relevant and informative resource for women who want to follow their hearts and dreams. The show is broadcast on Rogers TV Cable 10 & 63 in Toronto/Scarborough on Mondays at 7:30 p.m. ET.
Shannon’s guests are women – many high-profile — from a range of industries, including: arts and entertainment, business, finance, charities, eco, media, experts – and more. Some notable guests include: singers/songwriters Suzie McNeil, Sarah Slean, Serina Martin and Amy Sky; media personality/relationship expert Jen Kirsch; journalist/author Jan Wong; businesswomen Rebecca MacDonald and Kelsey Ramsden; game inventor Laura Robinson; actresses Sarena Parmar, Lisa Berry; Plan Canada’s Rosemary McCarney; former Chatelaine editor Rona Maynard; among many others.
More than 170 one-on-one interviews with successful women from all walks of life, from Toronto and across Canada, have been conducted and archived since its inception in September 2010.
Rogers TV’s full scheduling information: www.rogerstv.com/ExtraordinaryWomenTV
– 30 –
For information, contact:
Shannon Skinner
Producer/Host, Extraordinary Women TV
416-576-8809 (cell)
shannon@skinnerpublicity.com
www.ExtraordinaryWomenTV.com
Dream a bigger dream
To dream a dream is at the heart of the human spirit. From the dream emerges new ideas, innovation, breakthroughs, business opportunities, the arts and prosperity.
Dreaming has taken us to the moon and Mars. It has given us automobiles, movies, books, the iPhone and Facebook. We can tweet from space, and jump from the edge of space to Earth below because of a dream. Humans can live longer, healthier lives thanks to dreaming. Leaders like Martin Luther King have inspired and mobilized the masses because of a dream.
It is the spirit of the dream that propels us forward.
I confess: I am a dreamer. While I had always thought this is a good trait to have, not everyone would agree.
Like my father.
At the age of 21, when I finished my undergrad, I thought it would be a great adventure to work overseas in London, England. So I decided to share my dream with my family. After I enthusiastically expressed my loosely thought-out plans with my father, who listened to my one-sided conversation from behind a wall of newspaper that he was reading, he replied rather coolly with words I will never forget: “Shannon, you are such a dreamer.”
“Humph, I’ll prove to you just how much a dreamer I am…watch me!” I mumbled to myself. As if being a dreamer was a bad thing. This made my hackles rise because what my youthful ears heard from underneath the wet blanket tossed onto my dream was this: You can’t do it.
So the next day, I did what any rebellious youngster would do: I booked a flight to London, with no real, solid plans beyond that. I set out to prove to my father wrong; that I was not “just a dreamer,” but had the power within me to make it happen. That incident gave me the kick-in-the-butt I needed to follow my dreams, which has become an ongoing theme in my life ever since.
The second time I was called a dreamer was more recent — and equally powerful. One lovely evening in early 2010, I had dinner with some friends, a married couple who I have known for many years. That night, I shared an idea of creating a radio show, only to get the same cool reply I received years ago: “Shannon, you are such a dreamer.”
Ouch. And so, the challenge was on.
What my friends did not know was that, having grown up in a family of broadcasters, I had deep within me a vision that I would be doing something career-wise in broadcast. It was what I knew. However, being the introvert I am, what I lacked was the courage to do it. My friends probably picked up on that, rightly so.
Eventually, I was able to refine my vision and dig deep inside to drum-up more courage; a bravery I knew I had, but not yet unearthed it. And so I dreamed a bigger dream, and did go on to create, not a radio show, but my web TV talk show, Extraordinary Women TV with Shannon Skinner.
But, I didn’t stop there with my dream. This dreamer went bigger…
I am pleased to say that on Monday, January 7, 2013, at 7:30 pm ET, my talk show Extraordinary Women TV with Shannon Skinner premieres on Rogers TV Cable 10 & 63 in Toronto/Scarborough.
My special guests for this first episode are Toronto-based singer/songwriter, poet and visual artist, Sarah Slean, a Juno and Gemini award nominee who has made eight albums including the recent critically-acclaimed album, Land & Sea; and actress, Sarena Parmar (who I have blogged about before) who has starred in the Gemini-nominated series, How To Be Indie, Degrassi: The Next Generation, Flashpoint, The Border, and the feature film, Radio Rebel. She is also an ambassador for the “Because I am a Girl” program.
These are two successful artists in their own right who, in these interviews, share their dreams and what inspires their hearts. I suppose I might also call them “dreamers.”
And that is a good thing.
Lastly, I thank my father and my married-couple friends for calling me on my dreams.
“Look, dad, no hands!”
Extraordinary Women TV announces guests for Rogers TV premiere
For Immediate Release
Extraordinary Women TV announces special guests for Rogers TV premiere
TORONTO, Jan. 5, 2013 – On Monday, Jan. 7, 2013 at 7:30 pm ET, Extraordinary Women TV with Shannon Skinner premieres on Rogers TV Cable 10 & 63 in Toronto/Scarborough. Shannon’s special guests for this first episode are Toronto-based singer/songwriter, Sarah Slean, and actress, Sarena Parmar.
Sarah Slean has made eight albums, including her latest, the critically-acclaimed double-album, Land & Sea. She has starred in two short films and a movie musical, published two volumes of poetry and, as a visual artist, held exhibits of her paintings. She has written two string quartets and shared the stage with five of the country’s leading orchestras. Slean has been nominated for three Junos, two Geminis, and her records have been released worldwide.
Shannon’s second guest, actress, Sarena Parmar, has starred in the Gemini-nominated series, How To Be Indie, playing the role of Indie’s older sister, Chandra Metha. Parmar has also guest starred in Degrassi: The Next Generation, Flashpoint and The Border, and the feature film, Radio Rebel. She is also an ambassador for “Because I am a Girl” program created by Plan Canada.
“These are two accomplished artists in their own right who share what inspires their hearts and how they achieved their success in my interviews with them,” says Shannon Skinner, producer and host, Extraordinary Women TV. “I encourage Torontonians to tune-in and get inspired by their stories.”
Extraordinary Women TV with Shannon Skinner is a first-of-its-kind web TV talk show that is an inspirational, relevant and informative resource for women who want to follow their hearts and dreams.
Shannon’s guests are women – many high-profile — from a range of industries, including: arts and entertainment, business, finance, charities, eco, media, experts – and more. Some notable guests include: singers/songwriters Suzie McNeil, Sarah Slean, Selina Martin and Amy Sky; media personality/relationship expert Jen Kirsch; journalist/author Jan Wong; businesswomen Rebecca MacDonald and Kelsey Ramsden; game inventor Laura Robinson; actresses Sarena Parmar, Lisa Berry; Plan Canada’s Rosemary McCarney; former Chatelaine editor Rona Maynard; among many others.
More than 170 one-on-one interviews with successful women from all walks of life, from Toronto and across Canada, have been conducted and archived since its inception in September 2010.
For full scheduling information, visit: www.rogerstv.com/ExtraordinaryWomenTV
For information, contact:
Shannon Skinner
Producer/Host, Extraordinary Women TV
416-576-8809 (cell)
shannon@skinnerpublicity.com
www.ExtraordinaryWomenTV.com
Honouring Nora Ephron
Nora Ephron was the Queen of Romantic Comedy (Rom-Com). As a writer and director, she somehow knew how to drill down into her own pain and joy, and magically pull out a story that made us laugh — and cry: the perfect combination of emotions that make a good story.
Much has been written today about her life — and it was a big life, filled with a long list of accomplishments. When I read that she had died, I was saddened because she inspired me. And, as a writer, I deeply resonate with the writer in her. In an odd way, I felt as though a part of me had died.
I had read a lot of Ephron’s work over the years. When I wrote the first draft of a romantic comedy screenplay, I looked to Ephron for inspiration and the key to a successful script. I studied the script When Harry Met Sally, and could really see Ephron in the character of Sally.
After reading I Feel Bad About My Neck, I thought about my neck in ways I had not thought of before. I started to see the aging process.
As a writer, she has been compared to Dorothy Parker, another writer I admire. I respect them both for their talent and drive — and style.
A number of friends have asked me today what I will be doing for the upcoming long weekend. I think I will watch When Harry Met Sally one more time. I never tire of it.
Thanks, Nora, for the inspiration.
