Women in Film and Television – Toronto (WIFT-T), in partnership with Kodak Canada Entertainment Imaging, is pleased to announce Danishka Esterhazy as the winner of the 2008 Kodak New Vision Mentorship. Danishka will build on her creative and business skills in the coming months with acclaimed filmmaker Kari Skogland (The Stone Angel) and distributor Laurie May, Co-President of Maple Pictures Corp.
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Danishka Esterhazy is a filmmaker based in Winnipeg and a graduate of the Director's Lab at the Canadian Film Centre. Danishka’s films have screened at festivals around the world including the Rome International Film Festival, the Puchon International Film Festival in South Korea and the Short Film Festival of India. Danishka has two feature scripts currently in development: Level 16, a sci-fi thriller, and Black Field, a historical drama.
MENTORS
Laurie May is Co-Founder and Co-President of Maple Pictures Corp., one of Canada's leading filmed entertainment distributors. Laurie received her LLB from the University of Toronto Law School, practiced corporate and entertainment law at Osler, Hoskin and Harcourt, and was an adjunct professor of Entertainment and Sports Law at the University of Western Law School. She was Senior Vice President, Business & Legal Affairs for Lions Gate Entertainment Corp, from 1997-2005. In this capacity, she oversaw legal matters involving production and distribution, and was involved in such notable films as Monster's Ball, and Fahrenheit 911 and television productions including Dead Zone and Missing. In addition, her corporate responsibilities included the acquisition of Trimark Pictures, the acquisition of Artisan Entertainment. Since co-founding Maple she has been involved in successful releases including the Academy Award winning Crash. Laurie acts as a mentor for Women in Film and Television - Toronto and currently sits on the board of Lions Gate.
Kari Skogland has just wrapped 50 Dead Men Walking (starring Sir Ben Kingsley, Jim Sturgess, Kevin Zegers, Nathalie Press, Rose McGowan), her most recent film as writer/director/producer. Kari’s previous film, an adaptation of the best selling book The Stone Angel, starring Ellen Burstyn, Ellen Page, Kevin Zegers, Dylan Baker and Cole Hauser, premiered at the Toronto Film Festival in 2007 and is presently in theaters. Kari was named by Hollywood Reporter as one of “Ten Directors to Watch” for her debut as writer-director of Liberty Stands Still. Kari’s career began in Canada by directing award winning commercials and music videos. She then moved into television where she started with the enormously successful and multi-award winning series Traders (nominated for 9 Geminis including Best Director and won Best Series). White Lies, a movie for CBC, was nominated for several Geminis and an International Emmy and won a Tout Ecran. Her films The Size of Watermelons starring Donal Logue and Paul Rudd, Men With Guns starring Donal Logue and Callum Keith Rennie, Liberty Stands Still (written by Kari as well) starring Wesley Snipes and Linda Fiorentino, have all screened and won awards at major festivals in Canada (Toronto FF, Montreal FF), the US (Slamdance, Chicago, Houston, USA, New York, Cinequest, Seattle) and around the world. Most recently Kari was nominated for both a DGC award and a Gemini for her work on The 11th Hour for CTV and for her film Chicks With Sticks and won the DGC Best Director for her work on the mini-series Terminal City. Kari was the honoured director at the 2008 Female Eye Film Festival.
The Kodak New Vision Mentorship is a national initiative that provides one exceptional Canadian female filmmaker with the invaluable opportunity to prepare for the 2008 Toronto International Film Festival (September 2008) through intensive industry coaching by distributor Laurie May, Co-President of Maple Pictures Corp. and a TIFF bursary, followed by a two-month creative mentorship with Kari Skogland (The Stone Angel).
The Kodak New Vision Fellowship winner receives the following benefits:
- $5,000 in-kind donation of Kodak Motion Picture film stock
- Preparation for the 2008 Toronto International Film Festival with a seasoned industry professional
- One-on-one, two-month post-TIFF mentorship with an established director
- Complimentary TIFF registration and access to professional seminars and training at the Festival
- Announcement of award winner at the WIFT-T reception @ TIFF on September 11, 2008
- Award presentation at the Crystal Awards Gala Luncheon on December 1, 2008
2008 Guidelines & Application
• Guidelines
• Application
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