Kirsten Carthew made her directorial debut with the coming-of-age dramatic feature The Sun at Midnight. The film recently won Best Musical Score, Motion Picture and Best Picture Editing, Motion Picture, at the 2017 Leo Awards. Her shorter form credits include: The YK Doc Project, Abe & Alfred, and Fish Out of Water. Kirsten also holds multiple writing credits, which include the Brazilian feature film Uma Loucura De Mulher (2016), directed by Marcus Ligocki and starring Mariana Ximenes. She is a former producer and journalist with the CBC. Kirsten has worked as a filmmaker and transmedia producer in Europe, the Middle East, Canada and the USA. In 2011 and 2012, the Status of Women Council of the North West Territories nominated Kirsten as a Wise Woman, for her role in co-founding two award-winning not-for-profit organizations devoted to outdoor adventure and environmental stewardship for youth in the Northwest Territories. She is an alumna of the Canadian Film Centre, the National Screen Institute, the London School of Economics, and the University of Southern California.

The DGC Ontario Director Mentorship is a highly competitive and immensely valuable opportunity for a female director. Kirsten has developed a cinematic voice that shows promise and we’re excited to see what she creates next.

“The WIFT-T DGC Ontario Director Mentorship represents a transformative opportunity for me to work with business and directing mentors who are at the top-of-their game. Having two highly credible and valued organizations, WIFT-T and the DGC, champion my directing ambitions, is an extraordinary position to be in – and it goes without saying that I plan to rock it.”

~Kirsten Carthew

The mentorship provides one emerging Canadian female director with a two-tiered opportunity to enrich both their business and creative acumen. The first phase focuses on business training and guidance through one-on-one mentoring sessions with an experienced industry advisor, leading up to the 2017 Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF). The second phase will pair Kirsten with a DGC Ontario Director member. Past mentors include: Tom Alexander (Mongrel Media), Gail Harvey (Director, Heartland, Murdoch Mysteries), Christina Kubacki (Entertainment One Films), and Eleanor Lindo (Director, Heartland, Murdoch Mysteries, Degrassi: Next Class). As the regcipient of this mentorship, Kirsten also receives a complimentary 2017 TIFF Industry pass.

“We’re at a critical turning point in our industry. Women are no longer content with asking to be seen and heard, they’re demanding it. To ensure that women are fully represented behind the camera and on the screen, we need to ensure equitable access to production crews, writers’ rooms, boardrooms, and directors’ chairs. WIFT-T is proud to be a leader in fueling and supporting female voices. We are extremely grateful to our partner, DGC Ontario, for helping us achieve our key mandate through this unique mentorship.”

~Heather Webb, Executive Director, WIFT-T

“DGC Ontario is, once again, proud to play an integral role in the WIFT-T Director mentorship program. Generating opportunity for female creators and inspiring all the young women of Canada to consider screen production as a career is a responsibility we embrace. As in previous years, the caliber of applicants was remarkable. Based on the quality of what we review, the future of Canada’s production industry is assured and Kirsten will be one of the leaders. I look forward to introducing her as a mentor one day.”

~Bill Skolnik, CEO & Executive Director, DGC Ontario