In the cinema world, women are poorly represented in the directing position. But despite that, REGARD has seen, through years, many talented women filmmakers work their way. Among the 2017 selection, eight talented women filmmakers distinguish themselves.

OKASANA KARPOVYCH

Oksana was born in Kiev, where she received a cultural studies diploma at the Kyiv-Mohyla Academy National University. Since 2013, she lives in Montreal, where she works as an Ukrainian literature professor, and she studies film production at Concordia.  André Lévesque, missionnaire was presented as part of the emerging filmmaker night at the 2016 Montreal International Documentary Festival.

MARIE-CLAUDE FOURNIER

Marie-Claude registered for the program documentary filmmaking at INIS in 2010. Since then, she has been directing many short and medium-length documentaries, and web documentaries. Mes États Nordiques was awarded a Gémeaux prize in 2013. In 2014, while working in Haiti, she produced Dans la cour de Vivianne Gauthier, a delicate portrait of a key figure of Haitian culture.

FANNY MALLETTE

Graduate from the National Theatre School of Canada in 1998, Fanny has played in over 30 films and television series. Le dernier mardi is her first cinematographic work as a screenwriter and a director. Currently, she is developing the script for a second short film. Presented by the Union des artistes, she will also be in conversation with Manon Dumais, on Saturday, March 18th, at Hôtel Chicoutimi, as part of REGARD’s 21st edition.

MARIE-JOSÉE ST-PIERRE

Native from Gaspésie, Marie-Josée founded in 2004 the independent organization MJSTP Films Inc. Her creations, halfway between documentary and animated films reveal two main themes: motherhood and artistic creation. Her works have received over 55 international prizes. Renowned for her accurate portraits of prominent artists, many of her films have been presented at REGARD, including Jutra, which was also presented at Cannes in 2014. This year she presentes Oscar.

ALEXA-JEANNE DUBÉ

Alexa-Jeanne has an acting educational background. She has played in many short films, web series, and feature films. In 2011, with Marie-Philip Lamarche, she founded À DEUX, a producing company operating on the scenic and on the film market. Oui mais non is her first fiction short film. She is currently working on the development of a series about the children of divorce, and she is starting the writing for her next short film.

ÉMILIE ROSAS

Emilie Rosas is from Montreal and has directed many short films, including “The Lucky Pennies” and “Good Terms According to Dewey” both of which have won prizes in festivals around the world. In 2011, she was awarded the PNA grant from the Canadian Academy of Cinema and Television. Emily is currently working on two full-length feature films, one of them animated. We are pleased to watch her evolve through her art and this year she presents Comme les dinosaurs.

ASILI TELENGUT

Alisi creates animated films. Her works show a strong cultural commitment, focusing on ethnic and nomadic minorities. Her last films have received awards at Stockholm International Film Festival, at Montreal World Film Festival, and at Canada International Film Festival. Nutag-homeland will be part of the selection ‘’REGARD into overtime“ on La Fabrique culturelle of Télé-Québec.

SARA BOURDEAU

Sara holds a master’s degree in Fine Arts from Concordia University. Since 2008, she has been a producer, screenwriter, and director for many fiction short films including L'odeur après la pluie. She is currently completing the screenwriting of her first feature film Parmi les étoiles.

MARA JOLY

Multidisciplinary artist, Mara first began going on stage at the age of 5. Coming from a nomadic family, she grew up between Europe and Africa, and was homeschooled. At the 2013 Kino Kabaret, she discovers screenwriting, sponsored by Micheline Lanctôt, whose approach inspires Le Jour où j’ai trouvé mon père. Mara Joly repeats the experience in 2014, with Pour vrai, a short film addressing the issue of conjugal rape in a delicate way. In 2016, she is awarded the Web Users Prize Shoot No Matter What! at REGARD, with Finger Night. For the 21st edition of REGARD, she is involved in the Festival. You will see her in the Actor-Director program, presented at the Petit Théâtre de l’UQAC, on Friday, March 17th. On the same night, she will be part of the Movie-Improv activity, at the Espace Côté-Cour, at 10 pm, an activity presented by Énergie 94,5.

INTERNATIONAL ARTISTS

We must also talk about women international artists that the festival-goers will have the chance to discover. REGARD is honoured to welcome Momoko Seto, a Japanese artist presenting her short I Don’t Want to Sleep With You I Just Want to Make You Hard, a documentary about the new reality of modern geishas. She will also give a Lesson in Cinema, hosted by Philippe Gajan. Presented by Unifrance, she will talk about her passion for short films. Three other women filmmakers that are part of the international competition have to be discovered this year: Konstantina Kotzamani (Limbo), presented as part of the TISFF Carte Blanche, Roxana Stroe (A Night in Tokoriki), and the German Brenda Lien (Call of Cuteness) presented as part of the Experimental program.