Good day.

The year is ending, and I hope you know that you’ve done more than enough. To quote one of my favourite people on earth: you are not ahead or behind, you’re exactly where you need to be.

• Curated resources: residencies, fellowships, grants

• REEL TALK Preview: our first cinematographer in conversations, the incredible Kaayla Whachell

• My recs: music, short film, current read!

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Evolve with Art: Curated Resources

Essential Reads:

• Sonya Childress on just filmmaking and addressing “the lack of artistic accountability, unequal power dynamics in the field, and demand for representation and narrative sovereignty” in documentary filmmaking.

• Protecting the Palestinian Narrative, an interview article with Gaza Film Unit’s Eslam Saqqa and Ayman Alazraq.

• Diaspora Daydreams: Storytelling, Solidarity and Survival in our Films by writer and independent researcher Sumaya Kassim.

Essential Watches:

• Martin Scorsese and Kar Wai Wong Interview by Deadline Hollywood, deep-diving into the two legendary directors’ processes, artistry & perspectives on filmmaking.

• Making of How To Make Millions Before Grandma Dies, a glimpse into the behind the scenes of one of 2024’s most incredible films to date.

Grants, Fundings, Fellowships

• Documentary Lab Application by Film Independent. Due December 16, 2024.

• Women in Films Fellowship Applications for directors, writers, cinematographers, business and crew. All due January 13, 2025.

• Application for Specialist Course on Curation and Archiving by the BFI Film Academy for folks who are interested in film studies/curation. Applications close January 17.

• Call for Residency: Toronto Palestinian Film Festival for Palestinian filmmakers to develop projects with the guidance and support of TPFF and guest artist mentor. Selected works will be screened at the 2024 TPFF. Due January 22, 2025.

• Application for Nikplow Program in Berlin for all writers, directors, producers and animators. Application closed February 17th.

Upcoming Reel Talk: KAAYLA WHACHELL

So dang excited.

This Saturday, I’m sitting down with Kaayla Whachell, an incredible Vancouver-based cinematographer whose works are widely celebrated in both within and outside of Canada. She is an associate member of the Canadian Society of Cinematographers, & co-chair of their Diversity Committee.

In our conversation, Kaayla gets real with the female representation in the position of a female cinematographer/DP, the significance of mentorship in an industry often times driven by a scarcity mindset, and her endless fight for diversity & authentic representation of her crew, cast and the narratives she brings to life on screen.

My first-ever film by Kaayla is Portraits from a Fire, a film directed by Trevor Mack about an Indigenous teenage boy fights through distorting realities as a family secret unravels. The breathtaking & beautiful portrayal of nature in conjunction with its heart-wrenching narrative in this film has made Portraits from a Fire one of my favourite pieces of art of all time, and won Kaayla “Best Cinematography” at the 2022 Leo Awards.

Films, Music, Reads: What I’ve Been Up To

A little roundup of what I’ve been consuming!

• Favourite tune: “Hard Out Here” by RAYE.

• Favourite film: The Whale, directed by Darren Aronofsky. Find me buried 16 feet underground crying to its last scene.

• Current read: no reading this week, I’m a bit overstimulated unfortunately ☹️ But here’s a thought-provoking article on The Whale that has my brain working overtime that answers the question: “what do we do when we like a movie that causes pain?”

Stay Connected

That’s it for today. Hug your loved ones. Be with your communities.

AND tune in to read our conversation this Saturday.

Talk soon x.

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