FILMMAKERS BRUNCH: Exploring edmonton’s indie filmmaking scene
presented by EDMONTON SCREEN INDUSTRIES OFFICE
PANELISTS: Katrina Beatty, Blake McWilliam, Sarah Taylor
Take one look at the films screening at this year’s edition of NorthwestFest, and it 'appears' that Edmonton is becoming a hotbed of indie/doc filmmaking. We’re also seeing more filmmakers electing to stay put in E-Town, delivering a more 'personal' style of storytelling than we see from other markets.
Join us for an engaging panel discussion about the pros and cons of making films in what continues to be considered a ‘non-traditional’ filmmaking market.
COMPLIMENTARY Food & Beverage will be served! Admission is FREE, but you must RSVP for entry as SPACE IS LIMITED!
11:30am Doors
11:45am Coffee, vegetables, and an assortment of artisan-style pizzas will be served
12:15pm Panel Discussion
1:30pm Mingle
2:00pm Event Ends
Location: Matrix Hotel “PRISM” Room - 2nd Floor beside the lounge.
PARKING: Metered street parking is available for $1/hour on Saturdays, and the Impark lot adjacent to the hotel is available for a flat fee of $5 on Saturdays.
ABOUT THE PANELISTS
KATRINA BEATTY
Katrina Beatty has built a successful career through her company, Loud Whisper Productions, along with being a board member of Women in Film & TV Alberta (WIFTA). She is the winner of the 2022 Edmonton Film Prize and the film she produced, Before I Change My Mind, was awarded three Rosie Awards at the 2022 Alberta Film and TV Awards, for Best Scripted Feature Film, Best Screenplay for a Feature Film, and Best Cinematography in Feature Film. Her latest production, The Wounds Within, premieres at NorthwestFest on Wednesday, May 15 at 9:00pm.
Katrina’s passion for storytelling, exploring human connections, and telling underdog stories is what drives her company’s vision for filmmaking. Through her projects, she sees tremendous value in crafting meaningful films that resonate with audiences.
BLAKE McWILLIAM
Blake McWilliam is an award winning Canadian director and producer. With an official selection at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival, a Canadian Screen Award Nomination in 2016, and multiple AMPIA, CCMA, and JUNO nominations and awards along the way, Blake is quickly establishing himself at the forefront of the Canadian film industry.
He produced the feature films Hands that Bind starring Paul Sparks and two-time academy award nominee Bruce Dern, and Hey Viktor!, the raucous indigenous comedy that premiered at Tribeca and TIFF, and recently won the 2024 Edmonton Film Prize.
On the documentary side, the recently released Lebanese Burger Mafia enjoyed its world premiere in May at Hot Docs, before a triumphant hometown premiere at NorthWestFest, and was released on Paramount+ this spring. Send Kelp - screening Monday, May 13 at 9pm - is Blake’s feature-documentary directorial debut.
SARAH TAYLOR
As an award-winning editor with over twenty years of experience, Sarah has a passion for storytelling and has cut a wide range of documentaries, television programs, and full length feature films, including Lebanese Burger Mafia, Family Ever After, Hey Viktor!, Fast Horse, and many more.
She is a member of the Directors Guild of Canada (DGC) and is the host of the Canadian Cinema Editors (CCE) podcast The Editor’s Cut. Sarah is also the co-host of the podcast Braaains. Sarah edited the new film, The Wounds Within, which premieres May 15th at NorthwestFest.
