Latest posts from National Screen Institute - Canada (NSI)

A young man searching for solace hires a professional cuddler.

Creative team

Writer: Kathryn Alexandre
Director: Bryan Kowalsky
Producers: Kathryn Alexandre, Bryan Kowalsky, Tatiana Maslany

Filmmaker’s statement

Why are men afraid to be open with one another? Why are we scared of being vulnerable with another man? Where does that come from?

I hope Touch starts a conversation about male vulnerability and toxic masculinity. I want the audience to recognize their snap judgements about how we perceive relationships between men. And I hope that, after watching Touch, a son will hug his father the next time he sees him – and vice versa.

About Bryan Kowalsky

While growing up in Simcoe, Ontario Bryan began writing and directing his own short films at the age of 12. He is a graduate of the University of Toronto and Sheridan College.

Bryan’s most recent short film, Touch, was funded by BravoFACT and won the William F. White jurors choice award at Lakeshorts International Short Film Festival 2019.

The post Touch appeared first on National Screen Institute - Canada (NSI).

A man returns to his childhood home on Canada’s east coast to unite his family and say goodbye to his terminally ill mother.

Creative team

Writer/director: Jana Stackhouse
Producers: Sarah Quan, Aldo Mauro

Filmmaker’s statement

As the writer and director of Away Home, I wanted to share an honest story of a family struggling with mortality.

When their beloved wife, mother and grandmother makes the choice of physician-assisted death, it puts a strain on the family relationships. Ultimately, they come together and begin to see the time they have left as an opportunity to say goodbye and celebrate the woman they love.

About Jana Stackhouse

Jana Stackhouse is an award-winning director whose films have screened at various festivals internationally including Toronto International Film Festival, Atlantic International Film Festival and Los Angeles CineFest.

While earning a BFA in film at Ryerson University she received numerous awards including The Norman Jewison Award and the Harvey Hart Director’s Award.

Jana wrote and directed Away Home which was selected for TIFF’s Canada’s Top Ten Film Festival and won the best female director award at Hollywood North Film Festival.

Jana’s latest project was directing the web series Note To Self for CBC which garnered over one million views and received a Canadian Screen Award nomination for best web program or series – fiction.

The post Away Home appeared first on National Screen Institute - Canada (NSI).