Vice President - North:
Jennifer Torrance
Based in Edmonton as NFB producer for children's and youth productions, Jennifer Torrance has been with the National Film Board for more than 30 years, with a track record of over 50 productions. Her acclaimed projects for youth include One of Them, a half-hour drama about homophobia; Between the Lines, a CD-ROM on media literacy; Remembering Tom and Patrick's Story, both on the subject of youth suicide, as well as the ground-breaking sexual assault prevention program for young people, Feeling Yes, Feeling No.
On the lighter side, she's also served as producer on some of the most acclaimed animated shorts to come from Western Canada, including the Academy Award®-nominee Strange Invaders and multi-award-winning Fair Phyllis, and was NFB co-producer on the Genie Award-winning features The Lotus Eaters and Double Happiness.
In 1993, Jennifer Torrance was honoured with the Vancouver Women in Film and Video Award. She is Vice-President, North of Women in Film and Television for Alberta.
Vice-President - South: Vacant
Treasurer: Gail Yakemchuk
Coming Soon
Past President: Nancy Laing
Nancy Laing is an Alberta producer with 11 years experience in film and television. President and Co-founder of Earth to Sky Pictures. Laing has just completed the Alberta-Ontario co-production Chicks with Sticks a.k.a. Hockey Mum, a made-for-television feature currently showing across Canada on Pay TV. Laing’s first feature, Jet Boy, was released in the fall of 2001 and is currently showing on Showcase Television across Canada.
Nancy also executive produced the Earth to Sky Pictures’ 1 hour documentary, Viva Bengali for A-Channel and the award-winning motivational video series Pushing the Limit for Shell International with the Canada Sport Centre.
Nancy began her career in the film industry with Bruce Harvey of Illusions Entertainment in Calgary and worked in various roles - Production Supervisor/Associate Producer/ Business Affairs Analyst - on six feature films between 1994 and 2000. Other credits include co-writer of Portraits of Innocence - an Illusions Entertainment film produced in 1995. Nancy Laing is past President of Women in Film and Television – Alberta.
Filmography:
- Chicks with Sticks a.k.a. Hockey Mum 2004 Producer Alberta – Ontario co-production
- Burn: The Robert Wraight Story 2002 Line Producer Alberta – Ontario co-production Producers: Alberta Filmworks & Tapestry Pictures Broadcaster: CTV
- Myth Quest 2001 Business Affairs consultant Canadian – German co-production Canadian Producer: Minds Eye
- Almost America 2000 Business Affairs consultant Canadian – Italian co-production Canadian Producer: Illusions Entertainment
Smita and Rita Acharrya
Smita Acharyya was born in Ontario, Canada. “Second Coming in The 2nd Grade”, Smita’s debut short film, was chosen by the National Screen Institute for the 2002 NSI ZeD Drama Prize Award and was subsequently screened at Winnipeg’s FilmExchange Film Festival, the Nickel Independent Film and Video Festival (Newfoundland), the Calgary International Film festival, Prairie Tales and the Toronto South Asian Film Festival. The film was Produced by her twin sister, Rita Acharyya through their production company Twinsletown Productions.
Smita’s recent accomplishments include producing “Superhero Wannabe” which was selected to screen at this year’s Toronto, Vancouver and Calgary International Film Festival. “Viva Bengali” a one hour documentary, written by Smita, was nominated for an AMPIA (Alberta Motion Picture Industries Association) award.
Smita and Rita are currently are co-producing their next short “Too Late To Go Straight”, Rita serves as writer, Smita as Director.
FILMOGRAPHY – August 2004:
- 2004 THE BRIDE & GLOOM
Sonic Films Inc.
Short Film
- 2004 SUPERHERO WANNABE
Sonic Films Inc.
Short Film
- 2003/2004 VIVA BENGALI
Earth to Sky Pictures
One Hour Documentary
- 2002 SECOND COMING IN THE 2nd GRADE
Twinsletown Productions
Short Film
Cheryl Dalmer
Coming Soon
Yvonne Dubourdieu
Yvonne began her career as a producer and director in Glasgow, Scotland where she worked on documentary and educational films for Channel 4 Television, Scottish Television and independent production companies. Since moving to Canada, Yvonne has worked as a producer/director for Access Network and CBC-TV where she garnered numerous awards for commercials, PSAs and educational films. She launched ArtHOUSE PRODUCTIONS in September 1999. Yvonne is a member of AMPIA, WIFT-A and FAVA, she has served on the advisory board for the Yorkton Short Film & Video Festival and on the feature film committee for the Edmonton International Film Festival. She is also a recent finalist for the Women In The Director¹s Chair Workshop at the Banff Centre and alumnus of the WIDC-SIM 2003.
Stacey Perlin
Stacey has been involved with the film and television industry for 5 years primarily in the production or directing side of the business. She has worked on commercials, music videos, feature films, independents, corporate, and series television. As relative newcomer to the Calgary Film Industry, Stacey is gaining experience at a rapid pace. She was a winner in the WIFTA PSA “Women Do Good Work” competition and most recently has been working as the Assistant to David Rosemont, Executive Producer of “Into the West.” Stacey is a passionate and enthusiastic individual who takes pride in both her own creative achievements as well as the sense of accomplishment realized through collaborating with other film professionals.
Patricia Harris Seeley - Women in Film and Television International
Patricia Harris Seeley began her writing career as a freelance journalist for Canada's top magazines and is the author of a children's picture book that was a finalist for an award. She now writes for film and was first runner-up in the 2002 Hollywood Nic Taylor short screenplay competition, a finalist in the 2003 American Cinestory Screenwriting Competition, and semifinalist in the 2004 American Gem Short Screenplay Competition. She is also the 2004 co-recipient of the @Wallace Studios WIDC Alumnae Award in Toronto where she is scheduled to direct her short sci-fi film in March, 2005.
Harris Seeley's first short film Farmer as writer/ director was screened at film festivals in Canada and the US and won "Best Cinematography" at the 2002 Seven Minute Film Festival. After completing the Canadian 2003 "Women in the Director's Chair Workshop", Harris Seeley directed an hour-long documentary for A Channel that was a finalist in the 2004 AMPIA awards. Her most recent Bravo!FACT film, Superhero Wannabe was an official selection for the 2004 Toronto International Film Festival, screening in festivals across Canada and internationally and was Best Film of the 2004 Seven Minute Film Festival.
Terri Wynnyk - Membership Chair
Coming Soon
