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Emerging filmmakers Louise BigEagle, Kristin Catherwood, and Eric Thiessen chosen for Doc Lab Saskatchewan (#DocLabSK). Finalists working with the NFB to make their own short docs, starting this fall.

PRESS RELEASE
02/08/2017

August 3, 2017 – Vancouver – National Film Board of Canada (NFB)

The National Film Board of Canada’s North West Studio has announced the three final participants in Doc Lab Saskatchewan (#DocLabSK)—a new NFB project for emerging documentary filmmakers.

Following the call for proposals in June, the NFB received over 30 submissions from across the province. Doc Lab Saskatchewan kicks into high gear on September 5, as participants start work on their projects.

Doc Lab Saskatchewan is produced by the NFB, in collaboration with the Saskatchewan Filmpool Cooperative and Creative Saskatchewan.

And the filmmakers are…

Louise BigEagle is a First Nations filmmaker and recent graduate of the University of Regina (BA Film Studies). Her most recent short films are I Am a Boy, about a young boy who attended the Regina Indian Industrial School, and Sounds of the Sundance, a composed sound work dedicated to those who attended residential school.

A writer, folklorist, and storyteller, Kristin Catherwood is the Intangible Development Officer at Heritage Saskatchewan. Newly branching out into the world of documentary, Kristin worked with filmmaker Scott Parker on the NFB-produced The Grasslands Project. Her most recent project is called Coal in Coronach.

Based in Saskatoon, Eric Thiessen is a videographer with a decade of commercial and corporate video experience, seeking to branch out into professional film productions that showcase important and engaging stories that reflect both Saskatchewan and Canada to the world.

New faces for the team

The NFB is also announcing the addition of two new team members who will join producer Jon Montes and the North West Studio team:

Filmmaker Robin Schlaht has signed on as director-mentor for Doc Lab Saskatchewan, offering creative support, story advice and shooting tips for participating filmmakers. Fluidly switching between genres, Robin’s work includes To Be Romeo & Juliet, the series A Few Good Men and Women, and the interactive essay Convictions, produced as part of the NFB’s Legacies 150 series.

Dara Jade Moats will also be joining the team as associate producer. A graduate of the University of Regina, Dara has worked in documentary filmmaking and new media and directed award-winning genre films. She is currently the Director of Hospitality at the Fantasia International Film Festival and co-founder/programmer at DeuXX, a screening series of films directed by women.

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Associated Links
Doc Lab Saskatchewan – Blog
Creative Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan Filmpool Cooperative

Media Relations

  • About the NFB

    Founded in 1939, the National Film Board of Canada (NFB) is a one-of-a-kind producer, co-producer and distributor of distinctive, engaging, relevant and innovative documentary and animated films. As a talent incubator, it is one of the world’s leading creative centres. The NFB has enabled Canadians to tell and hear each other’s stories for over eight decades, and its films are a reliable and accessible educational resource. The NFB is also recognized around the world for its expertise in preservation and conservation, and for its rich and vibrant collection of works, which form a pillar of Canada’s cultural heritage. To date, the NFB has produced more than 14,000 works, 6,500 of which can be streamed free of charge at nfb.ca. The NFB and its productions and co-productions have earned over 7,000 awards, including 11 Oscars and an Honorary Academy Award for overall excellence in cinema.