Paula Mae Schwartz and Steve Schwartz
Charlie Carrick, thesp
"My experience at the Actors Conservatory helped me to regain control over my career. The residency allowed me to hone what was already good in my work and then to feel confident in showing what I have to offer the incredible network of talent to which the CFC is a gateway."
Yung Chang, documentary filmmaker
"The CFC NFB Documentary Program was a great incubator for 'The Fruit Hunters.' We were encouraged to share our concepts and ideas in a safe and nurturing environment of A-list Canadian and international filmmakers, including the likes of Allan King, Jennifer Baichwal, Wim Wenders, Kirby Dick, Sturla Gunnarsson, Kevin McMahon, Tim Southam and Peter Mettler. Not only that, but my fellow filmmakers included Sarah Polley, Shelley Saywell and John Walker, whose combined talents was enough brainpower to get the creative fruit juices flowing. Only the CFC would have the resources and know-how to assemble such a mind-blowing think-tank."
Matthew Hannam, editor
"The CFC allowed me to take what was a hobby and develop the skills to make it a career. As an editor, I developed my skill set with each project. and ... discover what kind of editor I was going to be."
Miranda de Pencier, producer
"Norman Jewison's creation of the CFC provides first-class training to filmmakers that enables Canadians to expand their impact on the world stage. Personally, the CFC gave me a place to experiment and take creative risks in a safe and encouraging environment. Fundamentally, it allowed me to better develop the skills I need to produce better films for a global audience."
Sarah Polley,
scribe-helmer
"I would have never made my documentary 'Stories We Tell' without the CFC NFB Documentary Program. It was an invaluable experience that changed the way I looked at filmmaking."
Ingrid Veninger, producer-director-writer
"One of the highlights of my year at the CFC was an exercise called 'The Quickie.' The idea was the producer had to initiate a short film to be shot in eight hours. The short was to be written by a writer resident and directed by a director resident, but the idea had to come from the producer. On the night of my shoot, my entire crew bailed, no one showed. My project was not happening. And then, CFC residents began turning up. Directors and producers took turns AD'ing and recording sound, everyone worked in shifts through the night, to help me get the movie done; and that experience beyond the many networking events and working sessions, ignited the manifesto of my company, pUNK films, 'Nothing is impossible.' "
HBO Films' Len Amato, Linda Kenney Baden, and Al Pacino at the 'Phil Spector' premiere afterparty.
Barry Levinson and Al Pacino
HBO's Richard Plepler, Al Pacino, HBO's president of programming Michael Lombardo, and HBO Films' Len Amato
Charlie Carrick, thesp
Yung Chang, documentary filmmaker
Matthew Hannam, editor
