The Students
The Mel Hoppenheim School of Cinema takes a great deal of pride in the creativity and resourcefulness of our students. Concordia students participate in, and often dominate competitions such as the Canadian Student Film Festival and the student section of the Cannes Film Festival. Alumni of the programme are active as producers, directors and technicians and include Academy Award, Prix Jutra, Genie Award and Daytime Emmy Award winners and nominees. Many of our students in Film Studies win major research scholarships and go on to do graduate and doctoral studies around the world.
2nd Year MFA Students
Anne-Michèle Fortin
Thesis working title: “Les déracinés”
Currently a second year MFA student in Film production, Anne-Michèle Fortin completed a BA in Film Studies and Comparative Literature at Université de Montréal. Her work explores the possibilities of the various moving image mediums, and shows an acute interest for the creation process itself, that often becomes the subject of her work. With “Les déracinés,” she pursues her exploration through a more observational and poetic form of filmmaking.
Andreas Hahn
Thesis working title: “Needlework”
Andreas Hahn completed his undergraduate studies in integrated media at the Emily Carr Institute of Art and Design in Vancouver. His current interests include expanded cinema and the interface of film and digital media, both in the installation and motion picture contexts.
Katherine Jerkovic
Thesis working title: “A Time to Dwell / Un Tiempo para morar”
Katherine Jerkovic was born in Moncton, New Brunswick; she spent her childhood in Belgium and her adolescence in Uruguay. Jerkovic has lived in Montreal since 1995, completing a BFA in Film Production at Concordia University. “A Time to Dwell” is a series of short poetic and non-scripted reflections about migration. This project borrows from the documentary genre as it furthers the tradition of going into the world and seizing pieces of it, and from the art film genre because the quest for beauty and the wish to expand the concept of ‘beauty’ are among its primordial concerns. It posits a spontaneous and yet profoundly formally engaged gaze upon the landscapes and elements of the coast - sea, coastline, horizon, ships and ports.
Dave Johnson
Thesis working title: “Eye-Witness-War”
Dave Johnson obtained his BFA from the University of Regina, Saskatchewan in 2004. His current research is based on experimenting with documentary forms and styles. Other research interests include experimental film and the travelogue. His thesis, “Eye-Witness-War,” is a documentary about a freelance photojournalist's passion for covering war and the scars it creates.
Alexis Landriault
Thesis working title: "3 histoires génitrices, inventées…"
Un architecte qui projette la lumière, un peintre qui pêche le macro et un écrivain qui cuve sa retraite. Portrait d'hommes qui changent et qui font changer. Documentaire fictionnel, intrigue réalité, les genres valsent ensemble, mais les orteils sont enflées.
Lindsay McIntyre
Thesis working title: “Extended Portraiture”
Lindsay McIntyre is currently working on a series of short 16mm films for her thesis project, “Expanded Portraiture.” She comes from a fine art background, having done a BFA at the University of Alberta in painting and drawing. She started making hand-crafted films in Brooklyn in 1999 using film found on the street and continued in a cooperative tradition until coming to Concordia in 2004 for the MFA program. Her award-winning short films have screened internationally and will soon be available from CFMDC. Among her current research interests are the boundaries between fiction and documentary, the narrative in memory, and the cinematic portrait.
Sol Nagler
Thesis working title: “Children From the Chamber of Longing; 3 Conciliatory Elegies for Simone Weil, Arthur Lipsett & Paul Celan”
Solomon Nagler is a Winnipeg based filmmaker who has worked extensively with film co-ops in Winnipeg, Toronto, Vancouver, Paris and Warsaw. Nagler's work explores the way in which film represents our individual personas, and the landscapes that are appropriated into our self-identity. His Thesis work consists of a collection of three films which incorporate hand-crafted filmmaking techniques with innovative narrative structure.
Charles Stankievech
Thesis working title: “RSI”
Charles Stankievech works in the constellation of cinema, architecture and sound. His practice involves projects in areas ranging from sound sculpture to computer programming, from theoretical writing to film installations. Before moving to Montreal he worked in the camera department for Warner Bros and Disney productions. He has studied theology, literature and philosophy.
2nd Year MA Students
(more bios forthcoming)
Andrea Ariano
Andrea Ariano completed her BA in Communication Studies, with a specialization in Film Production, at Concordia University. She is a contributing writer and editor for Concordia's graduate online film journal Synoptique. She is involved in student government as Chair of the CGFSSA, and enjoys working as a Teacher's Assistant and Research Assistant to some members of the Film Studies faculty. Her research interests include, but are not limited to: screen violence, American cinema, Japanese cinema, studies in film directors, genre, reception and the impact of film technologies.
Patrick Bossé
Patrick Bossé a complété un baccalauréat en communication, avec spécialisation en cinéma, à l’Université du Québec à Montréal. Dans le cadre de la maîtrise en études cinématographiques à l’Université Concordia, il poursuit un mémoire théorique et pratique sur l’activisme politique de l’abbé Albert Tessier à travers sa pratique filmique. Il s’implique également à titre de rédacteur adjoint à la revue électronique Nouvelles «vues» sur le cinéma québécois (http://www.cinema-quebecois.net).
Zoë Constantinides
Zoë Constantinides completed a BA at the University of Toronto in Linguistic Anthropology and Semiotics. Her current research in the MA Film Studies programme focuses on the experience of cinematic spectatorship in alternative exhibition contexts. In particular, she is interested in film installation work in relation to notions of medium and site specificity, film history, space, sound, and the body. She has been involved in the online film journal Synoptique, the the organization of the 2005 Visible Evidence conference, and a student-run screening series.
Gareth Robert Andrew Hedges
MA in Film Studies (pending), Concordia University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, 2004 to present. BA in Media Arts and Creative Writing (double major), University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona (suburban desert), 1998-2002. Gareth Hedges was interested irony, myth & ideology, rhetoric, the place of history, text use & over-reading, Canada, those United States, ukuleles, and Charles Bronson-ish revenge movies. Then, he decided to pursue course work instead. He also enjoys editing for and contributing to Synoptique: The Journal of Film and Film Studies.
Shawna Plischke
Shawna Plischke completed her undergraduate degree in English Literature at the University of Manitoba. Her research interests include feminist film theory; especially in the areas of gender, sexuality and female representation.
Student Initiatives
CSA - Cinema Students Association. The CSA is a highly active student group, most notably responsible for the year end screenings. Visit their homepage here.
CGFSSA - Concordia Graduate Film Studies Student Association. The CGFSSA is an organization began by MA Film Students to help organize extra screenings, year end parties, and help fund Synoptique. It is most notable for its mockery of bureaucratic acronyms.
Synoptique :: The Journal of Film and Film Studies - Founded in 2003 by MA Film Students, Synoptique is an entirely student run online journal now known around the world as a sophisticated and eclectic exploration of film and film communities. http://www.synoptique.ca
Nouvelles VUES sur le cinéma québécois - Founded by MA student Bruno Cornellier, Nouvelles VUES is an online exploration of Québéc cinema. http://www.cinema-quebecois.net/
Offscreen - While not technically a student project, Offscreen, founded by MHSoC part time faculty member Donato Totaro, routinely publishes work by MHSoC students. Offscreen is one of the longest running and best known online film journals in the English language. http://www.offscreen.com/
Double Negative Collective - A thriving Montreal film production and screening group which evolved out of a MHSoC experimental film production course.
Film Animation Student Group - The very active film animation student group routinely holds late night screenings, and big screen video game parties.
Award Winning Films by MHSoC Students
" 4X HORIZONTAL, 4X VERTICAL " by François Miron
Best experimental film, Canadian Student Film & Video Festival (Montreal World Film Festival), 1986
" 48 SECONDS BLUES " by Shira Avni
Best Animation video, Canadian Student Film & Video Festival (Montreal World Film Festival), 1997
" À VOTRE SERVICE " by France Longtin
Honourable Mention, Canadian Student Film & Video Festival (Montreal World Film Festival), 1986
" ACCIDENT " by Julien Lévy
Norman McLaren Award (Best Overall), Canadian Student Film & Video Festival (Montreal World Film Festival), 1996
" ALTER EGO " by Marc Hébert
Norman McLaren Award (Best Overall), Canadian Student Film & Video Festival (Montreal World Film Festival), 1980
" ACROSS THE STREET " by Arto Paragamian
Norman McLaren Award (Best Overall), Canadian Student Film & Video Festival (Montreal World Film Festival), 1988
" LE BAIN " by Erick Roy
Best animation film, ex aequo, Canadian Student Film & Video Festival (Montreal World Film Festival), 1990
" BARKER " by Donna Barker
Best documentary, Canadian Student Film & Video Festival (Montreal World Film Festival), 1989
" BEDTIME STORY " by Asia Marrion
Best Animation film, Canadian Student Film & Video Festival (Montreal World Film Festival), 1997
" BEYOND LANGUAGE " by Stephanie Finkelstein
Best Documentary video, Canadian Student Film & Video Festival (Montreal World Film Festival), 2000
" THE BET " by Antonio Rizi
Honourable Mention, Canadian Student Film & Video Festival (Montreal World Film Festival), 1975
" BLANC DE MÉMOIRE - SOUVENIR ROUGE " by Yvan Girouard
First Prize, Scenario Category, Canadian Student Film & Video Festival (Montreal World Film Festival), 1976
" BUSTON KEATER " by Pierre M. Trudeau
Best animation film, Canadian Student Film & Video Festival (Montreal World Film Festival), 1986
" CAMERA " by David Boucher
Best Animation Production, Canadian Student Film & Video Festival (Montreal World Film Festival), 2005
" CEUX VENUS D'AILLEURS " by Franco Battista
First Prize, Special Jury Prizes "Entertainment," Canadian Student Film & Video Festival (Montreal World Film Festival), 1976
" CLAIR-OBSCURE " by Kathy Slamen
Honourable Mention for Animation, Canadian Student Film & Video Festival (Montreal World Film Festival), 1994
" CLOCHARD DANS L'ÂME " by Jean-François Pothier
Honourable Mention for fiction, Canadian Student Film & Video Festival (Montreal World Film Festival), 1987
" COMME HIER MATIN " by André Turpin
Best fiction film, ex aequo, Canadian Student Film & Video Festival (Montreal World Film Festival), 1988
" CONTRE-TEMPS " by Jean-Pierre Guyot
Honourable Mention, Canadian Student Film & Video Festival (Montreal World Film Festival), 1980
" CONVERSATION " by Maxwell Berdowski
Best Screenplay, Canadian Student Film & Video Festival (Montreal World Film Festival), 1978
Jean-François Asselin for " CRISE D'IDENTITÉ À LA DEUXIÈME PERSONNE DU SINGULIER "
VIACOM CANADA AWARD FOR THE BEST NEW CANADIAN STUDENT DIRECTOR, Canadian Student Film & Video Festival (Montreal World Film Festival), 1997
" CRISE D'IDENTITÉ À LA DEUXIÈME PERSONNE DU SINGULIER " by Jean-François Asselin
Best Fiction film, Canadian Student Film & Video Festival (Montreal World Film Festival), 1997
" THE DEATH SHOP " by Jeff Abugov
Honourable Mention, Canadian Student Film & Video Festival (Montreal World Film Festival), 1982
" LE DESSIN ANIMÉ " by Yves Béland
Honourable Mention for Animation, Canadian Student Film & Video Festival (Montreal World Film Festival), 1979
" DOCTOR INC. " by Christian L'Écuyer
Best animation film. Canadian Student Film & Video Festival (Montreal World Film Festival), 1988
" DUST AND ROSES " by Peter Piotrowski
Honourable Mention for Experimental, Canadian Student Film & Video Festival (Montreal World Film Festival), 1979
" EFFUSION " by Martin Girard
Best narrative fiction film, ex aequo, Canadian Student Film & Video Festival (Montreal World Film Festival), 1985
" EL TIGRE (EL DESEO) " by Sergio Batiz
Best experimental film, Canadian Student Film & Video Festival (Montreal World Film Festival), 2000
" ÉLECTRINITÉ " by Félix Lajeunesse
Norman McLaren Award for the Best Overall Production ($1000, offered by the National Film Board of Canada), Canadian Student Film & Video Festival (Montreal World Film Festival), 2003. The film was also selected for the Munich International Festival of Film Schools (November 26-28, 2003). The director was invited to Munich to present his film.
" L'ENVIE " by Christian Duguay
Best Cinematography, Canadian Student Film & Video Festival (Montreal World Film Festival), 1980
" UN ESPACE À SOI " by Claude Chabot
Best Documentary, Canadian Student Film & Video Festival (Montreal World Film Festival), 1982
" LA FILLE QUI, LE GARS QUI " by Michel Simonsen
Norman McLaren Award (Best Overall), Canadian Student Film & Video Festival (Montreal World Film Festival), 1998
" FISH STORY " by Arto Paragamian
NORMAN MCLAREN AWARD (Best Overall), Canadian Student Film & Video Festival (Montreal World Film Festival), 1987
" FLIGHT " by Nurjahan Akhlaq
Best Documentary Production, Canadian Student Film & Video Festival (Montreal World Film Festival), 2003
" FRACTURES IN LIGHT " by Lena Yeretzian
Best Experimental Production, Canadian Student Film & Video Festival (Montreal World Film Festival), 1995
" FRICTIONS " by Normand Quinn, music by Robert Gaudreau
Best music, Canadian Student Film & Video Festival (Montreal World Film Festival), 1985
" FROM A WHISPER…TO A SCREAM " by Stephen Campanelli
Best Experimental, ex aequo, Canadian Student Film & Video Festival (Montreal World Film Festival), 1984
" GLANCE " by Heide Aufgewekt
Best experimental video, ex aequo, Canadian Student Film & Video Festival (Montreal World Film Festival), 1994
" HARRY'S STORY " by Jeff Abugov
Best Fiction, Canadian Student Film & Video Festival (Montreal World Film Festival), 1981
" L'INSTANT " by Andjela Milosavljevic
Best Experimental, Canadian Student Film & Video Festival (Montreal World Film Festival), 1978
" LICENSE TO KILL PART MCMXC " by Teresa Lang
Best animation film, ex aequo, Canadian Student Film & Video Festival (Montreal World Film Festival), 1990
" LOW BLOW " by Denise Tremblay
Honourable Mention for animation. Canadian Student Film & Video Festival (Montreal World Film Festival), 1988
" MOI AUSSI " by Caroline Guy
Best musical film, Canadian Student Film & Video Festival (Montreal World Film Festival), 1987
" THE MONK, THE APPLE, THE COW AND ITS INFLUENCE " by Karolina Jonsson
Best Film, Best Director, and Best Narrative, the National Student Film and Video Festival, 1999
Honorable mention for Fiction, Canadian Student Film & Video Festival (Montreal World Film Festival), 1998
"MONSIEUR GEORGE ET MONSIEUR GEORGE" by Brigitte Archambault
Best Animation Production, Canadian Student Film & Video Festival (Montreal World Film Festival), 2002
" MUSIC VIDEOS " by Jonathan Inksetter
Viacom Canada Award for Best New Canadian Student Director, Best Experimental Video, Canadian Student Film & Video Festival (Montreal World Film Festival), 1999
" THE MYTH OF SISYPHUS " by Gerard Betts
NORMAN MCLAREN AWARD (Best Overall), Canadian Student Film & Video Festival (Montreal World Film Festival), 1990
" NAÏMA " by Alexandru Dragutescu
Best Animation Production, Canadian Student Film & Video Festival (Montreal World Film Festival), 2003
" NIVIS " by Simon Goulet
Best documentary film, ex aequo, Canadian Student Film & Video Festival (Montreal World Film Festival), 1988
" THE NOISE " by Nadine K. Rowe
Best experimental film, Canadian Student Film & Video Festival (Montreal World Film Festival), 1992
" NOVEMBER 3 " by George Mihalka and Rodney Gibbons
Honourable Mention, Canadian Student Film & Video Festival (Montreal World Film Festival), 1976
" OINK " by Alain Dion
NORMAN MCLAREN AWARD (Best Overall), Canadian Student Film & Video Festival (Montreal World Film Festival), 1993
" ODA A LAS CHILOTAS " by Claudia Morgado
Best documentary, Canadian Student Film & Video Festival (Montreal World Film Festival), 1990
" ONE HOT, ROTTING ZOMBIE LOVE SONG " by Christophe Davidson
Best Fiction Production, Canadian Student Film & Video Festival (Montreal World Film Festival), 2003
"OPEN SEA " by Simone A. Rapisarda
Best Fiction Production, Canadian Student Film & Video Festival (Montreal World Film Festival), 2005
" OR'D'UR " and " BETSY " by Bashar Shbib
JURY AWARD (INSTITUT QUÉBÉCOIS DU CINÉMA), Canadian Student Film & Video Festival (Montreal World Film Festival), 1984
" OTHER PEOPLE HAVE OXYGEN " by Kaveh Nabatian
Best Documentary film, Canadian Student Film & Video Festival (Montreal World Film Festival), 1997
" L'OUVRIER ", editing by Christian Duguay
Best Editing, Canadian Student Film & Video Festival (Montreal World Film Festival), 1980
" THE QUEST FOR ELECTRIC LIEDERHOSEN " by Francis Hanneman
Best Animation video, Canadian Student Film & Video Festival (Montreal World Film Festival), 2000
" PAIN RELIEF " by Jean-François Daigle
Norman McLaren Award for Best Overall Production, and Best Fiction Video, Canadian Student Film & Video Festival (Montreal World Film Festival), 2001
" PANIC: A TAX " by Tara McVicar
Best experimental film, Canadian Student Film & Video Festival (Montreal World Film Festival), 1993
" THE PAPER WALL " by Nick and Sheila Pye
Best Experimental Film, Worldwide Short Film Festival, 2004
" PART TWO OF THE CRITICAL YEARS: THE DEXTER REPORTS ", cinematography by Gérald L'Écuyer, Steve Reizes, and Andrew Nevard
Best Cinematography, Canadian Student Film & Video Festival (Montreal World Film Festival), 1984
" PIÈCE INTERROMPUE POUR PIANO SAUVAGE " by Christian Duguay and Harold Trépanier
Best Editing, Best Cinematography, Canadian Student Film & Video Festival (Montreal World Film Festival), 1979
" PIPE DREAMS " by Mika Goodfriend and Olivier Girard
Honourable Mention, Canadian Student Film & Video Festival (Montreal World Film Festival), 2000
" POINT-ZÉRO-HUIT " by Gilles Dauphin
Jury Award (Institut Quebecois du cinema), Canadian Student Film & Video Festival (Montreal World Film Festival), 1981
" PORTER & SABU " by Jacqueline McClintock
Honourable Mention, Canadian Student Film & Video Festival (Montreal World Film Festival), 1986
" POST-PARTUM " by Marie-Josee Saint-Pierre
Gold Special Jury Award, Worldfest Houston, Texas, 2005
GAIA Award, Moondance International Film Festival, Colorado, 2005
Shoestring Award, Rochester International Film Festival, New York, 2005
" POURQUOI MOI? " by Étienne Simard
Best Animation Production, Canadian Student Film & Video Festival (Montreal World Film Festival), 2004
" PREMIER REGARD " by Pierre Sylvestre
Best documentary, Canadian Student Film & Video Festival (Montreal World Film Festival), 1989
" REAL MEN WEAR MUSTACHES " by Joanna Meuris
Honourable Mention, Canadian Student Film & Video Festival (Montreal World Film Festival), 1997
" LA RIVIÈRE RIT " by Benoit Pilon
Best fiction film, Canadian Student Film & Video Festival (Montreal World Film Festival), 1987
Linda Smith in " ROOMMATE " by Carla Nemiroff
Best Actress, Canadian Student Film & Video Festival (Montreal World Film Festival), 1985
" R.U.R. (ROSSUM'S UNIVERSAL ROBOTS) " by Carmen Z. MacKinley
Best Experimental video, Canadian Student Film & Video Festival (Montreal World Film Festival), 2001
" SECOND IMPRESSIONS " by Lorne Marin
Second Prize, Experimental Category, Canadian Student Film & Video Festival (Montreal World Film Festival), 1975
" SECOND STORY MAN " by Stephen Surjik
Best Director, Best Cinematography (by Stephen Reizes), ex aequo, Canadian Student Film & Video Festival (Montreal World Film Festival), 1981
" THE SEDUCTIONS OF ELEPHANTS " by Lee Schnaiberg
Best experimental video, Canadian Student Film & Video Festival (Montreal World Film Festival), 1992
" SHALETOWN " by Alexandra Myotte
Best animation video, Canadian Student Film & Video Festival (Montreal World Film Festival), 2001
" SHAT MAT " by Mike Pelland
Best Animation film, Canadian Student Film & Video Festival (Montreal World Film Festival), 1999
" THE SICKROOM " by Serge Marcotte
NORMAN MCLAREN AWARD (Best Overall), Canadian Student Film & Video Festival (Montreal World Film Festival), 1997
" SUPER FROG " by Francine Langlois
Norman McLaren Award (Best Overall) ex aequo, Best Actor (Jean Duchêne), (Canadian Student Film & Video Festival (Montreal World Film Festival), 1979
" SURVIVRE À L'ÉCHELLE RICHTER " by Araz Artinian
Best documentary video, Canadian Student Film & Video Festival (Montreal World Film Festival), 1998
" TEMPUS FUGIT " by Duraid Munajim
Best Experimental film, Canadian Student Film & Video Festival (Montreal World Film Festival), 1997
" TERREUR D'UN DIMANCHE APRÈS-MIDI " by André Lavigne
Best narrative fiction film, ex aequo, Canadian Student Film & Video Festival (Montreal World Film Festival), 1985
" TIDINGS OF JOY " by Oliver Slupecki
Honourable Mention for Fiction, Canadian Student Film & Video Festival (Montreal World Film Festival), 1991
" TINY " by Franco Battista
Honourable Mention, Canadian Student Film & Video Festival (Montreal World Film Festival), 1975
" TRENDSETTERS ", editing by Howard Goldberg
Best Experimental, Best Editing, Canadian Student Film & Video Festival (Montreal World Film Festival), 1981
" TRILOGIE D'ÉTAGES " by Claude Blanchard
Best Fiction, Best Director, Best Actress (Hélène Labrie-Beha), Best Score, Canadian Student Film & Video Festival (Montreal World Film Festival), 1980
" UNTITLED " by Lorraine Chiarelli
Best Animation, Canadian Student Film & Video Festival (Montreal World Film Festival), 1980
" URBANISM " by Philip Jandaly
Best fiction film, Canadian Student Film & Video Festival (Montreal World Film Festival), 1993
" VA T'RINCER L'OEIL " by Geoff Bowie
Honourable Mention, Canadian Student Film & Video Festival (Montreal World Film Festival), 1981
" VIE-D-EAU ", soundtrack by Peter Sandmark and Roger Tyrrell
Best Soundtrack, Canadian Student Film & Video Festival (Montreal World Film Festival), 1981
" VISION HOUSE " by Rafal Zielinsky
Best Director, Best Fiction, Canadian Student Film & Video Festival (Montreal World Film Festival), 1977