The film and television industry in Northern Ontario has been growing steadily for the past decade. As more and more productions take advantage of incentives and untouched cinematic landscapes, Northern-based producers and directors are getting their names into the biggest festival programs around the world. From Cannes, Sundance, Hot Docs and TIFF, Nothern-produced films are making a big splash globally. We invite some of the top producers from the region to talk about large-scale successes and what it’s like to be representing the North on the festival circuit.

Panelists & Speaker Bios:

Michelle Derosier

Named 2012 Female News-maker of the Year by Wawatay News, Michelle is an award-winning filmmaker who brings her twelve years of experience as a front line social worker to bear on her drama and documentary film work. Co-owner of Thunderstone Pictures, she works as a producer, director, writer, and occasionally even as an actor. She is Bear Clan originally from Migisi Sahgaigan, (Eagle Lake First Nation) in Northwestern Ontario. She has been a guest on TVO and CBC’s “The Current” speaking about First Nations issues, addiction, and the Indian residential school experience. In addition to her film work she has delivered workshops on innovations in group therapy for youth, using art as a healing tool, parenting, and violence in Aboriginal communities. Michelle will be taking questions on her work as director of Grandfather Drum and as producer of Fire Song.

Joanne Jackson

Joanne Jackson is an award-winning documentary and television producer and the driving force behind many compelling, thought provoking programs over the last 20 years. Her background includes hundreds of hours of television programming. She has also worked as an in-house producer and as a production executive. In the latter role, she supervised many series and specials at YTV, WTN and CTV/Discovery-owned channels Animal Planet Canada, travel+escape and Discovery HD. In Spring/Summer 2011, she was the Supervising Producer for Hero Dogs of 9/11, a one-hour documentary that was broadcast on Animal Planet Canada for the 10th Anniversary of the Ground Zero tragedy and the second highest rated program on the channel for the year. Her independent documentaries include The Big Wait, (2010) a poignant documentary about the doctor shortage in Canada and Long Haul Big Hearts (2007), the story of a long haul truck driver and his rescue mission to deliver relief supplies to Hurricane Katrina victims.

David Anselmo

David Joseph Anselmo was born in Sudbury, Ontario, far away from any connection to show business. After studying Law, Psychology, and Theatre at Sudbury’s Laurentian University, he traveled abroad, heading to Europe to expand his acting repertoire with smaller theatre groups and productions. A chance visit to a friend in South Korea would prove to be a kickstart to a seven-year-long stint in Korean television and film, notably appearing in The Host (2007), R-Point (2004) and Welcome to Dongmakgol (2005), for which he gained 20 pounds and shaved his head to play a special forces commander.

In 2001, he returned home to Canada and formed Hideway Pictures, with an eye to develop television and film opportunities in Northern Ontario. He doubled down on his commitment to his hometown’s film prospects, opening Northern Ontario Film Studios, Northern Ontario’s first film production hub.