Jen Markowitz

Last updated

Jen Markowitz is a Canadian film and television director and producer, whose feature documentary film debut Summer Qamp was released in 2023. [1]

Contents

Career

Television work

Markowitz previously worked in documentary and reality television, including on the series Vice Canada Reports , Canada's Drag Race , and Call Me Mother . [1]

Markowitz is a three-time Canadian Screen Award winner for their work on Canada's Drag Race, winning Best Writing in a Lifestyle or Reality/Competition Program or Series at the 9th Canadian Screen Awards in 2021 for the episode "Welcome to the Family", [2] and Best Reality/Competition Series both at the 9th Canadian Screen Awards at the 10th Canadian Screen Awards in 2022 as a producer of the series. [3]

Summer Qamp

Markowitz made their feature film directing debut with Summer Qamp , a documentary which profiles Camp fYrefly, a summer camp program in Alberta that provides a safe space for LGBTQ youth. [4] According to Markowitz, "it’s important to show the public at large that this is a community of regular kids with regular kid problems. They are all regular kids at heart, they just happened to be really weighed down by a lot of this other stuff that is put on to them by the world." [5] The project was first announced as a documentary television series in 2021, [6] and was later revised into a feature documentary film. [4]

The film premiered at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival. [7] At TIFF, the film was named first runner-up for the People's Choice Award for Documentaries. [8] At the 2023 Calgary International Film Festival, the film received a special jury citation from the Best Canadian Feature Documentary award jury, [9] and was the winner of the Audience Choice award for best Canadian documentary. [10]

Personal life

Markowitz identifies as non-binary and uses gender-neutral pronouns. [5]

Related Research Articles

The Calgary International Film Festival (CIFF) is a film festival held annually in Calgary, Alberta, in late September and early October.

The Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival is the largest documentary festival in North America. The event takes place annually in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The 27th edition of the festival took place online throughout May and June 2020. In addition to the annual festival, Hot Docs owns and operates the Hot Docs Ted Rogers Cinema, administers multiple production funds, and runs year-round screening programs including Doc Soup and Hot Docs Showcase.

<i>Guantanamos Child</i> 2015 Canadian film

Guantanamo's Child is a 2015 Canadian documentary film. Directed by Patrick Reed and Michelle Shephard based on Shephard's 2009 book Guantanamo's Child: The Untold Story of Omar Khadr, the film profiles Omar Khadr, a Canadian citizen whose conviction on disputed war crimes charges and incarceration at the Guantanamo Bay detention camp has been a prominent political issue in Canada.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Charles Officer</span> Canadian writer, filmmaker, and ice hockey player (1975–2023)

Charles Officer was a Canadian film and television director, writer, actor, and professional hockey player.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Canadian Screen Awards</span> Canadian media awards

The Canadian Screen Awards are awards given for artistic and technical merit in the film industry recognizing excellence in Canadian film, English-language television, and digital media productions. Given annually by the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television, the awards recognize excellence in cinematic achievements, as assessed by the Academy's voting membership.

<i>Preggoland</i> 2014 film

Preggoland is a 2014 Canadian comedy film directed by Jacob Tierney and written by Sonja Bennett. The film stars Bennett as Ruth, a 35-year-old single woman who falsely claims to be pregnant to deflect her friends' and family's mounting disapproval of her directionless, irresponsible lifestyle.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nisha Pahuja</span> Canadian independent filmmaker

Nisha Pahuja is an Indian-born Canadian filmmaker, based in Toronto, Ontario.

The Toronto International Film Festival People's Choice Award is an annual film award, presented by the Toronto International Film Festival to the movie rated as the year's best film according to TIFF audience. Past sponsors of the award have included Cadillac and Grolsch.

<i>Canadas a Drag</i> Canadian documentary series about drag queens

Canada's a Drag is a Canadian documentary series that premiered on CBC Gem on March 7, 2018. The show was created by Peter Knegt and Mercedes Grundy. Each episode focuses on a drag performer from a different Canadian city, inclusive of drag queens, drag kings and transgender or non-binary performers. It is produced by CBC Arts.

Ariane Louis-Seize is a Canadian film director and screenwriter from Quebec.

<i>Sing Me a Lullaby</i> 2020 Canadian short documentary film

Sing Me a Lullaby is a Canadian short documentary film, directed by Tiffany Hsiung and released in 2020. The film documents Hsiung's efforts to locate and reconnect with her mother's birth family in Taiwan, following her mother's separation from her parents and adoption in childhood.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thyrone Tommy</span> Canadian film director

Thyrone Tommy is a Canadian film director and screenwriter. After writing and directing the short film Mariner (2016), Tommy received acclaim for his work on the feature film Learn to Swim (2021), both of which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival.

<i>Swan Song</i> (2023 film) 2023 Canadian documentary film by Chelsea McMullan

Swan Song is a 2023 Canadian documentary film, directed by Chelsea McMullan.

Summer Qamp is a 2023 Canadian documentary film, directed by Jen Markowitz. The film profiles Camp fYrefly, a summer camp program in Alberta that provides a safe space for LGBTQ youth.

The 2023 edition of the Calgary International Film Festival, the 24th edition in the event's history, took place from September 21 to October 1, 2023 in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.

Aitamaako'tamisskapi Natosi: Before the Sun is a 2023 Canadian documentary film, directed by Banchi Hanuse. The film profiles Logan Red Crow, a young Siksika woman who is preparing to compete in the male-dominated Indian Relay horse race.

References

  1. 1 2 "Filmmaker Jen Markowitz on building trust with queer teens in doc 'Summer Qamp'". CP24. 2023-09-09. Retrieved 2023-11-08.
  2. ↑ "Canadian Screen Awards 2021: News, Documentary, Lifestyle and Reality « Celebrity Gossip and Movie News". Tribute.ca. Retrieved 2023-11-08.
  3. ↑ Thiessen, Connie (2022-04-07). "Canadian Screen Awards winners: Children's & Animation, Lifestyle & Reality". Broadcast Dialogue. Retrieved 2023-11-08.
  4. 1 2 "Exclusive: Jen Markowitz, Michelle Mama board feature doc "Summer Qamp"" . Retrieved 2023-11-08.
  5. 1 2 Morfoot, Addie (2023-09-07). "'Summer Qamp' TIFF Documentary Highlights LGBTQ+ Youth in Safe Space". Variety. Retrieved 2023-11-08.
  6. ↑ "Exclusive: Cineflix, Hello Friend Media developing "Summer Qamp" docuseries" . Retrieved 2023-11-08.
  7. ↑ Mullen, Pat (2023-07-26). "Mr. Dressup, Fred Wiseman Lead TIFF Docs Line-Up". POV Magazine. Retrieved 2023-11-08.
  8. ↑ Pond, Steve (2023-09-17). "'American Fiction' Wins Toronto Film Festival's Audience Award". TheWrap. Retrieved 2023-11-08.
  9. ↑ "Winners of 2023 CIFF competitions unveiled". LiveWire Calgary. 2023-09-26. Retrieved 2023-11-08.
  10. ↑ "Summer Qamp, Drawing a Life audience favourites at CIFF". LiveWire Calgary. 2023-10-03. Retrieved 2023-11-08.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.