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{{Short description|Canadian film director}}
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'''Julia Kwan''' is a [[screenwriter]], director, and occasional producer of her own short and feature films. She has brought a keen sense of the Chinese-Canadian cultural experience to her films. Several of the films were made in conjunction with the [[National Film Board of Canada]]<ref>"Julia Kwan - NFB." National Film Board of Canada. Accessed October 23, 2016. <nowiki>https://www.nfb.ca/explore-all-directors/julia-kwan/</nowiki>.</ref> Her feature films include ''[[Eve and the Fire Horse]]'' (2005), as well as the feature length [[Documentary film]] ''[[Everything Will Be]]'' (2014). She is also known for her short film ''10,000 Delusions'' (1999) which screened at the [[Vancouver International Film Festival]].<ref name=":3" />


⚫
'''Julia Kwan''' is a [[Canadians|Canadian]] [[screenwriter]], director, and occasional producer of her own short and feature films. She has brought a keen sense of the Chinese-Canadian cultural experience to her films. Several of the films were made in conjunction with the [[National Film Board of Canada]].<ref>"Julia Kwan - NFB." National Film Board of Canada. Accessed October 23, 2016. https://www.nfb.ca/explore-all-directors/julia-kwan/ .</ref> Her feature films include ''[[Eve and the Fire Horse]]'' (2005), as well as the feature length [[documentary film]] ''[[Everything Will Be]]'' (2014). She is also known for her short film ''10,000 Delusions'' (1999) which screened at the [[Vancouver International Film Festival]].<ref name=":3" />
== Biography ==

⚫
Julia Kwan was raised in [[Vancouver]] to [[Chinese people|Chinese]] immigrant parents. These childhood experiences would be a strong influence on her feature film [[Eve and the Fire Horse|''Eve and'' ''the Fire Horse'' (2005)]].<ref name=":1">Walker, Susan. "Canada's Sundance kid; Julia Kwan's film is festival's lone Canadian entry Story focuses on Chinese life in Vancouver." ''Toronto Star'', January 27, 2006. Accessed October 23, 2016.</ref> Her mother was a garment factory worker,<ref name=":1" /> while her father was employed as the head waiter at a Vancouver Chinese restaurant.<ref name=":0" /> She studied film at [[Ryerson Polytechnic University]] in [[Toronto]].<ref name=":0">Eisner, Ken. "VIFF 2014: Julia Kwan’s Everything Will Be Captures Vancouver’s Chinatown in Transition | Georgia Straight Vancouver's News & Entertainment Weekly." Georgia Straight Vancouver's News & Entertainment Weekly. Last modified September 24, 2014. <nowiki>http://www.straight.com/movies/734976/viff-2014-julia-kwans-everything-will-be-captures-vancouvers-chinatown-transition</nowiki>.</ref> Kwan was previously employed as a data entry clerk, and is capable of typing 105 words a minute.<ref name=":4">Montagu, Katharine. "Eve and the Horse writer-director may be quiet, but Julia Kwan has plenty of bite." ''Canadian Screenwriter'' 9, no. 1 (October 2006), 21.</ref> As of 2006, Kwan is in remission from [[Cancer]].<ref name=":3">Leiren-Young, Mark. "Julia Kwan rediscovers Chinatown; Debut documentary Everything Will Be reflects her love for the community of her childhood." ''Vancouver Sun'', September 25, 2014, D.3.</ref> Kwan was born under the Chinese [[astrological sign]] of the Fire Horse.<ref name=":1" /> Kwan did not start making films until her 20s.<ref name=":1" />
== Early life ==
⚫
Julia Kwan was raised in [[Vancouver]], [[British Columbia]] to [[Chinese people|Chinese]] immigrant parents. These childhood experiences would be a strong influence on her feature film ''Eve and'' ''the Fire Horse''.<ref name=":1">Walker, Susan. "Canada's Sundance kid; Julia Kwan's film is festival's lone Canadian entry Story focuses on Chinese life in Vancouver." ''Toronto Star'', January 27, 2006. Accessed October 23, 2016.</ref> Her mother was a garment factory worker,<ref name=":1" /> while her father was employed as the head waiter at a Vancouver Chinese restaurant.<ref name=":0" /> She studied film at [[Toronto Metropolitan University|Ryerson Polytechnic University]] in [[Toronto, Ontario]].<ref name=":0">Eisner, Ken. "VIFF 2014: Julia Kwan's Everything Will Be Captures Vancouver's Chinatown in Transition | Georgia Straight Vancouver's News & Entertainment Weekly." Georgia Straight Vancouver's News & Entertainment Weekly. Last modified September 24, 2014. http://www.straight.com/movies/734976/viff-2014-julia-kwans-everything-will-be-captures-vancouvers-chinatown-transition .</ref> Kwan was previously employed as a data entry clerk, and is capable of typing 105 words a minute.<ref name=":4">Montagu, Katharine. "Eve and the Horse writer-director may be quiet, but Julia Kwan has plenty of bite." ''Canadian Screenwriter'' 9, no. 1 (October 2006), 21.</ref> As of 2006, Kwan is in remission from [[cancer]].<ref name=":3">Leiren-Young, Mark. "Julia Kwan rediscovers Chinatown; Debut documentary Everything Will Be reflects her love for the community of her childhood." ''Vancouver Sun'', September 25, 2014, D.3.</ref> Kwan was born under the Chinese [[astrological sign]] of the Fire Horse.<ref name=":1" /> Kwan did not start making films until her 20s.<ref name=":1" />


== Career ==
== Career ==
Julia Kwan was a director resident at [[Norman Jewison]]'s [[Canadian Film Centre]].<ref name=":2">Holt, Jim. "Vancouver director Julia Kwan gets warm reception at snowy Sundance." ''Canadian Press Newswire'', January 21, 2006.</ref> After beginning her career writing and directing two short films, she made her feature ''[[Eve and the Fire Horse]]'' (2005). The film was well received, with [[Variety (magazine)|Variety Magazine]] declaring it "a finely wrought period piece" and "an exceptional feature debut.<ref>Eisner, Ken. "Eve & The Fire Horse." ''Variety Magazine'', October 31, 2005.</ref>" Forty percent of the dialogue in ''[[Eve and the Fire Horse]]'' (2005) is spoken in Kwan's native tongue<ref>Kelly, Brendan. "The great wide north: Canadian filmmakers broaden their cinema's scope to tackle international issues." ''Variety Magazine'', September 12, 2005. Accessed November 3, 2016.</ref> of [[Cantonese]]. The film deals with the issues that arise from the friction between traditional [[Buddhism|Buddhist]] beliefs and those of [[Catholicism]] for a nine year old girl growing up in Vancouver. The film is "a largely autobiographical tale (of Kwan herself) growing up as a child of immigrants in Vancouver".<ref name=":1" /> The film starred [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1754177/?ref_=tt_cl_t1 Phoebe Kut] in the titular role of Eve Eng; the actress has appeared in three of Kwan's films.
Julia Kwan was a director resident at [[Norman Jewison]]'s [[Canadian Film Centre]].<ref name=":2">Holt, Jim. "Vancouver director Julia Kwan gets warm reception at snowy Sundance." ''Canadian Press Newswire'', January 21, 2006.</ref> After beginning her career writing and directing two short films, she made her feature ''[[Eve and the Fire Horse]]'' (2005). The film was well received, with [[Variety (magazine)|Variety Magazine]] declaring it "a finely wrought period piece" and "an exceptional feature debut."<ref>Eisner, Ken. "Eve & The Fire Horse." ''Variety Magazine'', October 31, 2005.</ref> Forty percent of the dialogue in ''Eve and the Fire Horse'' (2005) is spoken in Kwan's native tongue<ref>Kelly, Brendan. "The great wide north: Canadian filmmakers broaden their cinema's scope to tackle international issues." ''Variety Magazine'', September 12, 2005. Accessed November 3, 2016.</ref> of [[Cantonese]]. The film deals with the issues that arise from the friction between traditional [[Buddhism|Buddhist]] beliefs and those of [[Catholicism]] for nine year old Eve (Phoebe Kut) growing up in Vancouver. The actress has appeared in three of Kwan's films.<ref name=":6" /> The film is "a largely autobiographical tale (of Kwan herself) growing up as a child of immigrants in Vancouver."<ref name=":1" />


She has worked in a diversity of both subjects and genres throughout her filmography. For example, her short film ''Surfacing'' (2015) had as its subject Canadian folk musician [[Sarah McLachlan]].<ref>"Surfacing by Julia Kwan - NFB." National Film Board of Canada. Accessed October 24, 2016. <nowiki>https://www.nfb.ca/film/surfacing/</nowiki>.</ref> In the film, McLachlan tells anecdotes from both her childhood and professional career, in first person narration. Kwan also made a foray into animation with her short film ''Blossom''<ref name=":0" /> (2010). This short [[Experimental film|experimental]] film showcases the changing of the seasons, as compared with the growth cycle of a child. Kwan's feature film ''Everything Will Be'' (2014) was her exploration of the effects of [[gentrification]] in [[Chinatown, Vancouver|Vancouver Chinatown]]. The title of the film was inspired by an artistic installation by [[Martin Creed]].<ref name=":0" /> As of late 2006, Kwan was writing a treatment of [[Douglas Coupland]]'s classic novel [[Generation X: Tales for an Accelerated Culture|Generation X]].<ref name=":4" />
She has worked in a diversity of both subjects and genres throughout her filmography. Her short film ''Surfacing'' (2015) had Canadian folk musician [[Sarah McLachlan]] for a subject.<ref>"Surfacing by Julia Kwan - NFB." National Film Board of Canada. Accessed October 24, 2016. https://www.nfb.ca/film/surfacing/ .</ref> In the film, McLachlan tells anecdotes from both her childhood and professional career, in first person narration. Kwan also made a foray into animation with her short film ''Blossom''<ref name=":0" /> (2010). This short [[Experimental film|experimental]] film showcases the changing of the seasons, as compared with the growth cycle of a child. Kwan's feature film ''[[Everything Will Be]]'' (2014) was her exploration of the effects of [[gentrification]] in [[Chinatown, Vancouver|Vancouver Chinatown]]. In the film, she interviews neighbourhood occupants that represent both the past and the future of the rapidly gentrifying community. The title of the film was inspired by an artistic installation by [[Martin Creed]].<ref name=":0" /> As of late 2006, Kwan was writing a treatment of [[Douglas Coupland]]'s classic novel [[Generation X: Tales for an Accelerated Culture|''Generation X'']].<ref name=":4" />


==Filmography==
⚫
==Filmography<ref>"Julia Kwan." IMDb. Accessed October 23, 2016. <nowiki>http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0477076/?ref_=nmbio_bio_nm</nowiki>.</ref>==
{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable"
|-
|-
⚫
! Year<ref name=":6">"Julia Kwan." IMDb. Accessed October 23, 2016. http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0477076/?ref_=nmbio_bio_nm .</ref>
! Year
! Title
! Title
! Role
! Role
|
|-
|-
| 1999
| 1999
| ''[[10,000 Delusions]]''
| ''[[10,000 Delusions]]''
| Writer, Director
| Writer, director
|
|-
|-
| 2001
| 2001
| ''[[Three Sisters On Moon Lake]]''
| ''[[Three Sisters On Moon Lake]]''
| Writer, Director
| Writer, director
|
|-
|-
| 2005
| 2005
| ''[[Eve and the Fire Horse]]''
| ''[[Eve and the Fire Horse]]''
| Writer, Director, Associate Producer
| Writer, director, Associate Producer
|
|-
|-
| 2007
| 2007
| ''[[Smile]]''
| ''Smile''
| Writer, Director, Producer
| Writer, director, producer
|
|-
|-
| 2010
| 2010
| ''[[Blossom]]''
| ''Blossom''
| Writer, Director
| Writer, director
|
|-
|-
| 2014
| 2014
| ''[[Everything Will Be]]''
| ''[[Everything Will Be]]''
| Writer, Director
| Writer, director
|-
|-
| 2015
| 2015
| ''Surfacing''
| ''Surfacing''
| Writer, Director
| Writer, director
|
|}
|}


== Awards and nominations ==
== Awards and nominations ==
Kwan won several awards for her feature ''[[Eve and the Fire Horse]]'' (2005). She shared the [[Claude Jutra Award]] at the 2006 [[Genie Awards]] for that film. The award was shared with filmmaker [[Stéphane Lapointe|Stephane Lapointe]] which he won for his film ''[[The Secret Life of Happy People]]''<ref name=":5" /> (2006)[[The Secret Life of Happy People|.]] She also won a Special Jury Prize at the 2006 [[Sundance Film Festival]].<ref name=":5">Vlessing, Etan. "Kwan, Lapointe share Genie." ''Hollywood Reporter'', February 1, 2007. Accessed October 24, 2016. <nowiki>http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/kwan-lapointe-share-genie-129183</nowiki>.</ref> for that 2005 feature. At the 2006 [[Leo Awards]], she won awards for Best Direction and Screenwriting for [[Eve and the Fire Horse]].<ref>"2016 Leo Awards Winners/Nominees." Leo Awards, 2016. Accessed October 24, 2016. <nowiki>http://www.leoawards.com/past_winners/pdf/2006.pdf</nowiki>.</ref> She won the 2001 Charles Israel Screenwriting Prize for the [[screenplay]] for ''[[Eve and the Fire Horse]]'' (2005) from the [[Writers Guild of Canada|Writer's Guild of Canada]].<ref name=":2" /> In 2005, Kwan won the Best Canadian Film Award for ''[[Eve and the Fire Horse]]'' (2005) at the [[Vancouver International Film Festival]].
Kwan won several awards for her feature ''Eve and the Fire Horse''. She shared the [[Claude Jutra Award]] at the 2006 [[Genie Awards]] for that film with filmmaker [[Stéphane Lapointe|Stephane Lapointe]]. He won for his film ''[[The Secret Life of Happy People]].''<ref name=":5" /> She also won a Special Jury Prize at the 2006 [[Sundance Film Festival]]<ref name=":5">Vlessing, Etan. "Kwan, Lapointe share Genie." ''Hollywood Reporter'', February 1, 2007. Accessed October 24, 2016. http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/kwan-lapointe-share-genie-129183 .</ref> for ''Eve and the Fire Horse''. At the 2006 [[Leo Awards]], she won awards for Best Direction and Screenwriting for ''Eve and the Fire Horse''.<ref>"2016 Leo Awards Winners/Nominees." Leo Awards, 2016. Accessed October 24, 2016. http://www.leoawards.com/past_winners/pdf/2006.pdf .</ref> She won the 2001 Charles Israel Screenwriting Prize for the [[screenplay]] for ''Eve and the Fire Horse'' from the [[Writers Guild of Canada]].<ref name=":2" /> In 2005, Kwan won the Best Canadian Film Award<ref>"Vancouver International Film Festival (2005)." IMDb - Movies, TV and Celebrities - IMDb. Accessed November 16, 2016. http://www.imdb.com/event/ev0000678/2005 .</ref> for ''Eve and the Fire Horse'' at the [[Vancouver International Film Festival]].


== References ==
== References ==
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==External links==
==External links==
* [[imdbname:0477076|Julia Kwan IMDB]]
* {{IMDb name|0477076|Julia Kwan}}
* [https://www.nfb.ca/explore-all-directors/julia-kwan/ Julia Kwan NFB Films]
* [https://www.nfb.ca/explore-all-directors/julia-kwan/ Julia Kwan NFB Films]

{{authority control}}


{{DEFAULTSORT:Kwan, Julia}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kwan, Julia}}
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[[Category:Canadian people of Chinese descent]]
[[Category:Canadian people of Chinese descent]]
[[Category:Canadian women film directors]]
[[Category:Canadian women film directors]]
[[Category:Ryerson University alumni]]
[[Category:Toronto Metropolitan University alumni]]
[[Category:Best First Feature Genie and Canadian Screen Award winners]]
[[Category:Best First Feature Genie and Canadian Screen Award winners]]
[[Category:Asian-Canadian cinema]]
[[Category:Asian-Canadian filmmakers]]
[[Category:Film directors from Vancouver]]
[[Category:Film directors from Vancouver]]
[[Category:Canadian Film Centre alumni]]

Latest revision as of 04:13, 6 August 2024

Julia Kwan is a Canadian screenwriter, director, and occasional producer of her own short and feature films. She has brought a keen sense of the Chinese-Canadian cultural experience to her films. Several of the films were made in conjunction with the National Film Board of Canada.[1] Her feature films include Eve and the Fire Horse (2005), as well as the feature length documentary film Everything Will Be (2014). She is also known for her short film 10,000 Delusions (1999) which screened at the Vancouver International Film Festival.[2]

Early life

[edit]

Julia Kwan was raised in Vancouver, British Columbia to Chinese immigrant parents. These childhood experiences would be a strong influence on her feature film Eve and the Fire Horse.[3] Her mother was a garment factory worker,[3] while her father was employed as the head waiter at a Vancouver Chinese restaurant.[4] She studied film at Ryerson Polytechnic University in Toronto, Ontario.[4] Kwan was previously employed as a data entry clerk, and is capable of typing 105 words a minute.[5] As of 2006, Kwan is in remission from cancer.[2] Kwan was born under the Chinese astrological sign of the Fire Horse.[3] Kwan did not start making films until her 20s.[3]

Career

[edit]

Julia Kwan was a director resident at Norman Jewison's Canadian Film Centre.[6] After beginning her career writing and directing two short films, she made her feature Eve and the Fire Horse (2005). The film was well received, with Variety Magazine declaring it "a finely wrought period piece" and "an exceptional feature debut."[7] Forty percent of the dialogue in Eve and the Fire Horse (2005) is spoken in Kwan's native tongue[8] of Cantonese. The film deals with the issues that arise from the friction between traditional Buddhist beliefs and those of Catholicism for nine year old Eve (Phoebe Kut) growing up in Vancouver. The actress has appeared in three of Kwan's films.[9] The film is "a largely autobiographical tale (of Kwan herself) growing up as a child of immigrants in Vancouver."[3]

She has worked in a diversity of both subjects and genres throughout her filmography. Her short film Surfacing (2015) had Canadian folk musician Sarah McLachlan for a subject.[10] In the film, McLachlan tells anecdotes from both her childhood and professional career, in first person narration. Kwan also made a foray into animation with her short film Blossom[4] (2010). This short experimental film showcases the changing of the seasons, as compared with the growth cycle of a child. Kwan's feature film Everything Will Be (2014) was her exploration of the effects of gentrification in Vancouver Chinatown. In the film, she interviews neighbourhood occupants that represent both the past and the future of the rapidly gentrifying community. The title of the film was inspired by an artistic installation by Martin Creed.[4] As of late 2006, Kwan was writing a treatment of Douglas Coupland's classic novel Generation X.[5]

Filmography

[edit]
Year[9] Title Role
1999 10,000 Delusions Writer, director
2001 Three Sisters On Moon Lake Writer, director
2005 Eve and the Fire Horse Writer, director, Associate Producer
2007 Smile Writer, director, producer
2010 Blossom Writer, director
2014 Everything Will Be Writer, director
2015 Surfacing Writer, director

Awards and nominations

[edit]

Kwan won several awards for her feature Eve and the Fire Horse. She shared the Claude Jutra Award at the 2006 Genie Awards for that film with filmmaker Stephane Lapointe. He won for his film The Secret Life of Happy People.[11] She also won a Special Jury Prize at the 2006 Sundance Film Festival[11] for Eve and the Fire Horse. At the 2006 Leo Awards, she won awards for Best Direction and Screenwriting for Eve and the Fire Horse.[12] She won the 2001 Charles Israel Screenwriting Prize for the screenplay for Eve and the Fire Horse from the Writers Guild of Canada.[6] In 2005, Kwan won the Best Canadian Film Award[13] for Eve and the Fire Horse at the Vancouver International Film Festival.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Julia Kwan - NFB." National Film Board of Canada. Accessed October 23, 2016. https://www.nfb.ca/explore-all-directors/julia-kwan/ .
  2. ^ a b Leiren-Young, Mark. "Julia Kwan rediscovers Chinatown; Debut documentary Everything Will Be reflects her love for the community of her childhood." Vancouver Sun, September 25, 2014, D.3.
  3. ^ a b c d e Walker, Susan. "Canada's Sundance kid; Julia Kwan's film is festival's lone Canadian entry Story focuses on Chinese life in Vancouver." Toronto Star, January 27, 2006. Accessed October 23, 2016.
  4. ^ a b c d Eisner, Ken. "VIFF 2014: Julia Kwan's Everything Will Be Captures Vancouver's Chinatown in Transition | Georgia Straight Vancouver's News & Entertainment Weekly." Georgia Straight Vancouver's News & Entertainment Weekly. Last modified September 24, 2014. http://www.straight.com/movies/734976/viff-2014-julia-kwans-everything-will-be-captures-vancouvers-chinatown-transition .
  5. ^ a b Montagu, Katharine. "Eve and the Horse writer-director may be quiet, but Julia Kwan has plenty of bite." Canadian Screenwriter 9, no. 1 (October 2006), 21.
  6. ^ a b Holt, Jim. "Vancouver director Julia Kwan gets warm reception at snowy Sundance." Canadian Press Newswire, January 21, 2006.
  7. ^ Eisner, Ken. "Eve & The Fire Horse." Variety Magazine, October 31, 2005.
  8. ^ Kelly, Brendan. "The great wide north: Canadian filmmakers broaden their cinema's scope to tackle international issues." Variety Magazine, September 12, 2005. Accessed November 3, 2016.
  9. ^ a b "Julia Kwan." IMDb. Accessed October 23, 2016. http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0477076/?ref_=nmbio_bio_nm .
  10. ^ "Surfacing by Julia Kwan - NFB." National Film Board of Canada. Accessed October 24, 2016. https://www.nfb.ca/film/surfacing/ .
  11. ^ a b Vlessing, Etan. "Kwan, Lapointe share Genie." Hollywood Reporter, February 1, 2007. Accessed October 24, 2016. http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/kwan-lapointe-share-genie-129183 .
  12. ^ "2016 Leo Awards Winners/Nominees." Leo Awards, 2016. Accessed October 24, 2016. http://www.leoawards.com/past_winners/pdf/2006.pdf .
  13. ^ "Vancouver International Film Festival (2005)." IMDb - Movies, TV and Celebrities - IMDb. Accessed November 16, 2016. http://www.imdb.com/event/ev0000678/2005 .
[edit]
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