DAREarts in Sioux Lookout as Part of the Sioux Lookout Literacy Festival-Additional Information

TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - Feb. 2, 2011) - The week of February, Monday 7^th – Saturday, 12^th thirty community high school youths will be participating in a week of artistic sessions with a focus on film-making. Come and see the DAREarts team of arts professionals participating with our Sioux Lookout Literacy Festival partners. The five days will contain a challenging and rewarding program that will grow the students in self-awareness and esteem building. The final showcase, for the community and media will be held Saturday, February 12^th at 7:00 p.m., at the Mayfield Theatre, 55 Front Street, Sioux Lookout.

The sessions will be led by the DAREarts team below.

Cathy Elliott is an Acadian, Irish/status Mi'kmak member of the Indian Brook Band in Nova Scotia. Her great, great, great grandfather, Chief Kopit, signed the Treaty of 1752. Her grandfather, Louis Bernard, made and played fiddles and was always a fascination to her. It was only recently that she learned that Louis was a Residential School Survivor. Her first cousin Betty Ann Lavallee is National Chief to the Council of Aboriginal Peoples. Her sister is a gifted novelist and painter. Her brother is a successful musician living in Buffalo N.Y. She is surrounded by some amazingly talented relations.

Cathy's artistic journey started when her mother (a painter) put a pencil in her hand and demonstrated how to draw a three dimensional box, then a face, then, well everything. Since then, she has pursued a life in the arts that envelops and sustains her: visual arts, (painting, sculpture, jewellery making, photography, digital art, graphics and advertising) theatre, (performing, playwriting, lyrics) music (musical theatre, roots, guitar, piano, computer) and film (direction and musical scores).

She wrote and performed the scores for RedBark Film's Brebeuf and His Huron Carole for CBC and APTN (2002) as well as for Jimmy McQuat, the Hermit of White Otter Lake (1983). Most recently she created the score for the Pre Show Film Installment at the new Planetarium in Sudbury's Science North.

Francois Aubry – film-maker, has been active in the field of filmmaking for over 25 years. Francois has gained recognition in such activities as screenplay writing, storyboard design, direction of photography (cinematographer and cameraman), editing, directing and producing.

The films have been financed, produced and distributed by such institutions as The National Film Board of Canada, Radio-Canada, Telefilm Canada, TV-5, Vision TV, and more.

As an active member of the animation community, he has contributed articles and a book on the history and practice of animation (Guttenberg Award 1989), and workshops and talks in Paris, Laon, Montreal, Sherbrooke, Toronto, and many other cities worldwide.

Jennifer Kalinowski – Jennifer works in TV and film, in various forms as producer, field director, camera, editor and actress. One of her fortés is her proven ability working with kids. Trained in performing arts as an actress, singer, dancer, etc., she has had many interactions working with youth through camps, workshops, and empowerment for youth programs. This past summer she co-directed an Empowerment through Theatre Arts summer camp for children.

Jeremy Proux – is a young aboriginal screenwriter who has worked in film as a writer, dialogue polisher, storyline and character development, just to name a few. He has also worked as a videographer and researcher with the Saugeen Ojibway Nation Environment Office assisting in the areas of video documenting and interviewing elders and editing footage for the final product. Jeremy strong theater background blends well with his screenwriting and community work.

SCHEDULE- to be held at the Pelican Falls High School

Sunday:	Meeting with teachers and committee members
Monday:	Every day will begin/ end with a traditional sharing circle. Students will be invited to continue creating in the evenings. AM – Introductions, exploration of the week's objectives and outcomes, discussions of values, etc. PM – Build stories together; Round Robin of workshops Hand out registration forms and cameras
Tuesday:	AM – Circle; Develop scripts from stories PM – Students divided into teams for creating their own films
Wednesday:	AM – Circle; Workshops together PM – Workshops in teams to build and tell their story
Thursday:	AM – Circle; Workshops together PM – Workshops in teams
Friday:	AM – Circle; Workshops together PM – Workshops in teams
Saturday:	EVE – Public Screening of their films followed by a reception

These professionals' sessions will have a film-making focus, along with Sharing Circles, storytelling, music, dance, drama and photography. The youth will be guided to develop their final storytelling films which will be showcased to the community and media, Saturday, February 12^th at 7:00 p.m., at the Mayfield Theatre, 55 Front Street, Sioux Lookout. Donations will be accepted to support the Literacy Festival. Please contact Barb Matousek at 807-737-1488 for further information.