This week as her special guests from the arts Ruth Copland is pleased to be interviewing two of the directors of the documentary Hands On – award-winning film-maker Liz Miller in Montreal and first-time director Mary Kiio in Kenya. A collaborative project of the International Association of Women In Radio and Television (IAWRT), Hands On profiles five women from four continents tackling climate change through policy, protest, education and innovation. Hands On was broadcast on television in India and Kenya and screened at the climate talks in Paris.
If you are interested in Film be sure to check out the Cinequest Film Festival running March 1-13 in San Jose with over 129 films from all over the world (www.cinequest.org). I’ll be there, so hope to see you!
Film-maker Liz Miller is a professor in Communication Studies at Concordia University in Montreal and an award winning documentary maker whose films and transmedia projects offer new and critical perspectives on gender, social movements and media. Her films, web initiatives, and media campaigns on such issues as water privatization, gender violence, and immigration have won numerous awards and been used in educational curricula around the world. Liz Miller teaches courses in media production, the politics of food and film, methods in research-creation, Latin American Film and more, and having lived in Central and South America collaborates with groups in the region providing training to human rights, labor, and women’s organizations in media production, digital storytelling, and media advocacy campaigns. Liz Miller is a board member of Cinema Politica and is an active member of the International Association of Women In Radio and Television (IAWRT) having served on the board for six years.
First-time director Mary Kiio from Kenya is committed to telling stories on democracy and governance issues to keep citizens informed on the change they can bring to their society. She is the Founder and Lead Consultant at Roshani Consultancy Services and is a broadcast media professional with 15 years experience working in and with various media houses and media development organizations. Mary Kiio is a trainer, facilitator, moderator and mentor with extensive experience in the areas of Online Safety for women, Conflict Sensitive Journalism, Democracy and Governance issues, Election Reporting, health journalism, Humanitarian media and disaster management, Road Safety, and Child Rights. Mary Kiio is also a freelance journalist and has authored a children’s book.
Tune in Saturday 8-9 PM to find out more about the life and art of Mary Kiio and Liz Miller. For more info and to hear previous shows visit www.itsaquestionofbalance.com
