Ann Shin facts for kids

Ann Shin is a talented filmmaker and writer from Toronto, Ontario, Canada. She creates amazing documentaries and writes captivating books and poems.

Ann Shin's Early Life

Ann Shin was born in London, Ontario. Her mother, Sue Shin, was a nurse who came from South Korea. Her father, Albert Shin, was an expert in animal farming. Ann's parents met and married in Toronto. They later moved to Langley, British Columbia, where they started a mushroom farm. Ann spent most of her childhood growing up on this farm.

After her childhood, Ann moved to Toronto. She studied English Literature at the University of Toronto. While at university, she wrote articles for the student newspaper, The Varsity. She also hosted a radio show called Rights Radio. After graduating, she began working at CBC Radio as a producer.

Ann Shin's Journalism Work

Ann Shin started her career in journalism at CBC Radio. She helped produce many popular shows. These included Metro Morning, Tapestry, and Sunday Morning Live. During this time, she also created radio documentaries. One of her documentaries, How to Breathe the Air of our Ancestors, won a Gold Medal at the New York Festivals in 1998.

Ann Shin's Film Career

Ann became very interested in making longer documentaries. This led her to work in television. She started producing TV series for different channels. She also directed her own independent documentaries.

Her film My Enemy, My Brother was a big success. It was considered for an Academy Award in 2016. It also received a nomination for a News and Documentary Emmy Award. The longer version of the film won a top prize at the San Diego Film Festival. The shorter version won awards at eleven international film festivals.

Other films she directed include:

• The Defector: Escape from North Korea (2012)
• The Four Seasons Mosaic (2005)
• Western Eyes (2000)
• The Roswell Incident (1998)

Ann has produced shows for many well-known networks. These include CBC, TVO, PBS, and HBO. Her programs have been shown in many countries around the world.

The Defector: Escape from North Korea received great reviews. CNN called it an "incredible story." The Toronto Star said it was one of the "10 Must See Films" at the Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival.

Ann also created a special project related to The Defector: Escape from North Korea. This project won "Best Documentary" and "Best Documentary Director" at the 2014 Canadian Screen Awards. It also won awards at the SXSW Interactive Festival and the FITC Awards.

Ann Shin's Documentaries

• How to Breathe the Air of Our Ancestors, 1998
• Turning Points of History: The Roswell Incident, 1998
• The Fall of an Asian Tiger, 1999
• Western Eyes, 2000
• Almost Real, Connecting in a Wired World, 2002
• Opening Night: The Four Seasons Mosaic, 2005
• The Defector: Escape from North Korea, 2013
• My Enemy, My Brother, 2014
• Sugar Sisters, 2017
• The Superfood Chain, 2018
• Artificial Immortality, 2021

Ann Shin's TV Series

• Rags to Red Carpet
• The List
• I Do…Let's Eat (2012)
• Save Us from Our House (2005)
• Modern Manners (2000)
• Venture
• Face-Off

Ann Shin's Writing Career

Ann Shin is also a talented poet and fiction writer. Her work has appeared in many books and magazines in Canada and the United States. Her first poetry book, The Last Thing Standing, was published in 2000. It received good reviews.

In 2013, her second poetry book, The Family China, was published. This book won the 2013 Anne Green Award.

Famous author Nino Ricci praised her first poetry book. He called The Last Thing Standing "A beautiful and memorable book." He said Ann Shin writes about "love, loss and the idea of home with clarity, wit and grace."

Her novel The Last Exiles won the Trillium Book Award for English Prose in 2022. This is a very important award for Canadian writers.

Awards and Honors

Ann Shin's films have won many awards. They have been shown at major film festivals around the world. These include SXSW, Tribeca International Film Festival, and Toronto International Film Festival.

In 2015, at the Vancouver International Film Festival, Ann received an honorable mention. This was for her short film My Enemy, My Brother.

Film and Television Awards

2017

• My Enemy, My Brother (feature version) won the Grand Jury Prize at the San Diego Asian International Film Festival.

2015

• My Enemy, My Brother was shortlisted for an Academy Award.
• It was also nominated for a News and Documentary Emmy Award.

The Defector: Escape from North Korea

2014 Canadian Screen Awards

• Won Best Director in a Documentary Program.
• Won Best Documentary Program.
• Won the Diversity Award.

2013 SXSW Interactive Festival Award

• Won Best Motion Graphics.

2013 nextMEDIA Canadian Digi Awards

• Won Best in Cross Platform Non-Fiction.

2013 FITC Awards

• Won Best Motion Graphics.

2012 Sheffield Doc/Fest

• Nominated for the Sheffield Innovation Award.

Opening Night

2005 Gemini Awards

• Nominated for Best Direction in a Performing Arts Program or Series (for the episode "The Four Seasons Mosaic").

Western Eyes

2000 NFB Diversity Competition

• Won the Reel Diversity Award.

Turning Points of History: Incident at Roswell

2000 Columbus International Film and Video Festival

• Won the Bronze Plaque Award (Documentary).

How to Breathe the Air of Our Ancestors

1998 New York Festivals

• Won a Gold Medal.

Literature Awards

The Family China

• Won the 2013 Anne Green Award.