Holly Dale facts for kids

Holly Dale (born December 23, 1953) is a talented Canadian filmmaker and television director. She has worked in the Canadian film and TV industry as a director, producer, writer, and editor. While she has done some projects on her own, much of her work has been with her friend and former classmate, Janis Cole. Some of their well-known projects include The Thin Line (1977) and P4W: Prison for Women (1981). Holly Dale's films have been shown at festivals all over the world, including in North America, Europe, and Australia. She has also won and been nominated for many awards, including a Gemini Award in 1982 for P4W: Prison for Women, which was recognized as the Best Theatrical Documentary.

Early Life and Education

Holly Dale grew up in Toronto, Ontario. As a teenager, she decided to live on her own. In the mid-1970s, she began studying film at Sheridan College in Oakville, Ontario. It was there that she met Janis Cole. They would work together on many projects for the next 20 years.

Career Highlights

Starting as a Filmmaker

Holly Dale began her career making independent documentaries. She often worked with a small budget. She and Janis Cole shared all the jobs, including writing, directing, producing, and editing. They wanted to show the challenges faced by different groups of people. Their films often questioned social unfairness and traditional gender roles. This led to them being known as feminist filmmakers.

Short and Feature Films

While still students, Dale and Cole made their first short film, Cream Soda, in 1976. This documentary looked at the lives of women working in certain parlors in Toronto. Their next short film was Minimum Charge No Cover (1976).

Their film The Thin Line (1977) showed the daily lives of people living in a maximum-security prison. Dale and Cole wanted to highlight the human side of these prisoners. They hoped to help the audience connect with them, rather than just focusing on their past actions.

The ideas from The Thin Line inspired Dale and Cole's first full-length documentary, P4W: Prison for Women (1981). After four years of talking with officials, they were allowed to film inside an all-women's prison near Kingston, Ontario. As co-directors and co-producers, Dale and Cole focused on the relationships between the inmates. They also showed the prisoners' strength in facing challenges. This film was very popular with both critics and the public. It won several awards at film festivals and a Genie Award in 1982.

Later Work in Film and TV

Later in their careers, Holly Dale and Janis Cole started their own film company in Toronto called Spectrum Films.

Besides her work in movies, Holly Dale has also directed and produced many episodes for Canadian television shows. These include Bliss, Sue Thomas: F.B. Eye, Just Cause, Twice in a Lifetime, Durham County, Cold Case, and Being Erica. She has also directed two episodes of the popular show NCIS.

Filmography

Director

Producer

• Thin Line (co-produced with Janis Cole) (1977)
• Starship Invasions (1977; assistant producer)
• Plague (1978)
• P4W: Prison for Women (co-produced with Janis Cole) (1981)
• Calling the Shots (co-produced with Janis Cole) (1988)

Awards and Nominations

Holly Dale has received many awards and nominations for her work in film and television. Here are some of them:

See also

• List of female film and television directors