Lynne Stopkewich facts for kids

Lynne Stopkewich (born in 1964) is a talented Canadian film director. She became well-known for her very first full-length movie, Kissed, which came out in 1996.

Lynne Stopkewich's Journey in Film

Early Life and Education

Lynne Stopkewich studied film at two different universities. In 1987, she earned her first degree in film studies from Concordia University. Later, in 1996, she completed her Master's degree in film studies at the University of British Columbia. She even made her very first short films while she was a student at Concordia.

Her First Big Film: Kissed

Her movie Kissed started as a special project for her Master's degree at the University of British Columbia. Lynne Stopkewich later returned to this university to teach! The film stars Molly Parker as the main character, Sandra Larson. Peter Outerbridge also appears as Matt, a fellow student.

Making the film was a big challenge. Even with a large grant (money given to help with a project), Lynne Stopkewich faced financial difficulties. She went into debt to make sure the movie was finished. This shows how dedicated she was to her work! After it was released, Kissed received a lot of attention and became a notable debut for her.

Other Cool Projects

Besides Kissed, Lynne Stopkewich has directed another full-length movie called Suspicious River (2000). She has also directed many episodes for popular TV shows. Some of these include Bliss, Da Vinci's Inquest, The L Word, This Is Wonderland, and The Shields Stories.

Lynne Stopkewich often likes to work with the same actors and crew members again. For example, she has worked with actress Molly Parker many times. Her films are sometimes described as "darkly feminist." This means they explore ideas about women's experiences and perspectives in a deep and sometimes serious way. People in Canada also feel that her films show a strong sense of local culture. They appreciate that her movies highlight Vancouver as a unique place, rather than just a general backdrop for American stories.

In 2012, she was the Vancouver director for a special online documentary called Here At Home. This project by the National Film Board of Canada looked at how the Mental Health Commission of Canada was helping people with mental illness who were experiencing homelessness.