Nettie Wild facts for kids
Nettie Wild is a Canadian filmmaker. She makes documentaries that tell the stories of people who are often overlooked or face challenges, both in Canada and around the world. Throughout her career, she has worked as an actor, director, producer, and cameraperson.
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Early Life and Learning
Nettie Barry Canada Wild was born in New York City on May 18, 1952. Her father was British, and her mother was from Kitsilano, Canada. Her mother was an opera singer, and her father was a journalist. Nettie's mother wanted her to stay connected to her Canadian roots, which is why she was given the name "Canada." When Nettie was just one month old, her family moved to Vancouver, Canada. She has lived most of her life there.
University Studies
Nettie Wild studied at the University of British Columbia. She earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree, focusing on creative writing. She also studied film and theatre. While at university, Nettie helped start two theatre groups. She co-founded Touchstone Theatre with a fellow student, David Diamond. She worked with Touchstone Theatre in 1975 and 1976. Later, she also co-founded Headlines Theatre and worked with them from 1980 to 1985.
Nettie Wild's Filmmaking Career
In 1991, Nettie Wild started her own film company called Canada Wild Production. She founded it with producer Betsy Carson. The company's name comes from Nettie's full name. It also shows their interest in Canadian stories. However, they have also made many films about global topics.
Early Documentaries
One of Nettie Wild's first documentaries was Right to Fight (1982). This film looked at the challenges people faced in Vancouver, British Columbia, when trying to find good homes. This topic was important to Nettie because she grew up in Vancouver. The film did not become widely known at the time.
Nettie Wild then made A Rustling of Leaves: Inside the Philippine Revolution (1988). She spent several months in the Philippines to film and interview people. Her goal was to show what was happening during a time of political change in the country. She wanted to help people understand the situation better and correct common misunderstandings. This documentary helped Nettie gain recognition and support for her future projects.
Films About Social Issues
A Place Called Chiapas (1998) is another documentary by Nettie Wild. It follows the events in Chiapas, a rural area in Mexico. This area was known for its people facing many challenges. The film shows what happened after a big trade agreement, NAFTA, was signed. It shows how a group called the Zapatista National Liberation Army (EZLN) stood up for their community. This group was led by Subcomandante Marcos. Nettie Wild's film showed these events from an outsider's point of view. The film was very successful.
One of Nettie Wild's most well-known films is Fix: The Story of a City (2002). This documentary focused on community health challenges in Vancouver. Nettie Wild was both the co-producer and director. She wanted to show the issues affecting her hometown. The film explored different ideas on how to help people in the community. It became one of her most praised films and led to discussions with the government.
Nettie Wild's Films
- Right to Fight (1982) – about housing challenges in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
- A Rustling of Leaves: Inside the Philippine Revolution (1988)
- Blockade (1993) – about a logging protest by the Gitksan people at Gitwangak.
- A Place Called Chiapas (1998) – about the Zapatistas in Chiapas, Mexico.
- Fix: The Story of a City (2002) – about community health efforts in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
- Koneline: Our Land Beautiful (2016) – about the Tahltan people, their culture, and their lands.
Awards and Recognition
Nettie Wild has received many awards for her documentaries.
- In 1998, she won the audience award for best documentary film at the AFI Fest for A Place Called Chiapas.
- She received Genie Awards for Best Feature Length Documentary for both A Place Called Chiapas and Fix: The Story of a City.
- She also won two awards at the Berlin International Film Festival for A Rustling of Leaves.
- At the 2016 Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival, Nettie Wild won the Best Canadian Feature Documentary Award for KONELĪNE: our land beautiful.
- Her film KONELĪNE: our land beautiful also won the Women in Film and Television Artistic Merit Award at the 2016 Vancouver International Film Festival. This award is given to a Canadian feature film written or directed by a woman.
- In 2023, Nettie Wild was honored with the Governor General's Award in Visual and Media Arts for her artistic achievements.
