Jen Markowitz
Jen Markowitz is a Canadian film and television director and producer, whose feature documentary film debut Summer Qamp was released in 2023.{{Cite web |date=2023-09-09 |title=Filmmaker Jen Markowitz on building trust with queer teens in doc 'Summer Qamp' |url=https://www.cp24.com/news/filmmaker-jen-markowitz-on-building-trust-with-queer-teens-in-doc-summer-qamp-1.6554631 |access-date=2023-11-08 |website=CP24 |language=en}}
Career
= Television work =
Markowitz previously worked in documentary and reality television, including on the series Vice Canada Reports, Canada's Drag Race, and Call Me Mother.
Markowitz is a three-time Canadian Screen Award winner for their work on Canada's Drag Race, winning Best Writing in a Lifestyle or Reality/Competition Program or Series at the 9th Canadian Screen Awards in 2021 for the episode "Welcome to the Family",{{Cite web |title=Canadian Screen Awards 2021: News, Documentary, Lifestyle and Reality « Celebrity Gossip and Movie News |url=https://www.tribute.ca/news/canadian-screen-awards-2021-news-documentary-lifestyle-and-reality/2021/05/18/ |access-date=2023-11-08 |website=Tribute.ca |language=en}} and Best Reality/Competition Series both at the 9th Canadian Screen Awards at the 10th Canadian Screen Awards in 2022 as a producer of the series.{{Cite web |last=Thiessen |first=Connie |date=2022-04-07 |title=Canadian Screen Awards winners: Children's & Animation, Lifestyle & Reality |url=https://broadcastdialogue.com/canadian-screen-awards-winners-childrens-animation-lifestyle-reality/ |access-date=2023-11-08 |website=Broadcast Dialogue |language=en-US}}
= ''Summer Qamp'' =
Markowitz made their feature film directing debut with Summer Qamp, a documentary which profiles Camp fYrefly, a summer camp program in Alberta that provides a safe space for LGBTQ youth.{{Cite web |title=Exclusive: Jen Markowitz, Michelle Mama board feature doc "Summer Qamp" |url=https://realscreen.com/2022/09/22/exclusive-jen-markowitz-michelle-mama-board-feature-doc-summer-qamp/ |access-date=2023-11-08}}
According to Markowitz, "it’s important to show the public at large that this is a community of regular kids with regular kid problems. They are all regular kids at heart, they just happened to be really weighed down by a lot of this other stuff that is put on to them by the world."{{Cite web |last=Morfoot |first=Addie |date=2023-09-07 |title='Summer Qamp' TIFF Documentary Highlights LGBTQ+ Youth in Safe Space |url=https://variety.com/2023/film/news/summer-camp-tiff-documentary-1235709953/ |access-date=2023-11-08 |website=Variety |language=en-US}} The project was first announced as a documentary television series in 2021,{{Cite web |title=Exclusive: Cineflix, Hello Friend Media developing "Summer Qamp" docuseries |url=https://realscreen.com/2021/11/05/cineflix-hello-friend-media-developing-summer-qamp-docuseries/ |access-date=2023-11-08}} and was later revised into a feature documentary film.
The film premiered at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival.{{Cite web |last=Mullen |first=Pat |date=2023-07-26 |title=Mr. Dressup, Fred Wiseman Lead TIFF Docs Line-Up |url=https://povmagazine.com/mr-dressup-fred-wiseman-lead-tiff-docs-line-up/ |access-date=2023-11-08 |website=POV Magazine |language=en-US}} At TIFF, the film was named first runner-up for the People's Choice Award for Documentaries.{{Cite web |last=Pond |first=Steve |date=2023-09-17 |title='American Fiction' Wins Toronto Film Festival's Audience Award |url=https://www.thewrap.com/american-fiction-wins-toronto-film-festivals-audience-award/ |access-date=2023-11-08 |website=TheWrap |language=en-US}} At the 2023 Calgary International Film Festival, the film received a special jury citation from the Best Canadian Feature Documentary award jury,{{Cite web |date=2023-09-26 |title=Winners of 2023 CIFF competitions unveiled |url=https://livewirecalgary.com/2023/09/25/winners-of-2023-ciff-competitions-unveiled/ |access-date=2023-11-08 |website=LiveWire Calgary |language=en-US}} and was the winner of the Audience Choice award for best Canadian documentary.{{Cite web |date=2023-10-03 |title=Summer Qamp, Drawing a Life audience favourites at CIFF |url=https://livewirecalgary.com/2023/10/03/summer-qamp-drawing-a-life-audience-favourites-at-ciff/ |access-date=2023-11-08 |website=LiveWire Calgary |language=en-US}}
Personal life
Markowitz identifies as non-binary and uses gender-neutral pronouns.
References
{{reflist|30em}}
External links
- {{IMDb name|2031768}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Markowitz, Jen}}
Category:Canadian television writers
Category:Canadian television directors
Category:Canadian television producers
Category:Canadian LGBTQ film directors
Category:Canadian documentary film directors
Category:Canadian non-binary people
Category:Canadian Screen Award winning writers