Blue Ant Studios has promoted Nick Solowski (pictured) to VP, international sales.

Announced by Blue Ant on Tuesday (Dec. 3) at the Asia Television Forum and Market, Solowski reports to Jon Penn, managing director of the Asia Pacific region, Blue Ant Media and Bryan Gabourie, SVP, international sales and partnerships, Blue Ant Studios. Solowski, based in Toronto, will continue to focus on Australia, New Zealand, Korea, Japan, China and Canada.

Prior to his promotion, Solowski held the role of senior director, international sales and acquisitions.

In the new role, Solowski will be looking to advance the company’s business in those markets, expand the scope of existing partnerships and develop new ones, according to the release.

Before arriving at Blue Ant Studios, Solowski worked for Toronto and L.A.-based Tricon Films & Television as senior director, international sales and acquisitions and at Toronto-based Spafax as an in-flight entertainment manager for Air Canada.

Karen Chapman’s Village Keeper wins Best Canadian Feature Film at Regent Park

Village Keeper (Smallaxx Motion Pictures), Karen Chapman’s feature directorial debut, has been named the Best Canadian Feature Film at the 22nd edition of Toronto’s Regent Park Film Festival (RPFF).

The film, written and directed by Chapman, follows a Toronto mother as she tries to shield her children from violence in their neighbourhood. Chapman produced the film with Enrique Miguel Baniqued. Village Keeper had its world premiere earlier this year at the Toronto International Film Festival.

Alicia K. Harris’ On a Sunday at Eleven won Best Canadian Short Film and Sarah Carrier won the annual Emerging Directors’ Pitch Competition for her narrative short pitch Danceland.

Carrier will receive more than $20,000 in cash prizes and in-kind services, including a $1,000 cash prize from RBC, an additional $500 in cash and $2,000 worth of consultation and coaching from ACTRA Toronto, $7,000 worth of in-kind services from Post City Picture & Sound and $12,800 worth of colour-grading services from Alter Ego Post.

RPFF ran from Nov. 28 to Dec. 1.

First DGC director observer placements launched

The National Directors Division (NDD) of the Directors Guild of Canada (DGC) has launched the first round of placements for its National Director Observer Initiative.

The program, announced earlier in October, pairs one DGC director with another shooting director during a production. The program aims to assist producers and directors discover new talent through the on-set placements. The initiative is available to all DGC director members.

The three observing directors are Taylor Olsen (King & Pawn), paired with DGC president Warren P. Sonoda (Trailer Park Boys) on the set of The Trades (Trailer Park Boys Inc., Kontent House Productions); Christopher Yip (Streams Flow from a River), with Aleysa Young (Baroness Von Sketch Show) on the set of Small Achievable Goals (Sphere Media); and Panta Mosleh (Hatch), with Shannon Kohli (Resident Alien) on the set of Wild Cards (Blink49 Studios, Front Street Pictures, Piller/Segan).

Image courtesy of Blue Ant Studios