Michele Staples, Director of Film Program
Life is a journey filled with many points of destination, each new arrival an end and a beginning. Life has taught me many things and given me a wide variety of experiences, I seem to be covering a lot of ground this time around learning bit by bit, at times stumbling at others soaring. I am constantly in awe of the people I am so blessed to meet along this path, filled with gratitude and excitement as we come together, pieces of a puzzle we are designing together as we go.
Michelle has worked in the film industry at various times in her life, the first dating back to high school. She has been involved in film production for the past 7 years and has over the past 3 years focused her work on co-development and implementation of a variety of youth and community projects utilizing film as a tool to engage, encourage and empower youth to share their stories, look at social issues, learn about each other and share their voices with their schools, and communities. She operates a business which focuses on work with non profits and has a diverse background including organic farming, project development, transpersonal counseling, business and communications. She has developed an extensive youth outreach media program working in school and community based alternate programs and Aboriginal education. She developed a Social Change through Film and Media program focused on building awareness and understanding between First Nations and non-First Nations people and coordinates the Annual Youth FX Festival as the Youth Director for the Cowichan Aboriginal Film Festival.
She also co-facilitates Social Justice and Leadership workshops, rites of passage, teaches dance, performs wedding ceremonies, writes and is working on her first Social Change inspired documentary film project.