Juanita Peters - Director
Juanita Peters is a multi-award-winning storyteller, writer and director of documentaries including Hannah’s Story, I Made A Vow and Africville Can’t Stop Now and television series including Studio Black on CBC Television. In 2020, she is the Director of the feature film, 8:37 REBIRTH about two youths from vastly different backgrounds who become forever linked in a split second with the pull of a trigger. She is a Director of an Episode of Diggstown Season 3. Peters was a journalist and news anchor for more than 15 years in the Maritimes and hosted 4 seasons of CBC’s documentary series Doc Side. As a playwright she has given us: The San Family (2013), about a black family who arrives in a segregated sanatorium 1943. Their music is the elixir that soothes souls and brings down barriers; The Mother Club, (2014), about rural black midwives who stop at nothing to save lives; unless you harm their own; I M Possible (2015), living the American dream is real, even for rural black Nova Scotian men. But first a black man has to believe in the impossible; The Green Book (2016), there’s a reason why this is the road not taken by coloureds. Before hitting the open road, “you better check your Green Book.” As an actor Juanita has appeared in more than 30 films and television series including Diggstown season 2, Sex & Violence, Forgive Me, Splinters, Hobo With a Shotgun, Cloudburst and including the Emmy Nominated Homeless to Harvard. In recent years she has worked for the Council on African Canadian Education (Communications), and as Knowledge Lead for The Nova Scotia Restorative Inquiry for The Home For Colored Children and Executive Director of the Africville Museum. She is an alumna of the WIDC – Banff program.
Thom Fitzgerald - Executive Producer
Thom’s debut feature The Hanging Garden won both the People’s Choice Award and Best Canadian Film Award at the Toronto International Film Festival. His follow up film The Event won the Siegessäule Award at the Berlin Film Festival. His films including Cloudburst, Beefcake and 3 Needles have garnered awards at more than 50 festivals worldwide. A three time Sundance alumnus, he’s been awarded by the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television, the US Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, and nominated by the Writers Guild of Canada and the Directors Guild of Canada. His projects as a director have been nominated for 36 ACCTV awards and 37 ACTRA awards. Thom’s recent feature-length drama Splinters debuted at TIFF and after limited release will be on CBC this year. Thom’s newest film Stage Mother premiered at the Palm Springs International Film Festival. It was released by Momentum/E-One in theatres and online in the US and Canada, received a high profile UK release by Altitude, and is available worldwide. Television projects include The Gospel According to the Blues (ACCTV Best Lead Actress in a Television Movie Award), Forgive Me (ACCTV Best Writing in a Dramatic Series nomination) and Sex & Violence (ACCTV Best Direction in a Dramatic Series nomination). Thom’s productions have been distributed and exhibited by many entertainment companies including MGM, Warner, HBO, Showtime, Amazon Prime and Netflix.
Hank White - Producer/Writer
Born in Halifax, N.S., a film industry veteran with more than 45 years experience as an actor, producer, writer, casting director and stage director. Hank is a member of Nova Scotia Native Council Zone 12 and Eastern Woodland Metis. He started Hank White Productions in 1979 and was the first casting director in Nova Scotia and is best known for his diversity in casting and crew. He was a founding member of Film Nova Scotia and the Aboriginal and Visible Minority Shadow Program. He is co-owner of Redemption Pictures Inc. and a producer on: Charlie Zone (awarded Best Feature; Director; Cinematographer and Best Actor at the 2011 Atlantic International Film Festival). Charlie Zone was the first Indigenous-produced feature film in Nova Scotia. He is president of Stone Cold Productions Limited and producer/co-Writer for 8:37 REBIRTH, The Guardian, (dev) Endgame (Miller's Reckoning), Reservation 4 Three Executive Producer (LA) (Multi-award winner) Fractured 2008 - Officially Selected and Nominated in the Atlantic Film Festival Atlantic Shorts, and broadcast on CBC 2010 The Decision 2007; Requested for the World Wide Shorts Preview, distributed by Out Media and shown on Movieola 2007 2008 The Cab Driver 2006 - Official Selection at the Silver Wave Film festival, Broadcast on CBC 2010.
Marty Williams - Producer
Marty Williams began his career in 1974 in television production. It was supposed to be a summer job. In the 70’s – Worked on various video projects throughout the Halifax area. In the 80’s – Joined a talented group of people in Media Co-op, a small Halifax production company. In the 90,s – Became Program Director for Fundy Cable Ltd. in Miramichi NB. Later responsibility was expanded to all of North Eastern New Brunswick, In the 2000’s – Joined Telefilm Canada as a business affairs analyst in the Halifax office. 2009 produced the documentary film AFRICVILLE CAN'T STOP NOW In 2010’s – Produced a series of theatrical plays for San Family Productions in Dartmouth Nova Scotia. In 2015 – Joined Stone Cold Productions as a Producer. Also a musician, Marty was a member of the Award winning trio CED MARTY & DAVE. 2017 East Coast Music Association, Award winners as African Canadian Artists of The Year.
Joe Leclair - Producer/Writer
Joe G. LeClair, a resident of Nova Scotia, Canada has been writing professionally for the last twenty years. Joe got his creative start in underground comics, poetry magazines, and some small press periodicals in Toronto. Along with writing, Joe is an avid artist of pencil, charcoal and abstract paintings and often paired his words with his own unique visual perspective. When Joe re-located to the east coast he turned his creative mind and eye to film and focused his expansive energy on visual storytelling. Screen writing credits- 2021/22 – co-writer of Janus 2020/21 - co-writer and producer of 8:37: REBIRTH. 2020/21 - co-writer and producer on Captain Beaver Tail. 2020/21 - writer Devil’s Breath, feature to be shot in Northern Ontario in 2021. 2019 - Co-writer Hard Core. 2012- Writer Charlie Zone.
Jeff Wheaton - Cinematographer
Jeff Wheaton is a Canadian cinematographer. He has been an integral part of the independent East Coast film community for over a decade. He has worked on Hobo with a Shotgun, V/H/S 2, Black Cop, and Murmur. His short films have screened internationally. He is an award-winning local, and nabbed the 2019 Atlantic Film Festival award for Best Cinematography for Murmur.