Reel Pride Masterclass with Rory Kennedy

This training and learning session is part of Manitoba’s Northern & Diverse Creators Program. The costs of this program have been generously provided by the Canada Media Fund (CMF). This session is for members and allies of Manitoba’s 2SLGBTQ+ community.

Date: October 27, 2025
Location: UW’s Asper Centre for Theatre and Film (400 Colony Street)
Schedule:
6:00 pm: Registrations
6:30 pm to 7:45 pm: Rory Kennedy Masterclass
7:45 pm to 8:00 pm: Networking Break
8:00 pm to 9:45 pm: Rory Kennedy introduction and screening of Ethel (2012)
9:45 pm to 10:15 pm: Reception

About this training session: 

During this in-depth in-class session, Kennedy will illuminate how documentary filmmakers engage in every part of production. Using clips of select projects, Kennedy will discuss the creative elements of filmmaking from concept through distribution. Using personal examples, Kennedy will share her creative process on how to deliver a compelling cinematic story.

Topics covered will include:

• Finding the story
• The value of first-person accounts and getting the “original source”
• Developing trust with your subjects
• Working with broadcasters, distributors and streamers
• Collaborating with creatives and crew
• Navigating production challenges
• Shaping your story in post-production

Instructors bio:

Rory Kennedy is a two-time Academy-Award-nominated, Primetime Emmy-winning documentary filmmaker. She has made over forty films, including LAST DAYS IN VIETNAM, ETHEL, and TAKE EVERY WAVE, all of which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival. Her films have appeared on the major streamers and broadcast networks including Netflix, HBO, National Geographic and PBS. Her work has been profiled in The New York Times, The Washington Post and The Los Angeles Times, and she has appeared on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, The Today Show, CNN, and NPR.