Filmmaker Ann Shin took home multiple awards at the 2014 Canadian Screen Awards Industry Gala on March 4th. The Korean-Canadian director and producer won the Diversity Award, Best Direction in a Documentary Program, and Best Documentary Program for her TVO-commissioned documentary film The Defector: Escape from North Korea.
The Defector: Escape from North Korea follows the story of Dragon, a human smuggler who leads North Korean defectors across borders for a living. During an undercover trip with Sook-Ja and Yong-hee, his plans take a turn for the worse when they are all stranded in China. Ann Shin takes audiences undercover, behind the scenes, into the heart of a situation that is a reality for most defectors. The film explores multiple different subject matters, including human rights, smuggling and the want for freedom.
Ann Shin is an award-winning filmmaker with numerous credits to her name. She has worked on programs for History Channel, CBC, HGTV and more Her films and works have screened all over the world, including a number of international film festivals. Some of her recent credits include Gemini nominated Four Seasons Mosaic, Chris Award-winning The Roswell Incident, Planet in Focus Film Festival winning Cow vs Clown, and National Film Board Reel Diversity winner Western Eyes.
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