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Watch a directing masterclass with Anne Émond and Madeleine Olnek

In this masterclass on directing, writer-directors Anne Émond (Nelly) and Madeleine Olnek (Wild Nights with Emily) discuss their female writer biopics.

About Lockdown Film School #5: a masterclass with Anne Émond and Madeleine Olnek

Our fifth session of Lockdown Film School is dedicated to the art of directing and features two guest writer-directors: Anne Émond (Nuit #1, Our Loved Ones, Nelly, Jeune Juliette) and Madeleine Olnek (Wild Nights with Emily, The Foxy Merkins, Codependent Lesbian Space Alien Seeks Same).

Both filmmakers have made an unconventional biopic about female writers: Anne Émond’s Nelly about Nelly Arcan and Madeleine Olnek’s Wild Nights with Emily about Emily Dickinson. They discussed why they love biopics (even bad ones!), the challenges of depicting a beloved writer on screen, why we’ve had so many recent biopics about female artists and more.

Who is Anne Émond?

Still from Nelly, directed by Anne Émond who features in this masterclass on directing
Still from Nelly, directed by Anne Émond who features in this masterclass on directing with Madeleine Olnek

Anne Émond is a Montreal-based screenwriter and director. Her third feature, Nelly (2016), was freely adapted from the life and work of Québécois writer Nelly Arcan. Émond has also written and directed the features Nuit #1, Our Loved Ones (2015), and Jeune Juliette (2019). Her first three films were selected for Canada’s Top Ten, and she has received multiple nominations at the Canadian Screen Awards, most recently for the screenplay for Jeune Juliette.

Click to read our interview with Émond on Nelly

Click to read our interview with Émond on Our Loved Ones

Listen to our podcast on Anne Émond’s films

Where can you watch Émond’s films?

  • Canada: All of Émond’s films but Nuit #1 are available to rent on iTunes. Nuit #1 is available on Kanopy. Jeune Juliette is also available to stream online here.
  • US: You can stream Our Loved Ones on Realeyz (also available as an Amazon Prime channel), Nuit #1 on Kanopy, and rent Nelly on iTunes.
  • UK: You can stream Our Loved Ones on Realeyz and rent Nelly on most platforms.

*Note that Realeyz offers a 30-day free trial.

Who is Madeleine Olnek?

Still from Wild Nights with Emily directed by Madeleine Olnek, one of our guests on this session of Lockdown Film School
Still from Wild Nights with Emily directed by Madeleine Olnek, one of our guests on this session of Lockdown Film School

Madeleine Olnek is a New York City-based playwright and filmmaker. Her third feature, Wild Nights with Emily (2018), was funded by a Guggenheim Fellowship, premiered at SXSW, and is a comedy drama about Emily Dickinson. Olnek also directed The Foxy Merkins (2013) and Codependent Lesbian Space Alien Seeks Same (2011), both of which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival.

Listen to our podcast on portraits of female artists, which features discussion of Wild Nights with Emily (along with Nelly)

Where can you watch Olnek’s films?

  • Canada: stream Wild Nights with Emily on Crave+, rent Codependent Lesbian Space Alien Seeks Same on iTunes, and rent The Foxy Merkins on several platforms.
  • US: rent Codependent Lesbian Space Alien Seeks Same on iTunes and rent Olnek’s other two features on several platforms.
  • UK: stream Codependent Lesbian Space Alien Seeks Same on Prime in and rent Olnek’s other two features on several platforms.

Never miss another Lockdown Film School

Sign up for Lockdown Film School, and we’ll invite you to our weekly Zoom discussions so that you can participate live and ask our guests your questions.

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