BIO: WRITER/ PRODUCER
Kat Germain was born and raised in the diverse and rich mosaic of Toronto, Canada and works as an independent arts practitioner actively engaging and hiring artists from traditionally marginalized communities.
In 2017 she co-produced a short film with Métis filmmaker Jani Lauzon which featured two Indigenous artists, a Black artist and an artist who uses a manual wheelchair. Previously co-produced a documentary with a Deaf filmmaker about the Deaf cultural ethnocide in Canada. Management roles in the arts sector have been invaluable in my growth as a problem-solver, conscientious and patient leader and team builder. Work with diverse communities and departments has built on my ability for consensus-finding.
EDUCATION: CREATION
Bachelor of Arts, Theatre, Acadia University
Meisner Technique: John Riven
Interdisciplinary Theatre Creation Masterclass: Equity Showcase - Josette Bushell-Mingo (UK)
Interdisciplinary Theatre Creation: Back to Back Theatre (Australia) - Bruce Gladwin and Co.
Improvisation, Graduate: Second City Conservatory Program
Longform: Impatient Theatre Co.
He Said, She Said: Mark Sutton and Stacy Halal
Character Workshop, Second City: Lisa Brooke
Sketch Writing, Level 3 Sketch Writing at Second City - Jerry Schaefer
Film Workshop: Caglar Kimyoncu & Michael Achtman
PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS & UNION MEMBERSHIPS
ADA, UK
Audio Description Association, United Kingdom
CATR
Canadian Association of Theatre Research
ACTRA
Alliance of Cdn. Cinema, Television and Radio Artists
OCT
Ontario College of Teachers
ETFO
Elementary Teachers of Ontario
OSSTF
Ontario Secondary School Teachers' Federation
NABET 700
Union of Film, Television and New Media Technicians
CREDITS: WRITER, STAGE & FILM
When I See You (Experimental Theatre)
Co-Writer with Jessica Watkin
OAC's Recommender Grants for Theatre Creators winner
supported through Picasso Pro
Mobu (Short Mocumentary)
Joanie (Short Film)
Based on the stage play 8 Acts of Obscene Violence
The Determinist (Short Film)
Writer, Co-Producer
Producer/ Director: Ed Gass-Donnelly
Bravo!Fact grant winner
Dirge (Short Film)
Writer, Producer
Director: Firas Momani
Bravo!Fact grant winner
Honourable Mention, Speechless Film Festival
Sixty Seconds of Regret (Short Film)
Co-creator with Aaron Poole
Producer/ Director: Ed Gass-Donnelly
Bravo!Fact grant winner
8 Acts of Obscene Violence (Stage Play)
OAC's Theatre Creators' Reserve grant winner
Mutt Unleashed (Stage Play)
Head Writer, Co-Creator
Director: Jerry Schaefer
Toronto Fringe Festival
Don’t Touch the Bang Bang Fruit (Stage Play)
Co-Creator
with the Second City Conservatory
Director: Andrew Currie
mary. (Short Film)
Co-Writer, Executive Producer
Creative Consultant: Jack Mosshammer
Premiered at the 2003 Giggle Shorts Film Festival
The Light in this Lighted Room (Short Film)
Story Editor
Writer: Michael Cyderman
Small Town Murder Scenes (Feature Film)
Assistant Story Editor
Writer: Ed Gass-Donnelly
TIFF Premiere
This Beautiful City (Feature Film)
Assistant Story Editor
Writer: Ed Gass-Donnelly
TIFF Premiere
One Last Breath (Feature Film)
Assistant Story Editor
Writer: Nathaniel Warsh
Oops! (Stage Play)
Story Editor
Producer: Crippled Toronto
Writer: John Feld
Audience Choice Award, Summerworks, 2006
Liz (Short Film)
Co-writer with Ed Gass-Donnelly
Frankie’s Place (Stage Play)
Co-Writer with The Pentaverate
Acadia Fringe Fest
Director: Conrad McEachran
WRITING CREDITS (In Development)
Sleep Watchers (Short Film)
Adoptionism (Short Film)
ShoeBox (Short Film)
with Scott Yamamura
Dakota (Short Film)
Adaptation from 5 Acts of Obscene Violence
Pigment Envy (Stage Play)
As a writer, Kat’s work has been supported by three tiers of Arts Councils, and her work has been presented on stages and screens in Canada and the US.
Kat continues to write, develop and participate in films that elicit strong visceral reactions from audience members by challenging perceptions and the status quo, by using the mediums of film and theatre as a means to disseminate ideas and create dialogue. She strives to pursue authenticity in her art and feels it is predominantly found through risk and experimentation.
CREDITS: PRODUCER, FILM & TV
inVisible rEvolution (Documentary), in-production
Director: Chantal Deguire, Co-Producers: Chantal Deguire & Kat Germain
Kat was an early Co-Producer with Deaf Filmmaker on this 52-minute documentary that explores the Deaf cultural ethnocide in Canada.
Helped secure funding from both Canada Council for the Arts and the Ontario Arts Council.
Just One Word (Short film), 2017
Director/ Writer: Jani Lauzon
Producers: Jennifer Podemski, Jani Lauzon and Kat Germain
Premiered at the imagineNATIVE Film Festival
The Lockpicker (Feature Film), 2016
Director: Randall Okita, Co-Producers (various)
Associate Producers: Kat Germain & Sasha Leigh Henry
supported by Canada Council for the Arts, NFB
Awards:
Canadian Screen - Discovery Award Winner
John Dunning Discovery (Canadian Screen Awards)
Grand Jury Prize (San Diego Asian Film Fest)
Best First Feature (Toronto Reel Asian Film Fest)
Best Narrative (West Virginia International Film Festival)
The Determinist (Short Film), 2014
Co-Directors: Ed Gass-Donnelly & Kat Germain,
Co-Producers: Ed Gass-Donnelly, Kat Germain & Scott Yamamura
Bravo!Fact grant winner
Slate One Initiative (Three Short Films), 2012
Directors: Amanda Terfloth (Bee’s Knees), Sarah Monahan (Taco), Matthew MacFadzean (Dorothy's Secret)
Executive Producers: We Make Movies Canada (including Kat Germain)
Dirge (Short Film), 2012
Director: Firas Momani, Producer: Kat Germain
Bravo!Fact grant winner
mary. (Short Film), 2003
Co-Producers & Co-Writers: Kat Germain & Arwen Humphreys, Creative Consultant: Jack Mosshammer
Premiered at the 2003 Giggle Shorts Film Festival
Who Is Eva Smith? (Television Documentary)
Director: Alison Duke
Producers: Alison Duke, Marcia Munell
Associate Producer: Kat Germain
PRODUCER: LIVE PERFORMANCE
Mutt Unleashed (Fringe Festival Theatre Production), 2005
Director: Jerry Schaefer
Co-wrote and produced this 50-minute sketch-based stage play with my former improv/ sketch group “Mutt”. Mandate for the artists was for inclusion and diversity - both cultural and ability-based. Mutt’s comedy pushed boundaries, was often subversive, and primarily focused on social issues.
Rallying the Troupes (Charity Event), 2005, 2004
During two separate years, held a one-night event aimed to benefit two Toronto based charities (4 in total) that assisted marginalized communities. 100% of the money went to charity and all performers came from communities who are underrepresented on comedy stages in Toronto; namely people who are culturally diverse, people with disabilities and/ or women.
it's bender time! (Sketch show), 1999 - 2001
In the three years that I performed and wrote with colleague Arwen Humphreys in our comedic duo “bender!”, we rallied to break stereotypes around women in comedy, which meant we did a lot of lewd, not-your-average-girl humour… for better and worse.
This Is For You, Anna (Theatre Production), 1997
Acadia Touring Company, Director: Colin Bernhardt
Having been once again ousted from the Boys Club in my theatre program at Acadia University, I bucked the system and produced my own show with the three other women who also got passed over. This was Acadia University’s very first touring production which travelled to several Maritime festivals, held a charity night for a local women’s shelter and had a performance at the woman’s correctional facility in Truro, NS.