Virtual Coffee Chats

August's Virtual Coffee Chat featuring Laura Adkin & Krista Rand

Watch this Virtual Coffee Chat with Writer, Director, Producer Laura Adkin and Producer Krista Rand on the success of their acclaimed Leo-winning feature film, Re:Uniting.

 

Re:Uniting follows six best friends from college, now in their 40s, who reconnect for their 25 year reunion weekend. As secrets are revealed, one will force them all to reevaluate their lives.

Laura Adkin is a Filmmaker, Actor and Coach and has been working in the film & TV industry for 20 years. Laura has worked on everything from tiny low budget short films to big studio blockbusters and everything in between including the indie hit It's A Disaster with Julia Stiles and David Cross, Arrow, Almost Human and the award winning digital series Hitman 101. She’is a trained actor and currently the Director of Performing Arts at Vancouver Acting School and teaches Advanced Classes for Kids at Vancouver Young Actors School.

Krista Rand has worked in film and TV over the years strategically gaining experience on both sides of the camera. In 2015 Krista co-produced Grand Unified Theory (written and directed by David Ray & funded by Telefilm) which won the WFF Audience Choice Award for the Most Popular Canadian Film in 2016. The film had its world premiere at the Beijing Film Festival where it was the only Canadian film in competition for the Tiantian Award. In total it won seven awards, was nominated for 32 (including three Leo Awards) and screened at 18 film festivals around the world. Krista’s short film Nature Entwined premiered at WFF in 2020 and was acquired by the CBC.

 

Program Overview

For emerging and seasoned filmmakers, producers, directors, screenwriters, actors and everyone who wants to know more about the industry, GEMS Coffee Chats feature moderated conversations with special guests and are often a great way to hear and meet a variety of different people in the film community in Vancouver.

Past Guests

Director, Writer, Artist Radha Mehta (June 11, 2024)

Filmmakers Josephine Anderson and Shannon Walsh (May 21, 2024)

Alison O’Daniel and GEMFest Programmers (February 20, 2024)

Filmmaker Meredith Hama-Brown on her debut feature, “Seagrass” (October 17, 2023)

Filmmaker V.T. Nayani on her debut feature “This Place” (August 9, 2023)

Filmmaker Kim Albright on her debut feature With Love And A Major Organ (July 18, 2023)

Ukrainian Filmmaker Khrystyna Syvolap on rebuilding her life and career in Vancouver (June 20, 2023)

Meet Documentary Filmmaker Ali Grant (May 15, 2023)

Meet the VIWFF Programmers and Festival Sneak Peek (February 21, 2023)

How I Became Director Without Film School (January 17, 2023)

Vancouver Asian Film Festival Highlights (November 8, 2022)

Storytelling Runs Deep with Asia Youngman (October 18, 2022)

Directing Crazy8s and Beyond! (September 20, 2022)

In Conversation: Indigenous Screen Office and Black Screen Office (August 26, 2022)

Working Across Disciplines with Nya Lewis from VQFF/Out On Screen (August 16, 2022)

Getting Into the Industry with Katannya “Kat” Yee from Creative BC (July 19, 2022)

The Power of Mentorship & Networking with Eva Thomas and Sarah Kelley (June 21, 2022)

Creating Documentaries with Social Impact with Jen Sungshine (May 17, 2022)

 

Watch all of our Coffee Chats here!

Costs

Free of charge! Everybody is welcome to join GEMS coffee chats, regardless of membership status.