Sometimes-Sooke-resident and emerging filmmaker Mary Galloway is not one to sit and wait for the next project to arrive.
“I put out requests and pursue different projects and try not to sit and wait to see if anything I’ve tried for comes through before I try the next thing,” Galloway said.
“If you do that, you can drive yourself mad.”
The approach seems to be working as Galloway has just received backing from STORYHIVE for her latest film project, a short film entitled Spirit Glitch, a film that combines an examination of a young woman of colour’s struggle to navigate that space between spirit, silence, and reality.
It’s Galloway’s third venture into filmmaking with her two previous films, Ariel Unravelling and Unintentional Mother, both receiving critical acclaim.
“When this latest grant came up I knew I had to apply. They (STORYHIVE) have a new program for indigenous story-tellers, and I have so many stories to tell,” Galloway said.
“After I graduated from New Image College of Fine Arts, I was hooked on writing and decided that the way to get my films done was to take them on myself and make them happen as opposed to submitting them and waiting for the phone to ring.”
The approach transformed her into a multi-hyphenated phenomenon who now describes herself as an actress-writer-director-filmmaker.
As a member of the Cowichan Tribes, she has dedicated her last two films to Indigenous themes. This latest film, however, is not as specifically aimed at the indigenous experience and could, said Galloway, be played by any woman of colour.
“My stories are not necessarily Indigenous films, but that part of myself is always there and contributes to my work,” said Galloway.
Galloway is currently in Los Angeles where she is vying for roles in other television pilots (she has previously played roles in, among others, the Supernatural series) but will be returning home to scout locations for Spirit Glitch on Vancouver Island.
“I’m very excited about this film as it’s a bit of a departure from my previous work. But that’s a good thing. It’s important to keep growing and trying new things,” she said.
STORYHIVE has funded productions and supported filmmakers with the help of the National Screen Institute. They have brought hundreds of films to life online and around the world, with an emphasis on amplifying local stories in B.C. and Alberta.
mailto:tim.collins@sookenewsmirror.com
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