Biography of filmmaker Liz Marshall

Liz Marshall majored in film, video, and photography in the Media Arts Program at Ryerson University. Using a multimedia approach, her thesis project, “Identity Portraits,” explored the complexities of identity and revealed a dedication to intimate character development, the exploration of the visual form, and to social justice issues. Liz’s documentary work continues to reflect these beginnings.

Passionate about cinematic storytelling and social justice, Liz has created projects shot all over the world: West and Central Africa, sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East, South Asia, Central and South America, Europe, and North America. She has focused on censorship issues for writers, war-affected children, the anti-corporate-globalization movement, gender, education, sweatshop labour, refugees, HIV/AIDS, popular culture, music and the written and spoken word.

In early 2010 Liz completed her first feature length documentary “Water On The Table”. It is a social-issue character-driven film featuring Maude Barlow, who is considered an “international water-warrior”. For more information about the film and how you can see it: www.wateronthetable.com.

Liz also works as a director for TV. In 2008-2009, she was the series director on the second season of “Stuck”, a 13-part series for the W network, produced by 52 Media in Toronto. In 2008, Liz directed “Girls of Latitude”, a documentary about the rights of girls in Colombia, Haiti and South-Sudan, for MTV Canada. She directed episode 6 for the 8-part music series “The Rawside of …” about the reunion of the Bourbon Tabernacle Choir, for Georgian Entertainment and the Independent Film Channel. Liz has made several films for Non-Governmental Organizations, in 2006-2007, she directed and produced three half-hour documentaries for the Stephen Lewis Foundation about women, orphans and grandmothers infected and affected by HIV/AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa. In 2005, on behalf of “CBC News: Sunday,” Liz shot “The Afterlife of Einstein’s Brain”. In 2004, Liz shot and co-directed “Inside Your Threads,” for MuchMusic, a multi-award-winner about sweatshop labour in Mexico and Bangladesh featuring music celebrities Sam Roberts, Jully Black and Hawksley Workman. While working as the Media Director for War Child Canada between 1999 and 2001, Liz directed “Musicians in the WarZone,” a multi-award-winning program for MuchMusic that attracted half-a-million viewers, it features music celebrities the Rascalz, David Usher, Chantal Kreviazuk and Raine Maida. Between 1998 and 2003, Liz worked as an Arts, News, and Specials television producer and videographer for award-winning shows at Bravo!, MuchMusic, and BookTelevision: The Channel. And, in 1996, fresh out of university, Liz was commissioned by Righteous Babe Records to create a road documentary about folk-icon and troubadour Ani DiFranco. Liz directed a unique collage-style portrait of Ani on the road, at her sold out concerts, and behind the scenes. This film is stills in the works.

Additionally, since 1995, Liz has created a body of dance and music videos featuring the following artists: acclaimed dancer and choreographer Peggy Baker; celebrated singer-songwriters Ron Sexsmith and Don Kerr (Sexsmith & Kerr), Kyp Harness, Canadian-Egyptian chanteuse Maryem Tollar, and the world music ensemble Maza Meze.

Liz’s work has premiered for diverse audiences: The 2006 International AIDS Conference in Toronto; 150 world leaders at the 2001 Winnipeg Conference on War-Affected Children; PEN International; Canadian Journalists for Freedom of Expression; at film festivals in Canada and abroad; for grassroots groups across Canada, the US and Australia; for the Tragically Hip and 200,000 of their fans; for Canadian and international broadcast, and on the Internet.

Liz is also a published and passionate 35mm documentary stills photographer.