LAIKA FILMS INC. has been producing visually gorgeous, sincere, innovative, edgy story telling through drama and documentary film that questions, seduces and inspires. (See “About” Artist Statement). The company, incorporated in 1998, is owned by Mara Ravins.
MARA RAVINS (Screenwriter, Story Editor, Director, Producer) is a history and theatre graduate from the University of Toronto and New Media (Film & Photography) graduate of the Ontario College of Art & Design. She worked extensively as a performance and installation artist before devoting herself to film, where she’s worked professionally for over 25 years on low and high budget productions, starting out as an Art Director for independent Canadian films, such as Blood and Donuts.
She has worked thousands of hours on union shoots as a decorator/buyer and on set wardrobe for series such as Friday the 13th and worked for over ten years evaluating film, tv and interactive digital media projects for financing at Ontario Creates. In addition to constantly creating new film work and multi-media art work, she continues to serve as a freelance production consultant and mentor for young filmmakers and artists.
Her films and projects have received support from the Open Society Institute (Soros Foundation), the Ontario Media Development Corporation (now Ontario Creates), the Danish and Canadian Film Boards, the Ontario, Toronto and Canada Council for the Arts. Her films have played at international festivals garnering critical acclaim. She has served as a jury member on various arts councils and remains an avid cinephile, series junkie, art and music lover.
Current projects include a feature film adaptation of internationally acclaimed Norwegian author Karin Fossum's novel Den Onde Viljen, and Siberian Story, an exploration of exile from a young woman’s perspective.
Mara Ravins currently resides in Toronto. She owns a Canadian and EU passport. For more detail please see C.V.