Samara Chadwick

Samara is a mother, curator, scholar, and filmmaker from Acadie / Mi’kma’ki. She has been programming nonfiction films, conferences, and interdisciplinary programs for over fifteen years, with a fierce dedication to forging new creative spaces across geographies, cultures, and technologies.

She is currently the Executive Director of The Flaherty, and has served as Senior Programmer at the Points North Institute and Camden International Film Festival, and as a programmer for Hot Docs (2011-2012) and RIDM (2015-16). She is a founding member of Cinema Politica (2003) and of Independent Documentary Directors (2020).

Samara's critically acclaimed debut feature 1999 about community healing, grief, and adolescence, premiered in 2018 at Visions du réel and Hot Docs and has since played 50+ festivals and educational institutions worldwide, including DCTV!