LIFT Welcomes New Staff – May 2013

May 29, 2013

Best wishes to Education Coordinator Shenaz Baksh and
Welcome to New Education Coordinator Francisca Duran

LIFT is pleased to announce the appointment of Francisca Duran as Education Coordinator during Shenaz Baksh’s maternity leave.

With a long history as a member of LIFT and experience teaching on the university level, Francisca brings a passion for media education to the position. We look forward to working with her to continually expand and improve our workshop and community outreach programs. Francisca started at LIFT on Monday May 27th.

Francisca had this say about joining LIFT:
“I am pleased to have been appointed as the Education Co-ordinator at LIFT for the upcoming year! I have been an active member of LIFT since 1992. I am looking forward to working with LIFT staff to organize workshops and panels and to be involved in the strategic planning of current and new educational outreach initiatives. Please feel free to contact me if you have ideas for, or feedback about workshops and panel discussions.”

Francisca Duran is a Toronto based filmmaker, experimental media artist and educator. Her media arts work combines digital and analogue formats and explores the intersection points of memory, history, politics and technology. Her work has been exhibited nationally and internationally in numerous film festivals, galleries and group screenings. She holds an MFA in Film Production from York University and a B.A.H. from the Department of Film at Queens University. Born in Santiago, Chile in 1967, Francisca came to Canada as a refugee following the 1973 military coup. In addition to her art practice Francisca has worked as a volunteer in the cultural sector since 1991 at organizations such as the Liaison of Independent Filmmakers of Toronto (LIFT) and Cineworks Independent Filmmakers Society in Vancouver. She is currently co-chair of the board of directors of Canadian Filmmakers Distribution Centre (CFMDC). Related design interests in graphic arts production led to a seven-year professional practice where she produced promotional print materials for cultural sector and non-profit clients including The Images Festival, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), Fireweed, LIFT and YYZ Books.

We wish Shenaz the best on her year off!