Cinema After Corona: with filmmaker Patricia Chica, Canada

Patricia Chica is a 60-time award-winning film and television director, producer, writer and editor who specializes in world-class productions in the genre of psychological dramas, thrillers, and edgy documentaries. Since the beginning of her career in the 1990s, Patricia has directed, produced, and/or edited over 60 hours of programming aimed at the international film and television markets, including content for Sony, Showtime, National Geographic, Discovery Channel, Oxygen, Animal Planet, Showcase, CBC, ARTV, and Bravo! Canada just to name a few.

Patricia Chica was born in San Salvador, the capital of El Salvador. Because of the civil war that struck in El Salvador in the early eighties, on January 24th, 1981, Patricia and her family fled for the safety of Montreal, Quebec, Canada. In 1996, she graduated (Cum Laude) from the Film Production department at Concordia University. Before she became known as a director-producer, she worked for eight years as a casting director with her company ChicArt Productions. Up until 2001, Patricia conducted over 2000 auditions for films, TV series and commercials shot in Montreal and abroad. After deciding to close her casting agency in order to concentrate full time on her real passion, directing, she started producing her first professional short films and music videos.

In 1997, Patricia co-founded at age 23, a production company called Flirt Films, after her business plan won second place at the Jeunes Promoteurs contest in Montreal. Her vision with this company was to produce high-quality films directed by women and visual minorities.

Patricia Chica has a genuine interest in exploring thought-provoking themes that deal with deviant behavior and the most profound side of the human experience. She explores the “dark side” in order to find the “light.” Strongly inspired by the real-life experiences and psycho-social issues that shape people’s lives, her films always have a purpose of empowerment in mind and present an authentic and realistic portrayal of emotions and situations.

Patricia’s acclaimed personal films include La promesse (2000) (winner of 10 awards), Day Before Yesterday (2010) (winner of over 10 awards), Ceramic Tango (2013) (winner of 10 awards, 2013), Let It Out! (2013) and Serpent’s Lullaby (2014), just to name a few. She also co-directed, with British director Mike Wafer, the award-winning feature documentary Rockabilly 514 (2008) (aired on Bravo! Canada, Canal D, as well as in the US and Europe). Serpent’s Lullaby (2014) was part of the ‘Coup de Coeur’ selection of best international shorts at the Short Film Corner of the 67th Festival de Cannes. Patricia is presently attached to direct and/or produce a number of feature films including: Wolverine Hotel (edgy crime thriller, 2015), Montréal Girls (art-house dark comedy), Montréal Girls (coming-of-age drama).