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Kenya-Jade Pinto

2021 National Geographic Explorer - Filmmaker-in-Residence at York University

Kenya-Jade Pinto is a multifaceted professional serving as the Filmmaker-in-Residence at York University. She is recognized for her work as a documentary photographer, filmmaker, and lawyer, with a diverse background that includes Indo-Kenyan and Canadian heritage. Pinto has a passion for storytelling and innovation, which she channels through her various projects and leadership roles.

Background and Career

  • Early Life: Pinto grew up on the Kenyan coast, where she developed an appreciation for nature and storytelling from a young age.1
  • Professional Roles: She is the President and Founder of The Creativity Guide, an initiative aimed at helping individuals master innovation. Additionally, she has directed projects such as Scarborough, which has received critical acclaim.23
  • Current Work: As Filmmaker-in-Residence at York University, Pinto engages in workshops and case studies that focus on marketing campaigns and the role of indie filmmakers in harnessing audience power from development to distribution.34

Contributions to Film

Pinto's contributions to the film industry are notable, particularly her involvement in projects that highlight social issues and community narratives. She actively participates in workshops and discussions that promote diversity in filmmaking and photography, advocating for underrepresented voices in the industry.12

Overall, Kenya-Jade Pinto exemplifies a commitment to storytelling that bridges cultural divides while fostering innovation in the arts.

Highlights

Jul 26 · linkedin

I made these set stills two years ago and quietly tucked them away because they were embargoed until… now

If you’re thinking to yourself damn this is gorgeous it’s because a) you’re right and b) production designer extraordinaire Nicole Simmons is a genius.

Hard to believe this is the very day I met the directors Graeme Mathieson and Shella Records because we’ve spent so many days together since. From set stills to archive in the edit suite, producer Sherien Barsoum invited me into it all. Extra shout outs to Adriana Marling who kept the archive train on the tracks and Tommaso Evaristo D'Ovidio who came in as an assistant researcher to help us get to the finish line and wrap it alllll up in a tidy bow.

And now, on August 22 you can join Paradise on Bloor and National Film Board of Canada for the premiere of Sounds & Pressure, a new five-part series celebrating the Jamaican icons who brought reggae to Toronto. Featuring a live post-screening Q&A with directors Graeme Mathieson and Chris Flanagan, and several of the incredible artists profiled in the series, moderated by journalist/radio host Danae Peart.

At the height of the golden age of reggae, some of Jamaica’s brightest stars left their homeland behind to shine their light in an unlikely hub of Caribbean creativity: Toronto. Sounds & Pressure: Reggae in a Foreign Land is a captivating five-part anthology series that chronicles the musical and geographical journeys of Nana McLean, Johnny Osbourne, Leroy Sibbles, Jerry Brown and duo Roy Panton and Yvonne Harrison. Through rare archives, electrifying needle drops and lively interviews with the artists themselves, directors Graeme Mathieson and Chris Flanagan take you from Kingston to Kensington Market to see and hear how reggae made roots in Canada against all odds.

https://lnkd.in/gvg7HMHK

#womeninfilm #setstills #womenphotograph #setphotographer #btsstills #diversifyphoto

Jan 19 · linkedin

Today, 8 years after a tossed conviction, Cindy Ali is found not guilty in the death of her disabled daughter. — Tracing back the story and tackling the research for Cynara: The Film with the myriad legal issues that were woven within was no small feat. Director Sherien Barsoum and I worked together to immerse ourselves in the material from top to bottom to carefully dissect, unpack, and translate the case.

As a lawyer I’ve been trained to tuck away my own biases, sit level with material, and push through the work. But on the most challenging days I couldn’t extricate myself. When I read and understood that the Crown counsel had manipulated the way Cindy called Cynara a “naughty girl” – a term of endearment in many South Asian families, I silently shed a tear at my desk. In my mind I could hear my own father calling me that, and I know the playful tone that accompanies it. This is a small thing that a jury of white and non-South Asian “peers” may not have picked up on either way — but it was a clear moment in the transcript that felt visceral and poignant.

In the end, this wasn’t the legal issue that brought the case to retrial (for those interested, the trial judge erred in offering only two solutions to the jury when there were three). Our editorial team observed (and mapped and charted) how detectives rode a long train into tunnel vision — and were affirmed when defense counsel separately saw it too.

Beyond this, I found myself dreaming of the words on the page – of Cindy and Cynara, Allan, and the girls, too. I was dutifully dissecting the facts during the day and seeing them in full colour at night. This, of course, nothing in comparison to the horrors this family has gone through and will be untangling for a long time to come.

I don’t have all the right words in all the right places to say this all the right way. Just that I’m not sure it feels like justice “prevails”, but I’m really happy for Cindy and her family today.

Related Questions

What are some of Kenya-Jade Pinto's most notable films?
How did Kenya-Jade Pinto transition from law to filmmaking?
What is The Creativity Guide, and what does it offer?
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Kenya-Jade Pinto
Kenya-Jade Pinto, photo 1
Kenya-Jade Pinto, photo 2
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Location

Toronto, Ontario, Canada