Masterclass | A Farewell to Workin’ Moms
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This captivating masterclass, presented by the Directors Guild of Canada in Ontario, offers a behind the scenes look into the making of the final season of the Canadian hit show Workin’ Moms. Hear from the cast and crew as they reflect on their show’s success, the secret to their longevity, and on bringing the long-running series to a close.
Dani Kind is an award-winning actress and director recognized for her roles on two-time Emmy nominated Workin’ Moms and people’s choice award winning Wynonna Earp. Kind has been nominated for three Canadian Screen Awards for best lead actress in a comedy. In the past year Kind had her directorial debut with her short film Capsule and went on to direct an episode of Workin' Moms. As a career storyteller with a gift for finding light in the dark and exploring the full spectrum of the human experience, Kind continues to make her mark in the industry.
Karen Kicak is a Canadian Screen Award nominated television writer & filmmaker. She is the co-showrunner/EP/writer on 7th season of the international Emmy nominated Netflix/CBC comedy series Workin' Moms. Karen’s directorial debut, Volcano, had its world premiere at the 2019 Toronto International Film Festival. Her TV writing & producing credits include Mary Kills People (Lifetime), Detention Adventure (HBO Max/CBC), and Rookie Blue (ABC). Karen is the writer/co-producer of the award-winning comedy short, Must Kill Karl (Dir: Joe Kicak, Austin Film Festival ‘18). The film won Best Comedy at HollyShorts Film Festival (2018) and was featured on Short of the Week.
Yael Staav has directed multiple episodes of the much-loved comedy Workin’ Moms (CBC) and was recently nominated for a 2023 Canadian Screen Award for the show's last season. She was nominated for the 2022 Directors Guild of Canada Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Comedy for the same show. Yael was honored by the Directors Guild of Canada for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in a Comedy Series for her work on Baroness Von Sketch (CBC/IFC). She also garnered a Canadian Screen Award for Direction for that same show.
Yael’s commercial work for Amazon, Coke, Campbell’s, Volkswagen, and Delta – with agencies including World Famous, DDB, Leo Burnett, Wieden + Kennedy, and Saatchi & Saatchi – taps into small, incidental moments that reveal who we are at our core. Much of her work is about self-discovery, examining incidental details that often go unnoticed in a world that’s all too much, too fast. Always up for an adventure, a laugh, an early call-time, a shared cry, or a craft burrito – the process and the journey of telling stories keeps Yael at it with fiery dedication.
Moderated by:
Catherine Reitman is a renowned writer, showrunner, actress, comedian, producer and director best known as the creator and star of Workin’ Moms which has received two International Emmy® Award nominations for Best Comedy Series, among other nominations. Between 2020 and 2021, Reitman was recognized by the Alliance for Women in Media with Gracie Awards for Best Lead Actress, Best Direction in a Comedy, as well as Showrunner, Comedy, for her work on Workin' Moms. Additionally, Catherine is widely known for her roles on ABC’s hit series Blackish, FX’s It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, and Kenya Barris’ Netflix series, Black AF.
Lisa Benedetto has been with Wolf + Rabbit Entertainment and Workin’ Moms since 2017, where she acted as Executive Producer on the international comedy series. She has produced multiple film festival qualifying short films including Full Circle (2019) & And He Was Gone (2021).
