Kristina Pedersen

Biography

Kristina Wagenbauer is a Canadian-Swiss filmmaker based in Montreal. After directing, writing, and producing ten short films, she co-wrote and directed Sashinka, her first feature film. Her work has been screened at over 150 festivals, including the Locarno Film Festival, the Seattle International Film Festival, and the Festival du Nouveau Cinéma, winning awards at festivals in Naples, Shnit, Fantasia, Oberhausen, and many others.

Sashinka received three Canadian Screen Award nominations and four Quebec Film Award nominations in 2019. The film was acquired by TV5 Monde, TFO, and Radio-Canada/CBC, and is currently available on Amazon Prime.

In 2021, she released her first short documentary, Babushka, also nominated for Canadian Screen Awards and Quebec Cinema Awards. This film has been screened at prestigious festivals such as the RIDM and the Atlanta Film Festival.

In 2022, Kristina directed two episodes of the prime-time miniseries La vie devant for RTS in Switzerland. Co-directed with Klaudia Reynicke and produced by Point_Prod and RSI, the series was selected for the La Rochelle Festival, the Geneva Film Festival, and the Berlin International TV Series Festival.

She is currently working on the feature films Superluminal (co-produced by Art et Essai, Canada, and Close Up, Switzerland) and Santa Barbara (co-produced by Azimut Films, Canada, and Hugo Films, Switzerland). At the same time, she is developing @Leeexxxxiiiii, a black comedy supported by SODEC.

Her multicultural identity and mastery of five languages shape her artistic vision and give her a unique perspective. Her life experiences across different cultural contexts deeply enrich her approach to directing.

Passionate about acting, Kristina perfected her directing skills in New York with Adrienne Weiss, adopting a method focused on sincerity and emotional connection. She also shares her expertise by leading workshops at Main Film in Montreal.

Filmography

  • Babushka (2021)
  • Sashinka (2017)
  • Ailleurs Exactement (2014)