14 Feb Directing actors & staging [SOLD OUT]
14
Feb
15
Feb
Directing actors & staging [SOLD OUT]
Workshop - Fiction - Winter 2026
Saturday February 14, 2026 - Sunday February 15, 2026
10 am - 5 pm
Main Film Atelier
2025 Rue Parthenais #304-A, Montréal, Quebec, H2K 3T2
With Kristina Wagenbauer (Sashinka)
Member 220$ | Non-member 290$
SOLD OUT – Waitlist for second edition below
This workshop offers a rare opportunity to explore the behind-the-scenes collaboration between directors and actors, combining theoretical insights with hands-on practice.
From the crucial casting choices to on-set work and table rehearsals, Kristina Wagenbauer invites participants to explore every stage of directing actors. Drawing on concrete examples from her films, she will present her working methodology for getting the best out of her performers. A significant portion of the workshop will be dedicated to practical exercises in staging and directing actors. Participants will develop their ability to communicate their intentions to actors and to translate those intentions into concrete choices in blocking, framing, and mise en scène.
Actors will be present, allowing participants to work directly with them during the practical portion of the workshop.
The workshop will be given in French but questions may be asked in English.
For more information, please send an email to: services@mainfilm.qc.ca .
Kristina Wagenbauer is a filmmaker based in Montreal. After writing, directing, and producing ten short films, she co-wrote and directed Sashinka, her first feature film. Her work has been showcased at over 150 festivals, including Locarno, the Seattle International Film Festival, and the Festival du Nouveau Cinéma, earning awards at Naples, Shnit, Fantasia, Oberhausen, and many others.
Sashinka received three nominations at the Canadian Screen Awards and four nominations at the Québec Cinema Awards 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, which was also nominated for the Canadian Screen Awards and the Québec Cinema Awards. The film was featured at prestigious festivals such as RIDM and the Atlanta Film Festival.
In 2022, Kristina directed two episodes of the prime-time mini-series 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 TV Series 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 in Canada and Close Up in Switzerland) and Santa Barbara (co-produced by Azimut Films in Canada and Hugo Films in Switzerland). She is also developing @Leeexxxxiiiii, a dark comedy supported by SODEC.
Her strength lies in her multicultural background and fluency in five languages, which enrich her artistic vision and provide her with a unique perspective. Her life experiences in various cultural contexts deeply inspire her approach to filmmaking.
Passionate about acting, Kristina honed her skills in directing actors in New York under Adrienne Weiss, adopting a method focused on authenticity and emotional connection. She also shares her expertise by conducting actor-directing workshops at Main Film in Montreal.
Our fiction cycle continues all winter! See the full schedule here.