MoJo Signs Director Patricia Chica As She Completes Filming On ‘Montréal Girls’
#MoJo Global Arts; #Paticia Chica; #Montreal; #International Entertainment; #Telefilms Canada
Los Angeles (California), October 22: Canadian/El Salvadorian filmmaker Patricia Chica, has been signed to MoJo Global Arts, the company founded by Morris Ruskin, Jordan Walker-Pearlman, and Joseph Mellicker, as production in Montreal resumes.
A dramatic feature developed with Award-winning director Patricia Chica’s writing partner Kamal John Iskander and Canadian production company Objectif 9 just wrapped filming on Montréal Girls.
Inspired by her own experience, the story documents the city’s subcultures and focuses on a Middle-Eastern student who arrives in Montreal to become a doctor because that’s what his father wants. There, he meets two young women who challenge his perceptions and reveal him to his destiny to actually become a poet. Chica’s goal with this project is to empower audiences worldwide to discover their true self and to take action to make society a much more accepting place.
Patricia Chica’s journey through filming had been an adventure, as she had to adapt to new strict COVID protocols for filming within Canada during a red zone. While she was grateful that Montréal Girls was one of the first few productions to start in Montreal during the pandemic, she says, “It’s been a challenge, especially with actors and intimate scenes. Actors are not used to wearing masks that prevent them from seeing their facial expressions and keeping physical distance, even during rehearsals,” she explains. “Thankfully, I have developed a creative approach based on Chi Energy techniques for storytelling and performance that came in quite handy throughout the filming process. It allowed us to create a safe and sacred space of emotional connection despite the physical limitations imposed by the strict COVID safety rules,” she adds.
Apart from having to adapt her script to this new production reality, next up for Chica is her book, “Empathy is Bullsh!t” which is her take on how she bridges the gap between Chi Energy, storytelling and performance within the film industry, as well as “Soleil & Luna”, a LatinX LGBT pilot episode script for OUT TV, to be produced by Byron A. Martin and which just received development funding from the Canadian Media Fund (CMF). Chica has also just been attached to be the director of the documentary adaptation of the celebrated book Project Heaven on Earth by author Martin Rutte.
When asked about her management company, MoJo Global Arts, Chica shared, “I’m very grateful to my managers Alex Flores, Doug Warner, and Morris Ruskin. They believed in me before all the projects were close to even being financed. They’ve helped me expand my potential and sharpen my strategy at a global level. I’m well surrounded by the Mojo team.”
Ruskin said, “As an enormously talented writer, director, and producer, Patricia Chica is a triple threat plus. The plus is that she is Canadian and Salvadorian and brings a unique voice to all her work plus qualifies for a subsidy from both countries. Montréal Girls has the benefit of financing from Telefilm Canada, Sodec, The Harold Greenberg Fund as well as the tax credits but really it has the benefit of her unique vision.”
MoJo Global Arts is a forward-thinking production and management company focused on laying the groundwork for diverse voices in the film and entertainment industry.