Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital

Image: Bloorview Kids Rehab InteriorImage: Smiling ChildImage: Smiling child

Advocacy -2011 Circle of Honour Awards

Karen Shopsowitz

A film director, writer and editor, Karen Shopsowitz is an award-winning filmmaker and a true advocate for bringing awareness to and understanding of childhood disability.  

Partnering with staff from Holland Bloorview and SickKids in 2007, Karen took on a leadership role in developing a film workshop for teens with facial differences that is now used as a model at other organizations.

At each yearly workshop since, Karen has generously shared her time, expertise and connections in the filmmaking community - enlisting the help of fellow filmmakers, friends and relatives, and the National Film Board of Canada.Bringing novel ideas for fostering client creativity and involvement, she is skilled at finding and building the budding filmmaker within each client.
The workshop challenges participants to use their creativity and overcome feelings of shyness and anxiety in a safe place with coaching and support.  The workshop actively supports the integration of socialization and communication goals within the framework of filmmaking.

Karen encourages kids to step out of their comfort zone and embrace their disability,” shares Pauline Beal, workshop participant. “She’s an outstanding advocate who has helped build awareness of childhood disability, within the filmmaking community and beyond.”

Karen has supported presentations on the workshop model at national and international conferences, including the American Cleft Palate/Craniofacial Association’s annual conference in 2009.

Always eager to lend her talents, Karen was a judge for filmpossible, an circle of honour logoonline video contest that helps bring visibility to disability.  She also wrote, produced, directed and edited One Summer at Camp Winston an award-winning documentary about a camp for children with neurological issues including autism. The film, produced in association with the CBC's documentary channel, has been screened in Canada and the US, and has been heralded as a valuable and enduring resource for families.

Karen states, “I am thankful to be able to use my passion for filmmaking to give the kids a voice and continue to build awareness.”

2011 Award Winners