Kristina Wagenbauer
Director | Screenwriter
Kristina Wagenbauer is a Canadian-Swiss filmmaker of Russian and Ukrainian origin, 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 the Locarno Festival, the Seattle International Film Festival, and the Festival du Nouveau Cinéma, earning awards at festivals such as 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.
Filmography
Superluminal
In preproduction
Feature film
Director and screenwriter
Production Art&Essai (Canada) and Close Up (Switzerland)
*Financed in production by SODEC
Santa Barbara
In development
Feature film
Screenwriter and director
Production Azimut Films (Canada) and Hugo Films (Switzerland)
Financed by CALQ and Zurich Film Fund
@Leeexxxxiiiii
In development
Feature film
Screenwriter
*Supported in development by SODEC
La Vie Devant
2022
Fiction mini-series | RTS (Switzerland)
Director of 2 episodes (52 min)
Screenplay Frédéric Recrosio | Showrunner Klaudia Reynicke
With Audrey Dana, Remo Girone, Carlos Leal, Léon Boesch, Brigitte Rosset
Production Point Prod | Broadcast RTS
*FESTIVALS
Larochelle Fiction Festival - Official Selection 2022
Festival de film de Genève
Berlin TV and Series International Festival
Babushka
2021
Documentary short film, 25 min
Director and screenwriter
Production Tak Films | Distribution SPIRA
* Supported by Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec and SODEC
Gala Prends Ça Court! 2022 - AWARDS: NETFLIX CANADA and MICROCLIMAT FILMS
Canadian Screen Awards | In Nominated for Best Documentary Short
IRIS Awards Gala Québec Cinéma | In Nomination for Best Short Documentary
FESTIVALS
RIDM - Official competition, 2021
Atlanta Film Festival, 2022
Vue Sur Mer, 2022
Kingston Film Festival, 2022
Rendez-Vous Québec Cinéma, Canada 2022
Aujourd’hui ou Je Meurs (Today or I Die)
2019
Short film, 8 min
Director and screenwriter
Production Tak Film | Distribution SPIRA
Broadcasting Crave & Unis TV
Best Short Film Film at Courts d'Un Soir, Canada 2020
FESTIVALS
Pleins Écrans (Facebook Festival) 2021
Prends ça court!, Montreal, 2020
Rendez-Vous Québec Cinéma, Canada 2020
Minikino Film Week, Indonesia, 2020
Portobello Film Fest, England, 2020
Jeunesse tout court, France, 2020
Shnit Short Film, Switzerland, 2020
Festival de cinéma québécois de Biscarosse, France, 2020
Shorts That Are Not Pants, Canada, 2020
Festival du court métrage d'Auch, France, 2020
World Premiere at FNC 2019 as part of Cartes Blanches
Sashinka
2017
Feature film, 78 min.
Director and screenwriter
Production Art & Essai Micro I Distribution FunFilms
*Supported by Telefilm Canada’s Talent to Watch program I Purchased by Radio-Canada I Super Écran
Indie Spirit Award - Naples Int. Film Festival, USA 2018
Canadian Screen Awards | 3 Nominations: Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role (Carla Turcotte) | Achievement in Editing (Julie Saulnier) | Achievement in Music – Original Song (Jean-Sébastien Williams), Toronto 2019
Gala Québec cinéma - Finalist for 4 Iris Awards: Best Female Interpretation in a Leading Role (Carla Turcotte, Sasha), Best Female Interpretation in a Supporting Role (Natalia Dontcheva, Elena), Best Role Distribution (Nolwenn Daste, Fanny Rainville & Kristina Wagenbauer), Best First Feature film, Montreal, 2019
Gala Québec Cinéma - 3 nominations: Best Actress, Best Actress in a supporting role, Best role distribution, Montreal 2019
FESTIVALS
Québec Cinéma Tour 2017
Festival du Nouveau Cinema (FNC), Montreal QC 2017
Seattle International Film Festival (SIFF) 2018 - New Director's Competition
Naples International Film Festival, USA 2018
Cinefest Sudbury International Film Festival, Canada 2018
Filmfest Bremen International Film Festival, Germany 2018
TOFIFEST, Poland 2018
Whistler Film Festival, Canada 2018 - Nomination for the AWFJ Eda Award
Solothurner Filmtage, Switzerland 2019
Festival Dona y Cine, Valencia 2019 - Special Mention of the jury
Rendez-vous Quebec Cinema (RVQC), Montreal 2019
Festival du Film Canadien à Dieppe 2019
Days of Quebecois Cinema in Italia, Milan and Florence 2019
Canadian Screen Arts Festival: Vancouver, Calgary, Winnipeg, Toronto, Montreal, St John’s, and Iqaluit.
Ailleurs Exactement (Somewhere Else Exactly)
2014
Short film, 23 min, Canada-Switzerland
Director and screenwriter
Production Art & Essai | Travelling Distribution
Jury Award – Breakthroughs Film Festival - Toronto, Canada 2015
FESTIVALS
Winterthur Kurzfilmtage, Switzerland 2014 - Official Selection
Festival européen du court-métrage de Nice, France 2014
Off-Court Trouville, France, 2014
Mila
2012
Short film, 17 min, Canada-Switzerland
Director and screenwriter
Production Ventura film I Broadcasting TV5
Audience Choice Award – Shnit Film Festival, Switzerland 2013
Jury Special Mention – Oberhausen Film Festival, Germany 2013
Jury Award “Coup de Coeur” – Fantasia Film Festival, Montreal, Canada 2013
First Price Best Short-film, Festival del film delle Centovalli, Switzerland 2013
Prix Spirafilm - Festival Off-court Trouville 2013
Jury Special Mention – FFR, Montreal, Canada 2013
FESTIVALS
Prends ça court!, Montreal Quebec Canada 2013
Oberhausen Short Film Festival, Germany
Festival Écran Mobile, Switzerland 2013
Solothurn Filmtage, Switzerland 2013
Swiss Film Festival in São Paulo, Brazil 2013
In the Palace, Bulgary 2013
Vila Do Conde, Portugal 2013
Lago Film Fest, Italy 2013
Festival Open Cinema, Russia 2013
XX CapalbioCinema, Italy 2013
Off-Court, France 2013
Atlantic Film Festival, Canada 2013
Shnit, Switzerland 2013
Bowling Chez Denise
2010
Short film, 11min20
Director and screenwriter
Production INIS, Canada
FESTIVALS
Festival du Film de Locarno - Official Selection, Switzerland 2010
Festival Off-Courts, France 2010
Shnit Switzerland 2010
Festival Images en Vues, Iles de la Madeleine, Canada 2010
Solothurn Filmtage, Switzerland 2010
Particules
2009
Shortfilm, 5 min
Director and screenwriter
Production KINO00 & Kristina Wagenbauer
Spirafilm Award - Festival Off-court Trouville, France 2013
Winner of the 2012 MK2 contest, Paris - the film screened in front of the feature films of all the MK2 in Paris for a year, 2012.
First Prize and Public Prize - Centovalli Film Festival, Switzerland 2011
FESTIVALS
Shnit, Switzerland 2011
Message to Man, Russia 2011
La boca del Lobo, Spain 2011
Festival en Lumière, Montreal Quebec, Canada 2011
Festival di Film au Féminin, Switzerland 2011
Fuite
2010
Short-film, 4min30
Director and screenwriter
Production INIS
First Price - Cinémental Festival, Manitoba Canada 2011
FESTIVALS
Rendez-Vous du Cinéma Québécois, Montreal 2010
Fantasia Film Festival, Montreal 2010
Rencontres sous la tente, Ouarzazate, Moroco 2010
Rencontres Henri Langois, Poitier 2010
Festival Etiudia & Anima, Cracovie 2010
Cinemental, Canada 2010
Festival International des Ecoles de Cinéma, Belgium 2010
Filmography Videoclip
Uninvited (Storm), The Franklin Electric
2014
Music video
Education
- Groupe Ouest, Film Lab Européen | Coaching d’auteurs en résidence d’écriture, 2020-2021
- Academy Program for Directors 2018
- National Institute of Image and Sound (INIS), Canada | Diploma in Film Direction, 2010.
- University of Quebec in Montreal (UQAM), Canada | Cinema Screenwriting Certificate, 2014.
Related Background
RELATED EXPERIENCE
- Locarno Summer Academy, Festival du film de Locarno, 2009
- Berlinale Talent Campus, Festival de Berlin, 2011
- EAVE, European Audiovisual entrepreneurs, Luxembourg 2014
- Groupe Ouest, Script Lab 2020-2021
- Netflix-BANFF Fellowship 2020