Behind the pixelated colors of our favourite light-hearted motion pictures lies the unspoken shadows of misogynistic abuse and exploitation. Yet, filmmaker and founder of Laughing Cats Production, Emily Schooley, pushes for change.
In her recent short drama film, “The Sweetest Goodbye”, Schooley employs intimate camera work and an emotionally riveting dialogue to seamlessly capture the melancholic story of a disabled woman, who chooses to undergo medically assisted suicide due to underlying socioeconomic challenges.
“In Canada, we have extended people’s access to MAID and the government has not yet put in place any kind of sufficient support to allow people with disabilities to live a thriving life,” Schooley says as she summarizes the central theme of her film. “So, people with disabilities are actually kept in legislative poverty.”
Schooley’s on-screen creations embody her commitment to deliver insightful and visually striking commentaries on dire societal issues but she was disappointed after submitting her latest work to 100 film festivals only to receive over 50 rejected offers.
While receiving rejections is an inevitable consequence for any emerging film maker’s journey, Schooley felt her lead role as a mid-sized actress is a testimony to the industry’s discriminative nature. “What I find really interesting is the films that those festivals program all have thin women on screen, there is very little body diversity in terms of the films that get selected,” Schooley says. “It speaks to systemic fatphobia and policing women’s voices in a different way.”
Fortunately, “The Sweetest Goodbye” will be set to premiere at Buffalo’s Valkyrie International Film Festival on March 24th. Despite her work is attracting viewership abroad, Schooley recognizes the lack of equity and representation in Canadian film is further shadowing marginalized voices. “It is almost like these festivals are afraid to have these conversations.”
As a result, her effort to produce compelling on-screen narratives that dismantle harmful tropes on intersecting identities has paved her road to finding her own production company. From documentaries to short films, her cinematic works reflect a tenacious desire to push for gender parity by highlighting women-driven stories on body diversity and financial inequality.
“These are areas of privilege where Laughing Cats Production addresses with our work. But the mainstream film industry has still yet to catch up to even consider these real factors in terms of equity, diversity, and inclusion.” Says Schooley.
In fact, a 2024 report presented at the Berlin International Film Festival asserts the industry’s progress towards gender equity is currently moving at a stagnant rate. It was roughly estimated that women and various gender groups occupy 33 per cent of key creative roles in Canadian film and TV since 2021. The report concludes Canada will achieve gender parity by 2215.
Yet, Schooley objects to the report’s findings, instead recognizing inclusivity and representation has evolved significantly in today’s film industry, from screen writing to the casting process. “Our cast and crew photos tell the story of how easy it is to create gender parity. You look for women. You look for people who have experience or want experience. Who brings voices in stories we do not hear enough of.” Schooley says.
“What is out there for women and the way women’s roles are written right from the casting breakdown is slowly getting better where in my early days, 2010 to 2011, I would be sent auditions for a character that was called whore number three. That was seen as OK at the time”
In fact, Schooley’s earlier career days was a difficult journey; the glitz and glamor of Canada’s film industry had crippled to unveil ashes of unspoken vices and traumatic horrors. “I have had really negative run-ins with certain people that made me really passionate about changing the narrative, changing how things are done, creating this incredibly safe and collaborative space.”
Indeed, her passion to advocate for change was notably reflected in her first film, “Life and The Art of Lying”. The award-winning LGBTQ short film was recognized by the Swedish institute, ValueCine, for dedicating 90 per cent of screen time and dialogue to female actors.
Yet, behind the film’s emotionally intimate performance marked a critical milestone for Schooley’s self-discovery as an emerging artist. In addition to pushing back traditional cinematic boundaries to convey her unique worldviews, Schooley’s directorial work helped to shape her knowledge on equitable representation.
“There was a secondary character that I had originally written for a male role and when I looked at the number of women that auditioned, I said, ‘wait a minute, why does it have to be a guy?” Schooley says.
While the casting process had strictly prioritized female roles, Schooley’s attempt to expand intersectionality through cinematic storytelling goes beyond representation for women. As a Queer and neurodiverse film maker herself, she continues to seek out voices often curbed by the mainstream film industry. “I do tend to cast men from either the BIPOC community, disability community, and other intersecting areas where people basically experience increased marginalization.”
As a result, Laughing Cats Production has become the first Canadian filmmaking company to highlight intersectional inclusion and body diversity as integral elements to their casting process. While her team has produced immersive storylines through several cinematic mediums from feature films to theater shows, Schooley feels there is more progress to be made.
“We don’t just need to talk, we need action.” says Schooley.
As aspiring filmmakers are slowly setting their foot on the industry’s threshold with new experimental forms of storytelling, Schooley says developing opportunities to work in a safe, collaborative environment is key.
“Being able to stand firm in your voice, in your power. Being able to collaborate fairly with others but at the same time knowing when to hold boundaries when you are being taken advantage of.”
