Léa Pool

**Léa Pool C.M.**, born 8th September 1950, is a prolific Canadian and Swiss filmmaker and screenwriter. She has served as a film instructor at the Université du Québec à Montréal. Pool has an impressive array of documentaries and feature films under her belt, many of which have won significant awards including the Prize of the Ecumenical Jury. Her films often challenge stereotypes and refuse to focus on heterosexual relations, highlighting individuality instead. She was raised in Lausanne, Switzerland and immigrated to Canada in 1975 to study at the Université du Québec à Montréal where she earned a bachelor's degree in communications in 1978. Since then, Pool has been a recognized figure in the film industry, directing a number of documentaries, short films, and feature films, as well as TV programs. Her work has revolved around her personal experiences and exploration around identity. Beyond being a filmmaker, Pool also played an important role in academia, teaching cinema and film at the Université du Québec à Montréal from 1978 to 1983. She has been stated as a feminist in film studies, producing films and videos that echo on female characters. Pool is the first woman to have won the prestigious prize for Best Film at the Quebec Cinema Awards. **Léa Pool** is known to adhere to the philosophy that every film must have its own signature, challenging existing views on the role of filmmakers and the creative process. Most of her films reflect on a woman's view of the female experience. She has been represented by the Montreal-based cultural agency Agence Goodwin since 2004.