Maxim Karsh-LeClaire
Emerging Filmmaker
Maxim Karsh-LeClaire is an Editor, Sound Designer, and Cinematographer. He is a very social, energetic, and hardworking team player, with an infectious sense of humour, and is extremely keen to learn all aspects of the film industry. He believes that film is an incredibly powerful mode of communication that has the capability of bringing people together, which is certainly valuable in today's world. Growing up in Vancouver, Canada the undeniable beauty of the city instilled in him a deep appreciation for the natural environment. He has also had the privilege of traveling to many countries and observing first-hand the richness of diversity in culture and social realities. He is wholeheartedly guided in life by his most fundamental values: self-respect, respect for others and the environment, honesty, humility, and empathy. As a filmmaker, he strives to lead by example by creating and collaborating on projects that shed light on important topics in a manner that reflects his values.
He had the honor of editing a short documentary called "The Hurt that Binds Us" for his thesis that exposes the realities of intergenerational trauma within Indigenous communities caused by the cultural genocide from Indian residential schools. It won the Best Documentary Award at the Ryerson University Film Festival, and was accepted into the VOX film festival in Thunder Bay. It also won the August 2019 Art With Impact film competition and is now part of the OLIVE Film Collection touring across North America to universities and colleges as a part of mental health workshops.
He has graduated with a BFA in Film Studies from Ryerson University in Toronto. He learnt technical and storytelling skills, and gained experience in all aspects of filmmaking that has led him to make his own short and long films: documentaries, fiction films and experimental films at a professional level. What distinguishes him from other filmmakers is that he is proficient in many areas of the filmmaking process, and is willing to go above and beyond in order to successfully produce something that everyone involved will be proud of and will want to share.
