About The Movie
Open Shadow
. Synopsis .
OPEN SHADOW is the story of Teal Swan, and her transformation from a victim of ritual abuse, into an international spiritual luminary. In the film, Teal reveals her struggles about finding inner strength, triumphing over fear, and rising from the ashes of a dark past.
This intimate portrait offers a look into the life of a person who choses to fearlessly face her darkest shadows, and who has inspired thousands around the world to do the same.
About The Director
Paola Marino
Filmmaker . Director .
Paola Marino studied Film and Semiotics at the University of Bologna (Italy) where she graduated summa cum laude in 1995 in Film Theory. Among her professors was the eminent philosopher, linguist, and critic Umberto Eco, bestselling author of "The Name of the Rose" and "Foucault's Pendulum". In 1996 she moved to Toronto, Canada, where she started her career as a video producer. Beginning in 2007, she discovered her passion for Opera. Since then, she has been experimenting with the combination of film and opera through video artworks inspired by multiple arias. Her award winning video artworks Cherubino, Carmen, Irene, and Dalila were officially selected for screening at multiple international festivals.
In 2012 she was the recipient of an Ontario Arts Council grant for the production of a documentary on Italian-Canadian social documentary photographer Vincenzo Pietropaolo. In the same year she was nominated for the 2013 K.M. Hunter Artist Awards. Her recent interest in exploring North American aboriginal dance and music led her to collaborate with native aboriginal artist Eddy Robinson. Paola directed and co-produced the short film "Kinoomaage-Asin/Teaching Rock", which premiered at the Toronto imagineNative Film and Media Arts Festival 2013 and screened at The Agua Caliente Cultural Museum’s 13th Annual Native FilmFest - Palm Springs, 2014.
