Hélène Klodawsky
Hélène Klodawsky
Woman of Distinction 2025
Media and communication
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Hélène Klodawsky is a filmmaker, screenwriter, and independent documentarian, recognized for her deeply engaged work that has explored political, social, and human struggles through cinema for over forty years. Her films have been screened worldwide, from the galleries of the Museum of Modern Art in New York to refugee camps in Kenya, demonstrating the universal and accessible power of her perspective.
Her work highlights artists, activists, and citizens who defend justice, equality, dignity, and compassion, both locally and internationally. Among her major works are No More Tears Sister (2004), Family Motel (2007), Malls R Us (2009), Come Worry With Us! (2013), Grassroots in Dry Lands (2015), From Janet With Love (2017), The Invisible Everywhere (2019), and Stolen Time (2023), her most recent feature-length film. Hélène’s films have received awards at numerous international festivals and have been praised by the press in Canada, Europe, the United States, and Asia. She has collaborated with leading producers and distributors, including the National Film Board of Canada, CBC, POV/PBS, Canal+, and several independent studios.
Beyond her filmmaking, Hélène serves as a mentor and screenwriting consultant, supporting the emergence of new documentary voices in Canada and internationally. Her films are taught at universities around the world, where they inspire reflection on art, politics, memory, social justice, and empathy. A member of the Writers Guild of Canada, the Documentary Organization of Canada, Film Fatales, and Réalisatrices Équitables, Hélène represents the strength of creators who use images to transform society with insight, courage, and humanity.
Through her cinema, Hélène Klodawsky gives voice to those who are too often unheard. She creates works that awaken, mobilize, endure, and remind us of our shared responsibility: to see, understand, and act.
