Rachel Bower.
photo credit: Michelle Quance
Choosing subjects of deep personal interest and connection Rachel Bower has worked on documentaries in the Middle East, Africa, Ukraine, Romania, and North America. She has worked as a director, camera operator, and editor for the Outdoor Life Network, CBC and CTV.
Rachel had directed and written 20 episodes for CBC’s documentary series Land and Sea. She has produced, directed and written six episodes for the documentary series Our Community on AMI (Accessible Media Inc.). Rachel produced a series DISRUPT that showcases artists with disabilities. The series was recently renewed for a second season.
Her independent documentaries have been screened at film festivals around the world. IN THE SAME BOAT and THE SINGING LUMBERJACK won best documentary at the Silver Wave Film Festival. MEET MAURICE CROSBY won best musical score at the British Documentary Film Festival. I AM SKYLAR won 6 short best documentary awards at various film festivals around the world.
She created, developed, wrote and directed ACROSS AND DOWN for CBC’s Passionate Eye, which won two Leo Awards for best short documentary and best sound. She produced, wrote and directed THE NOODLE GROUP for CBC’s short docs, which is streaming on CBC Gem.
Rachel was one of 25 crew members from across Canada to receive a scholarship to the Women in the Director’s Chair program at the Banff Centre for the Arts. She was one of four directors chosen from Atlantic Canada to participate in the Director/Composer Mentorship Program though the Atlantic Canada Film Festival Association, the Guild of Canadian Film Composers and Symphony Nova Scotia. Rachel won a National Radio-Television News Directors Association (RTNDA) Dave Rogers Award for Best Short Feature and a Maritime Philanthropy Award Outstanding Special Event.
CLIENTS + WORK FEATURED
AWARDS + RECOGNITION
01
Across and Down (2023)
Leo Award Best Short Documentary
Leo Award Best Sound
02
NOMINEE WIFT-AT:
Best Nova Scotia
Director Award
The Noodle Group 2023
03
I am Skylar (2019)
Best Short Documentary
Atlantic International Film Festival
FIN
04
I am Skylar (2019)
Best Documentary
Silver Wave Film Festival
05
I am Skylar (2019)
Best Short Film Award
Common Good Film Festival,
06
I am Skylar (2019)
Best Short Documentary
Seattle Children’s Film Festival
07
I am Skylar (2019)
1st Prize Documentary Short Film (Children’s Jury) Chicago Intl. Children’s Film Festival
08
I am Skylar (2019)
2nd Prize in the Documentary Short Film Category (Professional Jury) Chicago Children’s Film Festival
09
Women Making Waves 2018
Award Winner
10
Meet Maurice Crosby 2018
Best Music Composition -
British Documentary Film Festival
11
The Singing Lumberjack (2015)
Winner Best Documentary
Silver Wave Film Festival
12
In The Same Boat (2011)
Winner Best Documentary
Silver Wave Film Festival
13
National Radio & Television News Directors Assoc.
Dave Rogers Award (2010)
Feature Award for "Dumping Day"
14
Maritime Philanthropy Award
Outstanding Special Event (2009)
15
Director/Composer
Mentorship Program
Guild of Canadian Film Composers & Symphony NS & Atlantic Film Festival Association (2009)
16
Labrador Creative Arts Festival
One of 20 workshop facilitators chosen from North America (2009)
17
Canadian Independent Film & Video Fund
Grant Recipient (2002 & 2008)
18
New Brunswick Joy Media Arts
Grant Recipient (2004)
19
National Film Board
Filmmaker's Assistance Grant Recipient (2006 & 2009)