Bio

Raised on an Alberta cattle ranch, interdisciplinary artist Chrystene Ells worked in the San Francisco film industry for 20 years before returning to Canada to focus on her own work, which includes puppets, painting, sculpting, film, theatre, and community art projects. In January of 2012 Werner Herzog shook her hand and told her that one of her indie art films was 'very strange' and that he liked it 'very much.'

Works

Kathleen's Diary

  • 2013
  • Chrystene Ells

Based on actual diary entries made between 1937 and 1945 by Mrs. Kathleen Clews from Amulet Saskatchewan (now a ghost town), this film explores the beautiful and lonely yearning elicited in the filmmaker by the many lost stories in the province's history.

Kathleen's Diary

Der Glöckner

  • 2017
  • Chrystene Ells, Berny Hi

16mm German Expressionist film following an aged Bellringer’s path to transcendence through loss and beauty.

Der Glöckner

Véronique à vélo

  • 2011
  • Chrystene Ells, Berny Hi

Véronique bicycles through a looking glass, encountering surreal characters and schisms in reality and time.

Véronique à vélo