Ana de Lara is a Filipino-Canadian filmmaker and actress who has written, directed, and produced a number of award-winning short films, from hard-hitting dramas to laugh out loud comedies. Her work has screened at festivals around the world, including the Montreal World Film Festival and the Rhode Island International Film Festival.
Ana is a Women In the Director’s Chair alumna, a BC Arts Council and NFB Grant recipient, and was a finalist for the 2010 Lindalee Tracey Award. Her first feature script, a dark comedy entitled The Virgin Mary Had a Little Lamb, based on her popular one-woman play was developed at WIDC Story & Leadership and was a finalist in WIFT Vancouver’s 2017 screenplay competition. In 2016, she won the MPPIA Short Film Award for her concept short Good Girls Don’t, due in no small part to her stand-up performance in the pitch competition at the Whistler Film Festival.
In 2019, Ana produced the Telefilm Talent to Watch feature film All In Madonna which world premiered at the Whistler Film Festival. A Talent to Watch Award recipient herself, Ana is slated to direct the comedy web series Best Friend Me which she co-wrote with series creator Andy Marie and will be produced by Arnold Lim.
Awards & Nominations
Open for Submissions (ff, as producer)
2019 Best Feature Film, Forest City Film Festival
Good Girls Don’t (short)
2019 Outstanding Achievement in a BC Short, Vancouver International Women in Film Festival
2019 Best Direction, Asians On Film Festival
2019 Best Comedy, Best Comedy Script, Asians On Film Festival
2019 Best Short Comedy, Best Short Comedy Script, Asians On Film Festival
2019 Nominee, Best Director Year End Award, Asian Film Festival
2018 Best Director, Broad Humour Festival
2018 Reel Sisters Spirit Award, Reel Sisters of the Diaspora Film Festival
2018 Audience Award, ShortCircuit Pacific Rim Film Festival
2018 Best Canadian Short, Vancouver Asian Film Festival
2016 MPPIA Short FIlm Award
Near Silence (short)
2011 Best Drama Short, Vancouver International Women in Film Festival
In Control (short)
2008 Making a Difference Award,Toronto COMMFFest