Born in London, United Kingdom, Roz Owen is a renowned writer-director based in Toronto, Canada, who has garnered numerous accolades throughout her illustrious career. As a child, she relocated to Canada, where she would later develop a passion for filmmaking.
Owen's creative journey began during her time as an art student in Halifax, Nova Scotia, where she produced her first film, a 16mm experimental short titled 'A Precaution Against the Inevitable'. This groundbreaking work earned her the prestigious Theresa Cha Award and was subsequently showcased at the Art Gallery of Ontario and other esteemed venues.
After relocating back to Toronto, Owen went on to create the short drama 'A One of Contradiction', which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival and was later licensed for television broadcast. Her year-long residency at the Canadian Film Centre culminated in the production of her Genie-nominated and award-winning short film 'You Love Me I Hate You', which premiered at the Locarno Film Festival and was subsequently screened at numerous international festivals.
Owen's subsequent career trajectory saw her transition to directing episodic television, while remaining committed to writing and producing her own independent projects. She has penned four feature scripts, one of which earned her the WIFT's Kodak New Vision Fellowship for Writing in 2006.
In 2007, Owen and her partner, Jim Miller, were inspired to document the lives and work of pioneering artist-activists Carole Condé and Karl Beveridge. This collaboration resulted in the award-winning short film 'Community Matters' (2008) and the critically acclaimed feature documentary 'Portrait of Resistance' (2012).
Throughout her career, Owen has persisted in the face of underrepresentation of women directors in the industry. Her latest endeavor, 'Trouble in the Garden', marks her dramatic feature film debut, shot in an impressive twelve days. Owen is currently working on her next feature, 'Look Both Ways', a Canada-UK co-production.
In addition to her filmmaking pursuits, Owen teaches First-Year Film Production at Ryerson University's School of Image Arts, inspiring the next generation of filmmakers.
