11 Actors and Directors Among The First Wave of the High-Performance Lab, Announced During The Marché du Film in Cannes.
(Cannes, France) – Monday, May 13, 2024. ChicArt Productions is thrilled to announce the first wave of participants selected for the High-Performance Lab for actors and directors. The initiative was created by award-winning filmmaker and Chi Energy educator Patricia Chica (Montréal Girls) as a hybrid (in-person and virtual) career accelerator designed to elevate the skills of emerging actors, performance artists, and directors within the screen industries.
Patricia Chica says: “The High-Performance Lab serves emerging artists and storytellers motivated to excel in their craft, looking to enter the international market and explore alternative modalities to expand their potential. The program offers a unique opportunity to delve deep into the understanding of chi energy, the business side of the profession, and learning from guest mentors in the Hollywood film industry. I intend to grow this community at a global scale and that’s why I’m here at the Marché du Film, with 5 of our Rising Stars Program alumni, to bring awareness to this type of work.”
To help with the tuition fees of this not-yet-funded program, ChicArt offered $500 & $1000 grants to the selected participants. The Coalition M•É•D•I•A• (a Quebec-based coalition of professionals from First Nations, Inuit, Métis, Afro-descendants and racialized French-speaking people in the screen industry in Canada) also offered a $1000 grant to one of its members, director/producer Aliaa Khachouk.
FULL LIST OF PARTICIPANTS:
Jide Kene Achufusi (actor, Nigeria/Africa), Daphné Bertrand-Dubois (actress, Montréal), Teefer Clow (actor, Île Perrot), Harding Junior (actor, New York), Aliaa Khachouk (director/producer, Montréal), Daïna Lachance (actress, Prévost); Paul Matte (actor/director, Toronto), James R. Murray (writer/actor, Montréal), Yesica Ochoa (actress/singer, Candiac), Sebastian Quint (actor, Montréal, Rising Star Program alumn), and Megan Saunders (actress, Montréal).
ChicArt is receiving applications until May 28th to complete the first cohort of 15 participants.
MORE ABOUT THE HIGH-PERFORMANCE LAB:
Taking place from June 6-10 in Montreal, Canada, the in-person component of the training promises a comprehensive learning experience, to deconstruct limiting beliefs, elevate consciousness, boost stamina, ignite creativity, enhance skills, and cultivate a state of flow. Easy and practical energy tools will be taught that will help the participants stay grounded, focused, and empowered in any situation on and off the set.
The second part of the training will happen online, thanks to the ongoing virtual coaching sessions with prominent Hollywood mentors. Their personalized guidance aims to refine participants’ skills and provide invaluable insights into the on-screen industries. The full list of mentors will be announced soon.
Interested candidates can find more information and register for the High-Performance Lab on this form. There are only 4 spots left.
Call for entries registration form: Register Here:
LINK: https://docs.google.com/
The application deadline is May 28, 2024, at 11:59 pm Pacific Time. Each participant will receive a certificate.
ABOUT CHI ENERGY:
State-of-the-art coaching bridging chi and mindset strategies that help elevate performance and results at the highest level of consciousness, behind and in front of the camera.
This method makes it easy to understand metaphysical concepts with simple techniques everyone can use to elevate their creativity, mindset, communication skills, intuition, and most importantly RESULTS.
Website: www.TheChicaMethod.com
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T H E P A R T I C I P A N T S
JIDE KENE ACHUFUSI (NIGERIA/AFRICA)
Actor
Jide Kene Achufusi, born in 1991, is a celebrated actor and a seminal figure in African cinema. Renowned for his lead role in the highest-grossing film in African box office history, Jide’s compelling performances have earned him multiple accolades, including Best Actor and the prestigious Trailblazer Award. His influence extends beyond the screen, having been named one of the 100 most influential figures in the film industry. A scholar of his craft, Jide holds a diploma in Producing and the Business of Film from the Delyork Academy. One for the now and the future.
DAPHNÉ BERTRAND-DUBOIS (CANADA)
Actress
Actress, professional dancer, doctor of psychology, yoga teacher… Daphné has several colors and tools. She started dancing in high school and was introduced to acting 2 years ago, in Lee Strasberg’s realistic acting school. She has devoted herself fully to it for 2 years in order to develop her career as an actress. Her doctorate in psychology allows her to go in depth into understanding the psyche of the characters she plays.
TEEFER CLOW (CANADA)
Actor
Teefer Clow is native to Montreal where he has been an actor for a decade. He graduated the Professional Theatre conservatory program at Dawson College. Favorite theatre credits include Benedick in Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing, and The Mad Hatter in Alice in Wonderland. Teefer is currently continuing his acting training at Straeon Acting Studios. After a short hiatus from acting, he is excited to be back working on his craft and re-entering the theatre and film.
HARDING JUNIOR (USA)
Actor
Harding Junior was born in Haiti, then moved to Mexico at the age of five. His journey in the entertainment industry began early as he started developing his craft through performances in theater. Over the years, he continued to make his mark, performing in Mexican movies and soap operas. His fluency in several languages including French, Spanish, Haitian Creole, and English, along with his ability to master various accents, adds to his unique skill set.
ALIAA KHACHOUK (SYRIA/CANADA)
Director
Syrian-born Quebec director and producer with over twenty-five years’ experience in producing and directing short films, feature films and documentaries. Her work reflects her preoccupation with the identity of immigrants and the meaning they give to belonging. Her work has been recognized at many national and international festivals, including the Festival des Films du Monde, Rendez-vous du cinéma québécois, Cannes Film Festival, Rotterdam International Film Festival, Harvard MISA Festival and many others. Her feature film I was once told is held by Library and Archives Canada.
RECIPIENT OF THE $1000 GRANT OFFERED BY THE COALITION M•É•D•I•A•.
DAÏNA LACHANCE (CANADA)
Actress
Daïna is 18 years old and passionate about arts. She is multi skilled as she can draw, sing, paint or play ukulele and guitar. She has danced for 9 years in some multiple dance styles and did competitive cheerleading for two years. Now she is devoting herself fully into acting.
PAUL MATTE (CANADA)
Actor, Director
Paul Matte was born in Toronto, Canada. He spent his early life building his skills as a writer before relocating to Glasgow in the United Kingdom. It was there that he dove head first into a career in performing. He has trained as an actor in both Canada and in the UK and starred in several short films and webseries. Paul made his television debut in Irvine Welsh’s (Trainspotting) Crime and his feature film debut in Tehran, starring Indian icons John Abraham and Manushi Chillar. Paul is an actor who brings energy and enthusiasm with him to every project and he aspires to play in fast-paced thrillers and action films where his physicality and spirit thrive.
JAMES R. MURRAY (CANADA)
Writer, Actor – Chi Energy Alumn
As can be seen by his very powerful scenes opposite Jason Sudeikis (Race) and Julie Le Breton (Épidémie), James R Murray is a trilingual Canadian actor who gives his all on set. Equally at home with comedy as can be seen in his TV work with Just for Laughs: Rock & Rolland, opposite Benz Antoine, Michel Barrette and Julien Poulin, as well as their Gags. His developing love and talent for screenwriting can be seen in his first award winning short Cold Call and his latest short Overcoming the Monster which will be hitting the festival circuit in the Fall of 2024. He is currently turning another short, Not my Family into a feature. You can tell that he is a consummate storyteller by the feedback he got from Patricia Chica on the notes he gave on her next feature: “I just read your notes and OMG they are very insightful and helpful.”
YESICA OCHOA (MEXICO/CANADA)
Actress, Singer
Yesica Ochoa Amoros, a Mexican polymath of law and the arts, moved to Montreal at 25, bringing a wealth of talent. Though skilled in law, her true passion lies in creativity. Yesica is a versatile actress known for “Strangers in my Home“ and “Ruptures,” also nominated for Latin Awards Canada. A celebrated singer, she’s performed globally and produced “Weekends du Monde Mexique.” Yesica hosts radio shows on 105.1 Mike FM and 102.3 FM, engaging audiences with her vibrant personality. With accolades like Premio Trilogia Ray Tico Internacional Microfono de Oro, her journey exemplifies passion and dedication.
SEBASTIAN QUINT (COLOMBIA/CANADA)
Actor – Rising Star Program Alumn
Born and raised in Medellin, Colombia, Sebastian Quint knew he wanted to be an actor ever since he was young. Watching his favorite TV show Once Upon A Time (CBS), his goal as an actor became clear: to give voice to his Latino community to showcase his culture in a good light. After moving to Canada and enrolling in Dawson’s Professional Theatre program, his path as an artist solidified. Upon graduating in 2023, he joined the Geordie 2Play Tour traveling around Eastern Canada, and is working on a documentary theatre project alongside the Colombian Government. He’s eager to continue building his foundation as a versatile, enthusiastic, and ambitious artist.
MEGAN SAUNDERS (CANADA)
Actress
Megan Saunders is a Montreal-based actress. Working on sets as of the age of 13, she has completed numerous Acting for the Camera workshops and is a graduate of John Abbott College’s Professional Theater program. This year, she will be seen playing a lead role in the feature film Chiennes de Faïence, the English version of the series Plan B, and the short film Zoey.
T H E C R E A T O R
ABOUT PATRICIA CHICA
Filmmaker, Founder and Lead Trainer
Patricia Chica is a multiple award-winning director, producer, chi energy educator and coach whose mission is to connect storytelling, high-performance mindset and higher consciousness within the film and TV industries. She has been a go-to instructor for thousands of actors, crew members, and film industry professionals. Through individual training and her global CHI Energy Workshops, talks at film festivals and universities, Stage32.com, L’INIS Programme Mixte, and countless Clubhouse rooms, Patricia has helped legions of people become aware of the power of the mind, body and spirit and how to use that energy to better create, get through blocks, overcome mental limitations and generally attract the results they want at an accelerated rate. Another goal of CHI Energy is to help you become a better collaborator, something that can serve you well throughout your career.
