EP 147: The Poetry of Image and Emotion with Director/Writer/Producer Alicia K. Harris

The Visual Intonation Podcast welcomes filmmaker Alicia K. Harris, a storyteller who turns quiet moments into vivid emotional landscapes. She joins us from Scarborough, the community that shaped her artistry and continues to pulse beneath every frame she creates. Alicia talks about the lessons that carried her from student sets to national stages, and how early affirmations like the Best Director award at Ryerson helped her believe that her voice belonged in the world.

In this episode she traces the path from her first short film Fatherhood to her breakout success with Pick, the film that earned her a Canadian Screen Award and opened new doors across the country. She shares how each project taught her a different truth, from the bruised comedy of Love Stinks to the quiet power woven through All Things But Forget and Maybe If It Were a Nice Room. Alicia explains how she builds characters who breathe, falter, fight, and invite audiences to see themselves without apology.

We explore the creative courage behind On a Sunday at Eleven, the film that brought her a second Canadian Screen Award. Alicia reflects on the craft decisions that shaped it, the patience it demanded, and the joy of seeing a personal story resonate with so many viewers. She also talks about stepping into television, directing episodes of Lockdown, The Parker Andersons, Amelia Parker, and Beyond Black Beauty, where she won the award for Best Direction in a Children's or Youth Program or Series.

Alicia closes with a look at the mission that fuels Sugar Glass Films, the company she co founded to champion women and marginalized voices. She speaks about mentorship, community, and the responsibility she feels to widen the gate for the filmmakers coming after her. This conversation is a study in artistic intention, a reminder that great work begins with a single truthful idea, and a celebration of a filmmaker who continues to shape Canadian cinema with clarity and heart.

Alicia K. Harris’s Website & Socials:

https://www.instagram.com/aliciakharris_

www.aliciakharris.com

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