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Writers Talking TV: Holiday MOWs now on YouTube

Carley Kirsten Sonja

The latest installment of WRITERS TALKING TV is now available to watch on the WGC's YouTube channel

Tune in for a fun, fascinating and educational discussion about holiday-themed Movies of the Week, featuring Carley Smale (Snowed Inn Christmas, A Gingerbread Christmas) and Kirsten Hansen (Nantucket Noel, Cross Country Christmas). Hosted by Sonja Bennett.  Carley and Kirsten talk about how they got their start in the genre, how they structure their scripts, what it's like to work with networks like Hallmark, and so much more. 

 

ABOUT THE PANELISTS AND HOST

Carley Smale is a screenwriter and rom-com connoisseur who has earned several writing credits in the television movie space. Her credits include such titles as SNOWED INN CHRISTMAS, CHRISTMAS PEN PALS, MIDNIGHT AT THE MAGNOLIA, and the upcoming Discovery+ original film, A GINGERBREAD CHRISTMAS. In February 2022, MIDNIGHT AT THE MAGNOLIA was nominated for Best TV Movie at the Canadian Screen Awards and spent over a month trending worldwide on the Netflix top-10 list. Born and raised in Peterborough, Ontario, Smale continues to reside in her hometown with her dog, Lemon.

Kirsten Hansen is an award-winning Canadian writer/director/producer based out of Vancouver, BC. Her upcoming feature film romantic comedy, IRISH WISH, starring Lindsay Lohan, which Kirsten wrote/executive produced, is set for release on Netflix next year. Kirsten is the writer of LOVE ON THE SLOPES, RETURN TO CHRISTMAS CREEK, LOVE UNDER THE RAINBOW, CHRISTMAS ON MY MIND, the LEO Award winning CROSS COUNTRY CHRISTMAS, and the co-writer/director of NANTUCKET NOEL (for Hallmark Channel), as well as co-writer of PUP STAR, MONKEY UP, and RUSSELL MADNESS (for Netflix). Kirsten was also the Co-Executive Producer/Writer of CHESAPEAKE SHORES (Seasons 1-4) and Co-Executive Producer/Writer on the development of WHEN HOPE CALLS (Season 2). She is currently the executive producer of A TALE OF TWO CHRISTMASES, set to premiere on US Thanksgiving on Hallmark Channel.

An award-winning screenwriter, Sonja Bennett’s first screenplay, PREGGOLAND was supported by Movie Central, Telefilm Canada, and was selected for the Telefilm/CFC Comedy Exchange. The film was awarded “most popular film” at VIFF, and was nominated for “best BC film” by the Vancouver Film Critics Circle, among other accolades and honours. For television, Sonja has written on KIM’S CONVENIENCE for CBC, GHOST WARS for Netflix and LETTERKENNY for Crave/Hulu, THE MURDERS and HUDSON AND REX for Rogers, and FAMILY LAW for Global. She is currently adapting THE LITTLE MERMAID into a pantomime for the York Theatre in Vancouver.

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