Jennifer Hodge de Silva

Jennifer Hodge was born to Cullen Squire Hodge and Mairuth Vaughan Hodge Sarsfield One of two children she was highly influenced by the strong women around her For example her grandmother Anne Packwood was a teacher and community worker who received awards for her contribution to the Black community Her mothers career included broadcasting diplomacy and serving on the Board of Governors of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation CBC and Carleton University Ottawa Her mother received the Chevalier de lordre national du Qubec award in 1985 Hodge left Montral to complete her second year of high school in Europe where she attended the Lcole dhumanit in HaslibergGoldern Switzerland After completing high school Jennifer Hodge returned to Canada to attend university in Toronto and completed a Bachelor of Arts Honours in Fine Arts at Glendon College York University in 1974 She added a Bachelor of Applied Arts in Television Arts at Ryerson Polytechnic Institute now Toronto Metropolitan University in 1979 She married producer Paul de Silva in 1982 They founded Jenfilms Inc which among other projects was behind the awardwinning Neighbourhoods series that covered the history and character of various communities in Canada a hrefhttpwwwnorthernstarscawaxmanalAl Waxmana served as hostnarrator on the episode about Torontos Kensington MarketbrbrJennifer Hodge de Silvas career in film spanned more than a decade She spent her apprenticeship years at the National Film Board in Montral There she learned all aspects of the craft from producing researching and interviewing to directing and editing During that time she also worked on some independently produced films While in France to attend the Cannes Film Festival in 1989 she became ill and returned to Canada She died of cancer on May 5 1989 at the Royal Victoria Hospital in Montral where she was born Her work remains part of the discussion on Canadian and Black Canadian film A biographical film emJennifer Hodge The Glory and the Painem 1992 covers her life and themes in her work as revealed in interviews with friends and relatives Her films are often featured in Black History Month celebrations and in reading lists of film courses A commemorative film catalogue was produced by the National Film Board for Black History Month in 1992br brWe have created a filmography based on a number of different sources and believe it to be fairly accurate but welcome any updates you might be able to provide brbrbr