Special Guest: Ali Weinstein and Caitlin Durlak
Ali standing behind a mermaid tail photo prop
Ali Weinstein

Ali Weinstein and Caitlin Durlak are young documentary filmmakers from Toronto, Canada. They met while studying documentary media at Ryerson University, and are thrilled to be attending Merfest this year as they embark on a feature documentary about mermaids.

Ali Weinstein's (Director) documentary work to date has focused on personal storytelling and memory. She grew up obsessed by mermaids and as a teen spent five years as a competitive synchronized swimmer. She is very excited to be working on her first feature documentary, Mermaids, which will examine the allure of these mythical figures. The film is part journey into the fairy tales and innumerable universal myths about people of the water and part analysis of the current mer-craze that has begun to sweep North America. At heart, the film is rooted in our common human fascination with water, beauty, empowerment, and a yearning to transform into our innermost pictures of ourselves. Mermaids will give us the opportunity to hear from people who have experienced very deep connections with their inner sirens, and to explore some of the questions of transformation that are inherent in donning a tail and diving into the water.

Caitlin falling into water
Caitlin Durlak

Caitlin Durlak (Producer) has long been passionate about storytelling, and in 2011 began a web series entitled Stories We Tell Ourselves, which examines the individual lives and pursuits of young Canadian artists and entrepreneurs. You can view her work here: wetellourselvesstories.com

As Ali and Caitlin continue research the mer world, they have been so grateful for the amazingly welcoming responses from the community.

They're delighted to be joining in on the fun at NC Merfest 2015, and can't wait to meet you there!

Woman swimming underwater in a pool, reflecting on the surface.
From the film Swimming