Bio
Helen Slinger is a master storyteller whose award-winning work in journalism spans three decades. Her passion is documentary film making.
Recent writer/director credits are for Embracing Bob’s Killer, the story of a woman who forgave the man who killed her husband; Alexandra’s Echo, about the battle to save the western Canada's last wild salmon runs from the devastation wrought by industrial aquaculture; Leaving Bountiful, the story of a woman breaking free from a polygamous colony; and Shadow Warrior, the biography of Greenpeace International founder David McTaggart.
Slinger is also the author of McTaggart’s biography, published in several languages, and also entitled Shadow Warrior.
As a writer, Helen is much is demand. She's written a legion of documentaries for other directors, including Stranger in Our Home, about online child-sex predators; O.com, about internet sex addiction; On Wings & Dreams about aviation in Canada; and Walls of Silence, about child abuse inside a school for the deaf.
Slinger has also carved out a niche as a story editor and script doctor, guiding many young writers and directors through her unique story-mapping process, which earns universal rave reviews for delivering insight and clarity, with a dash of humour.
Helen’s career in journalism began in newspapers, but she quickly moved to television current affairs reporting and producing, including six years as Executive Producer of News and Current Affairs for CBC British Columbia.
She left that position because she didn't want to climb higher up the management ladder, but longed to return to her passion - storytelling.
As an independent, she’s written, directed, story-edited and produced series such as Without Warning for TLC and Ancient Clues for the Discovery Channel.
Various projects have won Gemini nominations, Finalist New York festivals, Platinum Award Worldfest Houston, Jury Award Yorkton Short Film & Video Festival, selection Montreal World Film Festival, selection Vancouver International Film Festival, and several Columbus International Film & Television Awards, including the Edgar Dale Award for excellence in non-fiction screenwriting.