Biographies
Marc Almon
Writer/Director
A graduate of the University of King’s College, Marc Almon has honed his craft as a writer/director by creating a series of award-winning shorts, including the 35mm short Recollection (2003 Linda Joy Busby Award, Atlantic Film Festival) and the HD half-hour project The Motorcycle (2005 CBC/NSFDC Bridge Award). Marc was also Production Supervisor on 3 Needles, an epic drama chronicling the ravages of AIDS on three continents. With a rich Scottish family history, Marc is proud to be learning Gaelic and plans to produce more Gaelic film projects in the future.
Nona MacDermid
Producer
Born on the North Shore of Cape Breton, Nona MacDermid grew up immersed in the Gaelic language, song, and storytelling traditions of her culture. With the St. Ann’s Bay Players, Nona was an award-winning actor at the UCCB Festival of Plays (Best Actress 1988, Best Ensemble 1987) before she obtained a commerce degree at Saint Mary’s University and a Certified Management Accounting designation. In 2002, Nona launched MacDermid Consulting – a boutique-consulting firm assisting forward-thinking entrepreneurs. Nona is studying to achieve Gaelic fluency, developing more Gaelic film and media projects, serving on two Gaelic society boards, and planning to move back to her beloved Cape Breton Island.
Angus MacLeod
Actor/Translator
Angus MacLeod is a fluent Gaelic speaker, storyteller and popular singer, with an exceptional knowledge of traditional Gaelic singing styles and methodology. He has performed for the Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia, the U.S. ambassador to Canada, the Governor of Vermont, and has been a prominent figure in the Celtic Colours music festival for the last seven years. Angus was also the Gaelic Consultant and a performer in the critically acclaimed play " The Margaret " which played in Nova Scotia and New Zealand. Angus currently teaches Gaelic at the Gaelic College in St. Ann’s, Cape Breton.
Mary Jane Lamond
Composer
Mary Jane Lamond is a sharer of songs, stories and spirit. This sharing has garnered Mary Jane numerous Juno and East Coast Music Award nominations, critical acclaim and a worldwide audience. Mary Jane's recordings are a beautiful interpretation of some of the Scottish Gaelic songs that have become part of Nova Scotia’s Gaelic tradition. Her use of modern instrumentation and arrangements provides a respectful and striking framework for these songs but it is Mary Jane's spell-binding vocal performance and heartfelt delivery that makes her selections truly come alive for the listener. Her latest album "Storas" (Gaelic meaning "a treasure") demonstrates once again that Mary Jane Lamond makes timeless music for a modern age.