Svjetlana (Lana) Oppen, Filmmaker

About Lana

  Bosnian-born and raised Canadian artist, Svjetlana Oppen is an active cinematographer and director seeking to understand herself and the world around her through film. Svjetlana immigrated to Canada in 1992 during the fall of Yugoslavia and the subsequent Bosnian War. She completed her Masters in Film and Media Arts at the University of Windsor, and holds bachelor’s degrees in Computer Science and Communications, Media, and Film. Svjetlana currently serves as a Technical Director of the Windsor International Film Festival, overseeing film projection and the festival’s entire technical team.

  Svjetlana's research focuses on immigrant life in transnational society. Previous films explored subjects such as challenges in the lives of disadvantaged, under-represented, at-risk youth groups, and also newcomer youth in Canada. A recipient of numerous federal and provincial grants and awards, her latest documentary film titled “Letters from Home” premiered on CBC, as a part of the Absolutely Canadian Series, on July 30th, 2022. This film is Lana’s love letter to her family. It is a deeply personal story as she journeys back to what once was her homeland, Bosnia and Herzegovina, formerly known as Yugoslavia and where her parents still live. The film explores the meaning of home for an immigrant and the consequences on families torn apart by war. In an attempt to move on from her shattered past, she faces the painful memories of leaving her family and losing her identity and homeland. Battling the challenges of caring for aging parents remotely and through infrequent visits home, Svjetlana tries to find a way to reconcile her two worlds – her past and her present.