Sandy Wilson

Films directed by Sandy Wilson

• Penticton Profile (1970)
• The Bridal Shower (1972)
• He's Not the Walking Kind (1972)
• Pen-Hi Grad (1975)
• Going All the Way (1976)
• Raising the Gilhast Pole (1976)
• Growing up at Paradise (1977)
• Teenage Money (1977)
• Coming Down (1979)
• Mount Chopaka Easter Sunday Jackpot Rodeo (1980)
• My American Cousin (1985)  (also known as: "Mein Cousin aus Amerika", "Mi primo americano", "Mój amerykanski kuzyn", "Mon cousin américain", "O Meu Primo Americano")
• Mama's Going to Buy You a Mockingbird (1987)
• American Boyfriends (1989)  (also known as: "Mes copains américains", "My American Boyfriend")
• Harmony Cats (1993)
• My Life in a Few Minutes (2000)  (also known as: "My Life in 8 Minutes")

Quotes by Sandy Wilson

"When I was growing up, girls could be teachers, nurses or secretaries, so I went for teaching. I love kids, and I thought that's what I'll do and I'll get married to some cowboy. But then the '60s came along and everything changed a little bit. And I got into filmmaking quite by chance when I was a student at Simon Fraser University."
-- Sandy Wilson (source)

For QUOTES about a specific film by Sandy Wilson, please see:   Penticton Profile    The Bridal Shower    Growing up at Paradise    My American Cousin    My Life in a Few Minutes   

Notes about Sandy Wilson

• Born in Penticton, British Columbia.
• Director and screenwriter.

Bibliography for Sandy Wilson

Section 1: Publications by Sandy Wilson

• Wilson, Sandy. "Kamikaze filmmaker (Sandy Wilson)." Chatelaine, September 1989.
• Wilson, Sandy. "My American Cousin." In Best Canadian Screenplays, edited by Douglas Bowie and Tom Shoebridge, 251-338. Kingston, Ont.: Quarry Press, 1992.

Section 2: Publications about Sandy Wilson

Book Chapters

• Cole, Janis, and Holly Dale. "Sandy Wilson." Interview with Sandy Wilson. In Calling the Shots: Profiles of Women Filmmakers, 249-257. Kingston, Ont.: Quarry Press, 1993.

Articles from Newspapers, Magazines, or News Websites

• Canadian Press. "Filmmaker argues against free trade." Globe and Mail, January 4, 1986.
• Collison, Robert. "Chatelaine's woman of the year Sandy Wilson." Chatelaine, January 1987.
• Falconer, Tim. "The film director." Canadian Business, October 1988.
• Globe and Mail. "Places in the heart: for Sandy Wilson, the American dream blooms as a theme." Interview with Sandy Wilson. Globe and Mail, October 7, 1989.
• Gould, Allan M. "Our possessions, ourselves." Interview with Sandy Wilson. Chatelaine, May 1989.
• Istona, Mildred. "Sandy's dandy: Catching up with filmmaker Sandy Wilson." Chatelaine, May 1993.
• Maclean's. "[Vancouver film director]." Maclean's, January 19, 1987.
• Moore, Micki. "Your mother...Is she the key to your success?" Interview with Sandy Wilson. Flare, January 1987.
• Winnipeg Free Press. "'My American Cousin' director wants Canadian films protected." Winnipeg Free Press, January 4, 1986.

Web Sites

• "Sandy Wilson: Producer, Writer, Director." http://sandyvwilson.com/. [official site]

Section 3: Publications about the Films of Sandy Wilson

Raising the Gilhast Pole (1976)

Journal Articles

• Kasakoff, Alice Bee. "Raising the Gilhast Pole." Review of Raising the Gilhast Pole. American Anthropologist 79, no. 4 (1977): 994-995.

Growing up at Paradise (1977)

Articles from Newspapers, Magazines, or News Websites

• McNabb, Jerry. "Paradise regained." Interview with Sandy Wilson. Cinema Canada, November 1977.

My American Cousin (1985)  (also known as: "Mein Cousin aus Amerika", "Mi primo americano", "Mój amerykanski kuzyn", "Mon cousin américain", "O Meu Primo Americano")

Book Chapters

• Wilson, Sandy. "My American Cousin." In Best Canadian Screenplays, edited by Douglas Bowie and Tom Shoebridge, 251-338. Kingston, Ont.: Quarry Press, 1992.

Brief Sections of Books

• Cummins, Kathleen. Herstories on Screen: Feminist Subversions of Frontier Myths. New York: Wallflower, 2020. (pp. 81-83, 149-156, 221-225)
• Gittings, Christopher E. Canadian National Cinema: Ideology, Difference and Representation. London: Routledge, 2002. (pp. 150-153)
• Monk, Katherine. Weird Sex and Snowshoes: And Other Canadian Film Phenomena. Vancouver: Raincoast Books, 2001. (p. 319)
• Spaner, David. Dreaming in the Rain: How Vancouver Became Hollywood North by Northwest. Vancouver: Arsenal Pulp Press, 2003. (pp. 80-82)

Journal Articles

• Yamaguchi, Joanne. "Who Is the American Cousin?: Canadian Cinema, Cultural Freedom, and Sandy Wilson's 'American Cousin.'." CineAction, no. 16 (May 1989): 70-72.

Articles from Newspapers, Magazines, or News Websites

• Ansen, David. "My American Cousin." Review of My American Cousin. Newsweek, August 25, 1986.
• Attanasio, Paul. "Wilson's too-thin cousin." Review of My American Cousin. Washington Post, September 20, 1986.
• Calgary Herald. "My American Cousin." Review of My American Cousin. Calgary Herald, November 22, 1985.
• Calgary Herald. "Okanagan-set comedy runs off with six Genies." Calgary Herald, March 21, 1986.
• Cinema Canada. "Spectrafilm sells 'Cousin''s Canadian video rights to American co." Cinema Canada, June 1986.
• Chaput, Luc. "My American Cousin." 24 Images, August 1986. [in French]
• Cinema Canada. "'American Cousin' bows." Cinema Canada, November 1985.
• Corliss, Richard. "A man, a woman and some dogs." Review of My American Cousin. Time, September 1, 1986.
• Darnton, Nina. "Film view: looking back at growing up in the 50's and 60's." New York Times, August 24, 1986.
• Darnton, Nina. "My American Cousin." Review of My American Cousin. New York Times, August 15, 1986.
• Globe and Mail. "'American Cousin' distributor wants foreign sales allowed." Globe and Mail, April 15, 1986.
• Gold, R. "Canadian 'Cousin' helmer puts own life on screen." Interview with Sandy Wilson. Variety, April 16, 1986.
• Halifax Chronicle-Herald. "'American Cousin' big Canadian film winner." Halifax Chronicle-Herald, August 22, 1986.
• Hall, Carla. "Sandy Wilson, wistfully; the filmmaker & her craft." Interview with Sandy Wilson. Washington Post, September 28, 1986.
• Henley, Gail. "The distribution factor." Cinema Canada, November 1985.
• Holden, Stephen. "At the movies." Interview with Sandy Wilson. New York Times, August 15, 1986.
• Johnson, Brian D. "My American Cousin." Review of My American Cousin. Maclean's, November 4, 1985.
• Kehr, Dave. "My American Cousin." Review of My American Cousin. Film Comment, November-December 1985.
• Kempley, Rita. "My nifty American cousin: A relatively real look at growing up female in the fifties." Review of My American Cousin. Washington Post, September 19, 1986.
• Lavoie, André. "À voir à la télévision le jeudi 29 mars : La visite des États." Le Devoir, March 24, 2007. [in French]
• Lekich, John. "My Canadian classic: Sandy Wilson recalls secret origins." Interview with Sandy Wilson. Reel West Magazine, Winter 2014.
• Lekich, John. "You can go home again." Interview with Sandy Wilson, Peter O'Brian. Globe and Mail, November 24, 1984.
• McDonagh, M. "Memory of American cousin inspires coming-of-age film." Interview with Sandy Wilson. The Film Journal (New York), October-November 1986.
• McKinnon, A. "Sandy Wilson: First features, Canadian wives, American cousins, an interview." Interview with Sandy Wilson. Cinema Canada, July-August 1985.
• Montreal Gazette. "'Cousin' strikes Genie gold." Montreal Gazette, March 21, 1986.
• Nemeth, Mary. "International nostalgia: 'My American Cousin' captures the 50's on film." Alberta Report, October 7, 1985.
• Rickey, Carrie. "L'homme fatal." Ms., December 1985.
• Sachs, Lloyd. "'My American Cousin' comes up relatively empty." Review of My American Cousin. Chicago Sun-Times, August 22, 1986.
• Salamon, Julie. "My American Cousin." Review of My American Cousin. Wall Street Journal, August 21, 1986.
• Schupp, Patrick. "My American Cousin." Review of My American Cousin. Séquences, July 1986. [in French]
• Scott, Jay. "Big break gives Wildman chance to show his stuff." Globe and Mail, November 1, 1985.
• Scott, Jay. "Genie six-pack for 'My American Cousin'." Globe and Mail, March 21, 1986.
• Scott, Jay. "My American Cousin heads 'home' to rave reviews." Globe and Mail, August 16, 1986.
• Scott, Jay. "A poignant, welcome visit from My American Cousin." Review of My American Cousin. Globe and Mail, September 9, 1985.
• Seventeen. "My American Cousin." Seventeen, June 1986.
• Teag, Jan. "Sandy Wilson's My American Cousin." Review of My American Cousin. Cinema Canada, June 1986.
• Travers, Peter. "My American Cousin." Review of My American Cousin. People Weekly, September 8, 1986.
• Vancouver Sun. "A hit with US critics." Vancouver Sun, August 16, 1986.
• Vancouver Sun. "My American Cousin." Review of My American Cousin. Vancouver Sun, November 8, 1985.
• Variety. "My American Cousin." Review of My American Cousin. Variety, September 18, 1985.
• Wickenhaver, Janet. "Production focus: 'My American Cousin'." Millimeter, July 1986.
• Winnipeg Free Press. "My American Cousin." Winnipeg Free Press, January 18, 1986.
• Winnipeg Free Press. "Wilson takes from real life to make movie." Winnipeg Free Press, October 22, 1986.

Mama's Going to Buy You a Mockingbird (1987)

Articles from Newspapers, Magazines, or News Websites

• Clarke, Greg. "Circa '59." Interview with Sandy Wilson. Cinema Canada, December 1987.
• Lee, Helen. "Mama's Going to Buy You a Mockingbird." Review of Mama's Going to Buy You a Mockingbird. Cinema Canada, January 1989.
• Quill, Greg. "Mockingbird rises with love from hearts of real people." Review of Mama's Going to Buy You a Mockingbird. Toronto Star, December 3, 1988.
• Variety. "Mama's Going to Buy You a Mockingbird." Review of Mama's Going to Buy You a Mockingbird. Variety, January 4, 1989.
• Zekas, Rita. "My Cousin's director brings you tears next." Toronto Star, October 18, 1987.

American Boyfriends (1989)  (also known as: "Mes copains américains", "My American Boyfriend")

Articles from Newspapers, Magazines, or News Websites

• Goddard, Peter. "American Cousin sequel just schtick without style." Review of American Boyfriends. Toronto Star, October 9, 1989.
• Pitman, Randy. "Video movies: American Boyfriends." Review of American Boyfriends. Library Journal, April 15, 1990.
• Scott, Jay. "Wilson's talent and good taste get sideswiped on the drive south: American Boyfriends." Review of American Boyfriends. Globe and Mail, October 10, 1989.
• Variety. "Toronto Festival of Festivals reviews: American Boyfriends." Review of American Boyfriends. Variety, September 13, 1989.
• Veelbehr, S. "Canadian director jumps to film hit movie sequel before her star grows up." Toronto Star, February 22, 1989.

Harmony Cats (1993)

Articles from Newspapers, Magazines, or News Websites

• Eisner, Ken. "Reviews: Harmony Cats directed by Sandy Wilson." Review of Harmony Cats. Variety, June 18, 1993.
• Groen, Rick. "Harmony Cats." Review of Harmony Cats. Globe and Mail, June 18, 1993.
• Hardy, Wayne. "Video reviews: Harmony Cats directed by Sandy Wilson and starring Kim Coates." Review of Harmony Cats. Library Journal, August 1, 1995.
• Johnson, Brian D. "Country comfort: Harmony Cats directed by Sandy Wilson." Review of Harmony Cats. Maclean's, May 24, 1993.
• Salem, Rob. "Sandy Wilson bounces back with help of top-flight cast." Review of Harmony Cats. Toronto Star, June 18, 1993.

My Life in a Few Minutes (2000)  (also known as: "My Life in 8 Minutes")

Articles from Newspapers, Magazines, or News Websites

• Gregory, Valerie. "Back to her roots: director Sandy Wilson has found living up to her debut film—My American Cousin—debut a long, hard road." Interview with Sandy Wilson. Globe and Mail, August 24, 2000.
• Howard, Cori. "Moving forward, looking back: Sandy Wilson returns to film with My Life in 8 Minutes." National Post, August 24, 2000.

Archival Collections

• Cinemathèque québécoise (Montréal, Québec)
• Library and Archives Canada (Ottawa, Ontario)