Our Team
Anita is drawn to sharing inspiring and meaningful non-fiction stories through the lens. For over 22 years she has worked internationally as a photographer, capturing images for magazines, television, advertising and films. She expanded into filmmaking in 2018 as another creative means to communicate real life narratives that open greater diversity and acceptance worldwide. By working on a gun violence documentary and conducting interviews in penitentiaries, to conversations with politicians, she gained exceptional skills around sensitive topic matters. Her directing experience expanded while working on various independent and television productions, including for CBC.
Anita’s personal history has been the foundation of her desire to bring support and awareness to underrepresented communities. You can read more about her history and commitment to making a positive impact in others’ lives here: https://www.aboutface.ca/story/anita/
As a woman who experience fertility issues before having children, combined with 24 years of volunteering for a non-profit social inequality community, Anita felt drawn to share this intimate story for her first film directing role. As a mother raising boys, she wants them to be able to build the family life they want one day, not based on their gender or societal pressures.
I was drawn to this story because as a mother myself, I was fascinated that a woman would endure pregnancy and carry a baby for strangers from another country. She was touched by the obstacles that the couple and surrogate navigated together.
We followed the journey of our key subjects over five years. By filming in both Milan, Italy, and in Brampton, Ontario, we were able to ask difficult questions and gain emotional knowledge as to what a queer couple endured to have basic human rights....to be parents. This film aims to educate others how couples navigate having their dreams come true where their own country forbids them to legally adopt or have a surrogate. Most of all, we aim to provide hope and awareness to others who may be following similar paths, or for anyone seeking to understand.
Thank you truly for taking the time to watch our film.
Sasha Fisher
producer
Tamara Scherbak
Story Editor
Rolling Dolly Production Services
editor & Colour & sound editing
Lorenzo Barcella
music composer
Cathy Bogaart
script Editor
Fox Camp Studios
poster designer
Daniel Montiel Cisneros
Co-Editor
Francesco Uboldi
Milan Producer
Director
ANITA ZVONAR
Producers
ANITA ZVONAR
SASHA FISHER
FRANCESCO UBOLDI (MILAN)
Executive Producer
ANITA ZVONAR
Featuring
LORENZO
RICCARDO
DANIELE
JENNIFER
Interviewee
SIMONE PILLON
Director of Photography
GIANNI BONARDI (MILAN)
IVAN ARSOVSKI
Story Editor
TAMARA SCHERBAK
Editor
MARYAM BAKHTIAR
Music Composer
LORENZO BARCELLA
Camera Operator
RICO KING - BLACK KING ENTERTAINMENT
JOSEPH KISUSI
Location Sound Engineer
DIEGO COLOMBO (MILAN)
Production Assistant
DANIELE MARASCHI (MILAN)
Data Management Technician
NICK INGELBERTS (MILAN)
Co-Editor
DANIEL MONTIEL CISNEROS
Development Editor
PETER KELLY
Assembly Editor
WALTER RIGGI
Colourist
UMAR BAKHTIAR
Sound Design & Mixing
MARYAM BAKHTIAR
Script Editor
CATHY BOGAART
Research Assistant
GEMMA EVA
Assistant Grant Writers
CATHY BOGAART
SID RYAN EILERS
Legal
SARAH MILLAR
SUSANNA LOLLINI (ROME)
Poster Design
DAVID VINK - FOXCAMP STUDIO
Stock & Archival Footage
@Alessio Tricani | Dreamstime.com
© Kuprevich | Dreamstime.com
© Veranika Semchanka | Dreamstime.com
© Alexey Novikov | Dreamstime.com
© Mimnr1 | Dreamstime.com
© Matteoceruti70 | Dreamstime.com
© Lorenzo Dottorini | Dreamstime.com
© Evgeniy Fesenko | Dreamstime.com
© Blondesteve | Dreamstime.com
© Luckyphotographer | Dreamstime.com
Additional Stills & Footage Courtesy of:
RICCARDO & DANIELE
JENNIFER
SIMONE PILLON
Special Thanks
SARA GRISI
CHIARA VALCEPINA
ITA- ITALIAN TRADE AGENCY
GRATTACIELO PIRELLI - MILAN
MICHAEL JAMES PIERPOINT
ZHIMIN HU
BRYN HUGHES
CLAMAN CHU
SADIE ROSE
FAISAL LUTCHMEDIAL
LISA RIDEOUT
AVI FEDERGREEN
JENNIFER RUBINOW
FRANK & LISA HORVAT
MYLES HEROD
GEOFF CHAPMAN
FILM.CA CINEMAS
JOANNE MCCONNELL
JESSICA NASH
MARISSA PITT
GREG REITMAN
BYRON A. MARTIN
STACEY NEWMAN
ANNA ABBRUZZESE
EVELYN TE NYENHUIS
JULIA SAJN
LUISA & MIKAYLA ZVONAR
JULIE CORREA
MARY & VINCE ZVONAR
RICCARDO & DANIELE’S FRIENDS & FAMILY
Thank You To Our Generous Sponsors
CANADA COUNCIL FOR THE ARTS
NICOLE RICHARDS - WAX PENCIL IMAGES
PAUL & JEN ZVONAR
FOREVER GRATEFUL TO RICCARDO, DANIELE
AND JENNIFER FOR LETTING ME INTO THEIR LIVES
EXTRA SPECIAL THANKS TO MY HUSBAND, GREGOR, AND TO OUR SONS, BENJAMIN AND OLIVER
THIS FILM IS DEDICATED TO VALENTIN & KATARINA SAJN AND SILVIA ALESSI GRASSI
FILMED ON LOCATION IN MILAN, ITALY AND ONTARIO, CANADA
PRODUCED WITH THE SUPPORT OF CANADA COUNCIL FOR THE ARTS
