Joanne Sarazen is a Canadian actress and writer."Play debating merits of procreation opens in Nanaimo". Nanaimo News Bulletin, February 27, 2020. She is most noted as co-writer with Sook-Yin Lee of the 2024 film Paying for It, for which they won the Canadian Screen Award for Best Adapted Screenplay at the 13th Canadian Screen Awards in 2025.Charles-Henri Ramond, "Écrans canadiens 2025: les nominations". Films du Québec, March 27, 2025.
Originally from Ottawa, Ontario, she began her career as a stage actress and playwright in Montreal, Quebec, with her plays including Jesus Jell-O,Pat Donnelly, "Jesus Jell-O: The Miraculous Confection at MainLine Theatre". Montreal Gazette, December 3, 2010. The Ronda M. Leacock Memorial Beauty Pageant,Tanya Foubert, "Banff Pride a success, but no flag flown". Rocky Mountain Outlook, October 30, 2014. Miss Ellen Q,Tanya Foubert, "The evolution of Miss Ellen Q". Rocky Mountain Outlook, February 28, 2019. and The Doll Play.Carly Maga, "The Doll Play dramatizes the effects of sexual trauma through abused toys". Toronto Star, May 23, 2019.
She studied screenwriting at the Canadian Film Centre in 2017. Her first screenplay, Tammy's Always Dying, was directed by Amy Jo Johnson and premiered at the 2019 Toronto International Film Festival.Victoria Ahearn, "How 'Power Rangers' star's tragic past helped her direct film debuting at TIFF". CTV News, September 5, 2019.
Her second screenplay, Backspot, was directed by D. W. Waterson and premiered at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival,Sarah-Tai Black, "Backspot focuses on the challenges, vulnerabilities of teenage cheerleaders". The Globe and Mail, September 12, 2023. and Paying for It premiered at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival.Peter Howell, "This Toronto pair put their unorthodox sex lives on film in ‘Paying for It,’ premiering at TIFF". Toronto Star, September 5, 2024.
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