Biografia
Writer, director, and producer Palef once held an exclusive first-look overall production deal with Tri-Star. The studio president praised her comprehensive creative training and extensive experience across all facets of filmmaking—from story development and casting to post-production—as a significant asset. An accomplished filmmaker, Palef has adeptly brought stories to the screen with compelling depth and sensitivity.
Her short film "Walking the Dog," starring Frances Sternhagen, Victor Garber, and Joaquin Phoenix, garnered enthusiastic acclaim on the festival circuit, winning awards in the USA, the Chicago International, and Fort Lauderdale Film Festivals, alongside praise at prestigious non-competitive events such as the London, Toronto, and Virginia Film Festivals. It was notably the only English short invited to that year's Venice Film Festival.
Palef went on to produce and adapt the screenplay for the theatrical production "Marvin’s Room," featuring Meryl Streep, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Robert De Niro. The film earned Diane Keaton an Oscar nomination. She also produced the cult favorite "Parents," directed by Bob Balaban and starring Mary Beth Hurt and Randy Quaid, which received numerous accolades including the Critics Prize at the Avoriaz Film Festival in France and special recognition at the Tokyo Film Festival.
Serving as production manager and associate producer on the Oscar-winning "Moonstruck," written by John Patrick Shanley and directed by Norman Jewison, Palef’s creative contribution was acknowledged when Shanley personally congratulated her for her role in developing the screenplay. She later reunited Danny Aiello and Olympia Dukakis from "Moonstruck" in the Disney-produced feature "Cemetery Club," which also starred Ellen Burstyn and Diane Ladd. Palef also associate produced Norman Jewison’s controversial film "Agnes of God," starring Jane Fonda.
Her longstanding collaborations with Jewison and Patrick Palmer include projects such as "...And Justice For All," "The Dogs of War," "Best Friends," and "Iceman." As Vice President and Head of Creative Development at Yorktown Productions, she contributed to films like "A Soldier’s Story," "Children of a Lesser God," "Dance Me Outside," and "January Man."
Palef coordinated production for the 53rd Annual Academy Awards, showcasing not only her creative talents but also her resourcefulness when she had to rearrange live broadcast plans following the morning assassination attempt on President Reagan. For Garth Drabinsky, she worked on the feature films "The Silent Partner" and "Tribute." Additionally, she has written for the acclaimed children's program "Sesame Street" and co-directed a "Wide World of Sports" special for Canadian television. Palef also contributed as an editor for the Canadian newsweekly "Maclean’s" and as a correspondent for "On Location," a Los Angeles trade magazine.
Born in Canada, Palef earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree with honors in Film and Art History from York University in Toronto at just 18 years old. That same year, she joined the Writers Guild of Canada and worked on various projects for CBC and independent documentary and television production companies. She later pursued graduate studies at the New York Academy of Figurative Art, studying under renowned painters Eric Fischl, Vincent Desiderio, Jack Beal, and Edward Schmidt. Currently, Palef is developing projects as a producer with several major studios.
