Wanda Nolan and Ting Ting Chen discuss the making of theiraward-winning documentary Muse, how a meeting with Robert Tilley grew into an extraordinary friendship, and the creative challenges of bringing his story to the screen.
The Muse is now streaming free on The National Film Board of Canada (NFB) platforms - https://www.nfb.ca/film/the-muse/
Wanda Nolan is a writer, story consultant and filmmakerresiding in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador. Her award-winning short films have been screened nationally and internationally, including The Mystery of the Secret Room, which was produced by the NFB and nominated for two Golden Sheaf Awards (Yorkton Film Festival) and a Golden Egg Award (Reykjavik International Film Festival). In March 2020, she was honoured to be a Visiting Writer at the University of British Columbia School of Creative Writing. Wanda holds a Master of Fine Arts degree in Creative Writing from UBC. https://wandanolan.com/
Ting Ting Chen is a St. John’s based fine art photographer.Her photography works showcasing the beauty of Newfoundland have won multiple prestigious international photography awards. She left her home in Asia and came toNewfoundland, Canada in 2018. She found her new home in Newfoundland and her muse, Robert Tilley, her best friend and eternal muse. https://www.tingtingchenart.com/
About Muse - When 74-year-old Robert Tilley agreed to take photographer Ting Ting Chen on a road trip across Newfoundland, neither could have predicted the deep, cross-generational friendship that would blossom between them, nor how Robert’s role in Ting Ting’s art would challenge traditional ideas of the artist-muse relationship. This touchingshort film explores the concepts of aging, memory and identity while demonstrating the power of creative connection. Sadly, Robert passed away in December 2025.
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