Judith is the executive producer of Curious Features. As a producer, director, and writer of unscripted series and specials, her work has received awards and nominations and aired on networks in Canada, the US and all over the world. She loves collaborating with talented professionals to make absorbing television and films. She was presented with the 2024 YWCA Vancouver Woman of Distinction Award for Arts, Culture & Design.
Judith executive produced and directed The Secrets of Friendship – featuring “friendship detectives”, those scientists investigating the social lives of humans and other animals, including dolphins, dogs and macaques. It garnered a 2024 Golden Sheaf Award nomination in the Documentary: Science, Nature and Technology category and a Finalist Award in the Human Concerns category at the 2024 New York Festivals. It is now airing and streaming on The Nature of Things and CBC. Another film, Living Colour, can also be streamed in Canada on CBC Gem. The Globe and Mail called it “an enchanting and visually sumptuous examination of the science of colour” (John Doyle). The film won a Silver Medal Award for Best Direction, a Finalist Award for Best Documentary – Science and Technology at the New York Festivals, and two Leo Award nominations.
Judith also executive produced, directed and wrote Inseparable for CBC Docs POV. The film won a 2018 Platinum Remi Award and two bronze medals at the 2019 New York Festivals, one for Best Directing and one for Best Biography. Inseparable also received a 2019 Canadian Screen Award nomination (Best Biography program) and nominations for a 2018 Golden Sheaf Award, 2 Leo Awards (Best Short Doc and Best Direction in a Short Doc) and a Canadian Cinema Editor’s award.
In 2018, Judith was nominated for a Canadian Screen Award (Canada’s version of the “Emmys”) for Best Direction in a Documentary. The film, which she also co-wrote and story edited, was Cracking Cancer for CBC’s The Nature of Things with David Suzuki. A review of the film in The Lancet Oncology noted: “In presenting an accessible, detailed, and balanced look at the work of the POG team, The Nature of Things is doing valuable public engagement work at the cutting edge of cancer research.”
Judith has assembled and worked with many talented teams, show-running series and producing unscripted specials for various broadcasters. Over the past two decades, this has also involved tackling a wide range of stories, often directing and producing in various locations and countries around the world. She has interviewed and directed hundreds of people including renowned artists, top scientists, international figures and locals.
Judith has received various fellowships, including an MBL Logan Science Journalism Program Biomedical Hands-on Course Fellowship and a Harvard Medical School Media Fellowship. She was also the 2018 Harvey Southam Lecturer at the University of Victoria, an invited position for nationally known journalists and writers.
In addition to filmmaking, she enjoys working on her photography practise. She has an M.A. in Political Science from York University, a Graduate Diploma in Communication Studies from Concordia University and a B.A. in English from the University of Victoria.
Judith PykeExecutive Producer
Joe WoodwardBusiness Affairs
Jessica LouieAccountant / Additional Line Producing
Catharine ParkeWriter
Linda LaughlinStory Consultant / Writer
Garry WallaceEditor
Chris BizzocchiEditor
Todd CraddockCinematographer
Goran BasarićCinematographer