THE HOW SHE DARES EXPERIENCE: Montreal Community Movie Night
About this Event
https://vimeo.com/1065270999?share=copy
THE HOW SHE DARES EXPERIENCE: Montreal Community Movie Night
Event Details
📅 Date: Monday, July 6, 2026
📍 Location: District 3 Innovation Center, Concordia University, Montreal
🎟️ Intimate gathering – limited to 50 seats
Join us at District 3 Innovation Hub for an intimate, inspiring community movie night about daring to be seen in your life, work, and leadership.
We will:
🎬 Watch How She Dares together
🗣️ Have an honest, unfiltered panel conversation about daring to be seen
🥢 Learn how to make Vietnamese summer rolls in a fun, relaxed demo
🤝 Connect with other women in Montreal who are building, reinventing, or starting something new
🕒 Evening Flow
4:00 PM – Arrival, welcome, and networking 🤗
5:00 PM – How She Dares community screening (with popcorn!) 🍿
6:00 PM – Interactive panel & conversation: Daring to Be Visible 🎤
6:45 PM – Live demo: Make Vietnamese Summer Rolls with Lotus Uong & Chao Collective 🥢
7:15 PM – Tasting, mingling, and networking 🥂
7:45 PM – Closing & goodbyes 💛
🎬 The Film
How She Dares shares the stories of women who have faced uncertainty, loss, and transition, and yet chose to step into courage, creativity, and leadership anyway.
Their journeys invite you to ask:
❓ Where am I ready to dare a little more?
❓ Where am I ready to be seen?
🥢 Food, Culture & Connection
To close the evening, Lotus Uong & Chao Collective will guide a live “How to make Vietnamese summer rolls” demo: simple, fresh, and fun.
You’ll:
✅ Learn the basics of rolling your own
✅ Enjoy a light bite together
✅ Keep connecting with other women in a warm, relaxed atmosphere
Who This Night Is For
This community movie night is for you if:
- You’re a woman entrepreneur, aspiring founder, creative, or professional
- You’re navigating a new chapter, reinvention, or growth
- You want inspiration, not pressure, community, not performance
- You’re curious about what might change if you let yourself be more visible
🎟️ Tickets
General Admission: $25
Includes:
🎬 Film screening
🎤 Panel conversation
🍿 Popcorn and light snacks
🥢 Vietnamese summer roll demo + tasting
🤝 Access to an intimate room of like-minded women
✨ Let’s dare to be visible, together!
The Conversation: Daring to Be Visible
After the screening, stay for an authentic, no-filter conversation on what it really looks like to become more visible: on social media, in your business, in your work, and in your own story.
We’ll explore:
- The fears and doubts that show up when you step forward
- How to use your voice even when it feels shaky
- Visibility as an act of leadership, not just self-promotion
Panelists:
Zoonie Nguyen – Executive Producer & Co-Director, How She Dares
Dina Merhbi – Self-leadership & Confidence Coach
Demi Vrettas – Operations & Project Management Partner
This is an interactive conversation: you’re invited to reflect, share, and ask questions.
About the Film:
From Vietnam-war refugee to Canadian business leader, Zoonie Nguyen’s unplanned, transformative journey connects with women entrepreneurs worldwide, weaving powerful stories of resilience and empowerment. With her teenage daughter at her side, Zoonie seeks answers to what it truly means to dare, embracing cultural identity and inspiring the next generation of bold, creative leaders.
Zoonie Nguyen
Executive producer/Co-Director
Coach, mentor, and inspiring voice of female entrepreneurship.A tireless visionary, she combines expertise in professional development and social commitment. In 2006, she founded Talentelle, a springboard to help women unlock their potential and achieve their ambitions. As co-producer and co-director of the documentary How She Dares, Zoonie highlights the resilient stories of women entrepreneurs from Vietnam and Canada, emphasizing their determination and strength. Her captivating seminars have inspired countless professionals, while her role as Quebec Ambassador for WEDO Canada amplifies her impact in supporting women nationwide. A Canadian of Vietnamese origin, Zoonie’s journey began with her return to Vietnam in 1995, a pivotal experience that transformed her life and fueled her passion for uplifting others. As a role model for many women entrepreneurs, she encourages aspiring founders to embrace their identity and step out of their comfort zones. Through her film, she aims to inspire future generations of women to pursue their entrepreneurial dreams fearlessly!
Victoria Bacani
Co-Director
Victoria Bacani is an emerging Filipino-Canadian filmmaker based in Toronto, known for her compelling storytelling and dedication to exploring intergenerational narratives. A proud graduate of Sheridan College with a Bachelor’s in Film and Television, Victoria is passionate about amplifying women’s and Asian-centered stories through her work. Her films aim to challenge conventional representation in media, offering fresh perspectives and nuanced portrayals that reflect the richness of her heritage and the experiences of underrepresented communities. Her short film “To My Own Blood” won the Jury Prize for Short Film at the Los Angeles Asian Film Awards in 2022. As she continues to hone her craft, Victoria remains committed to exploring and expanding the boundaries of storytelling in the film industry.
About our panelists:
Dina Merhbi is a self-leadership and confidence coach, and the founder of Reconnect.
With over 20 years of experience in coaching and consulting, she is a bestselling author and speaker featured on international stages and media platforms.
She supports ambitious professionals and entrepreneurs in becoming more visible in their personal life and more confident in their business by helping them strengthen their mindset, regulate their internal state, and move from self-doubt into aligned action.
Her work blends performance psychology, mindset coaching, and nervous system awareness to help clients create more clarity, energy, and ease in how they lead and live.
Demi Vrettas is an Operational & Project Management Partner who supports nonprofits, community organizations, and entrepreneurs with planning, systems, processes, and organizational growth.
She is particularly interested in how people, teams, and organizations work together, and how clear structures and ways of working can help turn ideas into action.
Where is it happening?
Event Location & Nearby Stays:
CAD 0.00 to CAD 25.00
