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Biography
Films celebrating the life and times of notable Canadians, past and present.Films
Brian Macdonald, Virtuoso Eclectic
- Framed against archival stills from Brian Macdonald's considerable career, this short ...
- by Tim Southam,
- 2008,
- 5 min 27 s
Family Band
- In this short documentary about The Tragically Hip, director David Battistella uses ...
- by David Battistella,
- 2008,
- 7 min 28 s
Anton & the Piano
- A short film featuring pianist Anton Kuerti. The virtuoso demonstrates the inner ...
- by David Acomba,
- 2008,
- 6 min 3 s
The Real Place
- Animator Cam Christiansen gives Texas-born playwright John Murrell's imagination free rein ...
- by Cam Christiansen,
- 2009,
- 5 min 26 s
A Charman Event
- Eric Charman is the life of the party, and not only because ...
- by Carl Bessai,
- 2008,
- 5 min 40 s
Pag
- All his life, Michel Pagliaro (Pag) has been on a quest for ...
- by Éric Tessier,
- 2008,
- 5 min 34 s
Congratulations, Mr. Levy
- A legend in his own mind, as well as a few other ...
- by Robin Neinstein,
- 2008,
- 5 min 21 s
Dream Magic
- This revealing portrait of NFB filmmaker Alanis Obomsawin was shown at a ...
- by Katerina Cizek,
- 2008,
- 4 min 41 s
The Whirlwind of Your Passion: A Philanthropist's Dream
- In director Barbara Willis Sweete's film, philanthropist James Fleck's own ...
- by Barbara Willis-Sweete,
- 2009,
- 7 min 6 s
Edith Butler - Daughter of the Wind and Acadie
- Combining interviews with teachers, admirers and musical peers, as well as footage ...
- by Monique LeBlanc,
- 2009,
- 5 min 53 s
Clémence Desrochers - Clémence Among the Gods
- Director Philippe Baylaucq captures Clémence Desrochers in total candidness, as she recounts ...
- by Philippe Baylaucq,
- 2009,
- 6 min 51 s
Robert Lepage
- Director J. Peter Allen borrows a page from Robert Lepage's favourite ...
- by Jeremy Peter Allen,
- 2009,
- 6 min 14 s
Capturing George
- George F. Walker's career has spanned almost four decades, but Rolly ...
- by Scott Smith,
- 2009,
- 6 min 7 s
Remembrance
- An award-winning actor, writer, producer and director, Paul Gross has struggled to ...
- by Randy Bradshaw,
- 2009,
- 4 min 54 s
Peggy Baker: Four Phrases
- Built around an intimate interview with the acclaimed Canadian dancer and choreographer ...
- by Howie Shia,
- 2009,
- 5 min 25 s
Buffy
- Folk music icon Buffy Sainte-Marie became internationally renowned with her protest song ...
- by John Walker,
- 2010,
- 6 min 16 s
The Impresario
- Walter Homburger helped bring Glenn Gould and a succession of other great ...
- by Anita Doron,
- 2010,
- 5 min 5 s
When You Give of Yourself
- Mohammed and Yulanda Faris are generous and devoted patrons of the arts ...
- by Lynne Stopkewich,
- 2010,
- 5 min 46 s
The Sentry
- Actor Françoise Faucher has embodied some of the greatest roles in French ...
- by ONFB,
- 2010,
- 5 min
Lock
- Choreographer Edouard Lock believes that movement embodies our interests and desires. In ...
- by Louise Archambault,
- 2010,
- 5 min 24 s
Bryan Adams: Governor-General's Performing Arts Award Tribute
- Bryan Adams is one of world’s most enduringly popular singer/songwriters ...
- by David Battistella,
- 2010,
- 5 min 16 s
Move Your Mind
- Faith. Heart. Imagination. These are the principles to which director Robin Phillips ...
- by Hubert Davis,
- 2010,
- 5 min 51 s
Yannick Nézet-Séguin: No Intermission
- He is a young man; an optimist drawn to dark music and ...
- by Theodore Ushev,
- 2010,
- 5 min 54 s
Jean André Élie
- This short film reveals that the visionary and gregarious Jean André Élie ...
- by ,
- 2011,
- 5 min 43 s
Yvon Deschamps
- This short film pays tribute to one of the founding fathers of ...
- by Matthieu Bouchard & Luc Bourdon,
- 2011,
- 6 min 3 s
What If?
- "Always remember to play," says Leslee Silverman, the visionary force behind the ...
- by Noam Gonick,
- 2011,
- 5 min 16 s
Rated R for Nudity
- In this short film, filmmaker Denis Villeneuve takes a playful stab at ...
- by ,
- 2011,
- 3 min 23 s
Uncommon Hero
- This short film pays tribute to Paul Thompson, a man who has ...
- by John L'Ecuyer,
- 2011,
- 4 min 8 s
A Composer's Dream
- This short film demonstrates how Howard Shore has distinguished himself as one ...
- by Barbara Willis-Sweete,
- 2011,
- 7 min 37 s
Source
- In this short film, Margie Gillis becomes the very embodiment of modern ...
- by Pepita Ferrari,
- 2011,
- 6 min 7 s
China Mission: The Chester Ronning Story
- Tom Radford's documentary chronicles the life of Chester Ronning, best remembered ...
- by Tom Radford,
- 1980,
- 57 min 36 s
The Sword of the Lord
- This documentary records the extraordinary determination of Jungle Jim Hunter to be ...
- by Giles Walker,
- 1976,
- 57 min 50 s
The Quest
- This short film is a re-enactment of the critical year in Dr ...
- by Stanley Jackson,
- 1958,
- 38 min 13 s
Volcano: An Inquiry into the Life and Death of Malcolm Lowry
- This feature-length Oscar®-nominated documentary focuses on Malcolm Lowry, author of one ...
- by Donald Brittain & John Kramer,
- 1976,
- 99 min 20 s
Margaret Atwood: Once in August
- In Margaret Atwood: Once in August, filmmaker Michael Rubbo attempts to discover ...
- by Michael Rubbo,
- 1984,
- 57 min 25 s
A Little Fellow from Gambo - The Joey Smallwood Story
- This feature-length documentary paints a lively portrait of Father of Confederation and ...
- by Julian Biggs,
- 1970,
- 56 min 11 s
Ladies and Gentlemen... Mr. Leonard Cohen
- This informal black-and-white portrait of Leonard Cohen shows him at age 30 ...
- by Donald Brittain & Don Owen,
- 1965,
- 44 min 1 s
Lonely Boy
- This short film portrays the story of singer Paul Anka, who rose ...
- by Wolf Koenig & Roman Kroitor,
- 1962,
- 26 min 35 s
Lismer
- This short documentary looks at the work of artist Arthur Lismer, a ...
- by Allan Wargon,
- 1951,
- 19 min 10 s
The Kid Who Couldn't Miss
- Paul Cowan's feature-length film combines fiction and reality to tell the ...
- by Paul Cowan,
- 1982,
- 79 min 16 s
Jack Rabbit
- This short film retraces the life of Herman Smith Johannsen – the man ...
- by William Brind,
- 1975,
- 28 min 40 s
I Don't Have to Work that Big
- A short documentary about sculptor Joe Fafard. Joe knows cows. He knows ...
- by Michael McKennirey,
- 1973,
- 27 min 20 s
Hofmann's Potion
- This documentary offers a compassionate, open-minded look at LSD and how it ...
- by Connie Littlefield,
- 2002,
- 56 min 35 s
Varley
- A portrait of Frederick Varley, Canadian painter and member of the Group ...
- by Allan Wargon,
- 1953,
- 16 min 23 s
Ten Million Books: An Introduction to Farley Mowat
- Farley Mowat has sold more books than any other Canadian writer – 10 ...
- by Andy Thomson,
- 1981,
- 25 min 15 s
Tommy Douglas: Keeper of the Flame
- This feature documentary traces the political career of T.C. (Tommy) Douglas ...
- by Elise Swerhone,
- 1986,
- 57 min 47 s
Georges P. Vanier: Soldier, Diplomat, Governor General
- This short documentary looks at Governor General Georges Vanier: his military service ...
- by Clément Perron,
- 1960,
- 29 min 25 s
Dashan - Ambassador to China's Funny Bone
- This documentary introduces us to Mark Rowswell, a Canadian comedian virtually unknown ...
- by Guy Nantel,
- 1996,
- 50 min
David Fennario's Banana Boots
- This documentary invites you to join acclaimed playwright David Fennario for a ...
- by Alec MacLeod,
- 1998,
- 48 min 20 s
The Champions, Part 3: The Final Battle
- The final instalment of this 3-part documentary series about Pierre Elliott Trudeau ...
- by Donald Brittain,
- 1986,
- 87 min 2 s
The Champions, Part 2: Trappings of Power
- Part 2 of this 3-part documentary series about Pierre Elliott Trudeau and ...
- by Donald Brittain,
- 1978,
- 55 min 35 s
The Champions, Part 1: Unlikely Warriors
- In Part 1 of this 3-part documentary series, director Donald Brittain chronicles ...
- by Donald Brittain,
- 1978,
- 57 min 10 s
Democracy on Trial: The Morgentaler Affair
- Paul Cowan's film captures the spirit of the legal battle over ...
- by Paul Cowan,
- 1984,
- 58 min 42 s
Buster Keaton Rides Again
- In this film Keaton rides across Canada on a railway scooter and ...
- by John Spotton,
- 1965,
- 55 min 25 s
Bethune
- This feature documentary is a biography of Dr. Norman Bethune, the Canadian ...
- by Donald Brittain,
- 1964,
- 58 min 38 s
Alter Egos
- In this award-winning animated documentary we meet two unusual artists. Ryan Larkin ...
- by Laurence Green,
- 2004,
- 52 min 27 s
30 Minutes, Mister Plummer
- This short documentary profiles Canadian actor Christopher Plummer of the Shakespearean Theater ...
- by Anne Claire Poirier,
- 1963,
- 27 min 29 s
William Shatner Sings O Canada
- When William Shatner gets a Lifetime Achievement Award from Canada's Governor ...
- by Jacob Medjuck,
- 2011,
- 5 min 28 s
