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English-language Writers (37)

  • The Author of These Words: Harold Horwood
    The Author of These Words: Harold Horwood
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    William D. MacGillivray 1982 29 min
    Newfoundland writer Harold Horwood has been called many things, but his own opinion of himself is undiminished. A former union organizer, politician in the Smallwood government, muckraking journalist, and founder of a counterculture "free school" in the 1960s, he is also an award-winning author whose regional base has not lessened his national stature.
  • Alden Nowlan: An Introduction
    Alden Nowlan: An Introduction
    Jon Pedersen 1984 28 min
    This short documentary introduces us to Alden Nowlan, winner of Canada’s 1967 Governor General’s Award for poetry. His empathy for ordinary people was evident in his work as a poet, journalist, short-story writer, novelist and playwright. Nowlan’s writing is admired far beyond his native Maritimes, but he never forgot his roots, which he drew on for inspiration. This film, shot just before his death in 1983, records him reminiscing and reading from his work.
  • Aloud/Bagatelle
    Aloud/Bagatelle
    Donald McWilliams 1983 6 min
    Canadian poet Earle Birney indulges his love of trains in this performance of his sound poem To Swindon from London by Britrail. In fluent "trainish," he interprets the experience of excursions by rail. Imagination sparked by the rhythm of wheels and the clink of couplings, Birney hums, hisses and hoots his way through archival footage of vintage trains and the English countryside. A must for language, animation and train buffs.
  • Autobiographical by A.M. Klein
    Autobiographical by A.M. Klein
    Richard Notkin 1965 10 min
    A poet's view of Montréal, as revealed in the rich imagery of his verse. From Klein's poetry this film reveals what he saw and valued, and so presents a many-sided vignette of the old Montréal and the Jewish community he knew as a boy. The poems are read by Alexander Scourby.
  • Canadians Abroad
    Canadians Abroad
    Don Haldane 1956 30 min
    This short documentary from 1956 catches up with several talented Canadians who have found a home in the entertainment or arts scenes of London and Paris. Among them are Toronto-born Beverley Baxter, a baronet and MP who claims that London has a history of being invaded (first the Romans, now the Canadians), and then-aspiring novelist Mordecai Richler, who feels he has a better chance of making a living in England than he does back home.
  • Duncan Campbell Scott: The Poet and the Indians
    Duncan Campbell Scott: The Poet and the Indians
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    James Cullingham 1995 56 min
    Duncan Campbell Scott (1862-1947) is best known as one of Canada's prominent early literary figures. That he was also a federal civil servant who rose through the bureaucracy to become one of the most powerful heads of the Indian Department, is not well known. From 1913 to 1932, Scott was responsible for the implementation of the most repressive and brutal assimilation programs Canada ever levied against First Nations, Metis and Inuit Peoples. Duncan Campbell Scott: The Poet and the Indians explores the apparent contradiction between Scott, the sensitive and respected poet, and Scott, the insensitive enforcer of Canada's most tyrannical policies.
  • Darts in the Dark: An Introduction to W.O. Mitchell
    Darts in the Dark: An Introduction to W.O. Mitchell
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    Robert Duncan 1980 18 min
    Canadian author, humorist and storyteller W.O. Mitchell talks about his career as a writer and performer. Known for his witty radio and television appearances, Mitchell shows a more serious side as he reveals his personal views on writing and on the meaning of life and death. Passages from Who Has Seen the Wind and the Jake and the Kid stories reflect the many facets of this self-proclaimed "folksy foothills philosopher" from the Prairies.
  • Eye Witness No. 68
    Eye Witness No. 68
    Walford Hewitson Douglas Wilkinson , … 1954 10 min
    Birth of a Book: A look at the Canadian literary field showing authors who have made the grade, such as Morley Callaghan, Hugh MacLennan, Gabrielle Roy and Roger Lemelin. Eskimo Work Arctic Coal Mine: Baffin Island Inuit of Pond Inlet find easy cash and a ready market for the product of their surface coal mine. Dispatch Riders Perform Cycle Capers In Kingston, Ontario: the display team of the Royal Canadian Corps of Signals stages a dare-devil motorcycling exhibition.
  • Enigmatico
    Enigmatico
    David Mortin  &  Patricia Fogliato 1995 51 min
    Interweaving poetry, painting, photography, music and sculpture, this feature documentary is an innovative look at the lives and work of Canadian men and women artists of Italian origin. Broaching issues of identity and culture, the film explores the relationship between the immigrant experience and the creative process.
  • Finding Farley
    Finding Farley
    Leanne Allison 2009 1 h 2 min
    In this feature documentary, husband-and-wife team Karsten Heuer and Leanne Allison (Being Caribou), along with their 2-year-old son and dog, retrace the literary footsteps of Canadian writer Farley Mowat. They canoe east from Calgary towards the Prairies (the geography of Farley's Born Naked and Owls in the Family) and then traverse the same paths that Mowat took more than 60 years earlier in Never Cry Wolf and People of the Deer. Their epic 5,000 km journey—trekking, sailing, portaging and paddling—ends in the Maritimes, at Mowat's Nova Scotia summer home.
  • F.R. Scott: Rhyme and Reason
    F.R. Scott: Rhyme and Reason
    Donald Winkler 1982 57 min
    This feature documentary looks at the multi-faceted career of F.R. Scott (1899-1985), a Canadian poet, thinker and constitutional expert whose work and vision of social justice spanned and influenced an entire era. The film looks at Scott's role in the founding of the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation Party in the 1930s, his years as a teacher of constitutional law, as a modernist poet, and as a champion of civil liberties. Highlights include Scott's courtroom challenges of the Duplessis regime in the 1950s, his controversial support of the War Measures Act during the 1970 October Crisis in Québec, and readings from his poetry.
  • The Geographies of DAR
    The Geographies of DAR
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    Monique LeBlanc 2023 1 h 13 min
    A visually stunning film on acclaimed author David Adams Richards and his connection to one of Canada’s most overlooked yet breathtaking regions.
  • Hugh MacLennan: Portrait of a Writer
    Hugh MacLennan: Portrait of a Writer
    Robert Duncan 1982 57 min
    A portrait of and tribute to the author who, with the publication of Barometer Rising in 1941, set a precedent in Canadian literature by writing about Canadian topics and places and, in so doing, paved the way for a thriving national literary movement. Through the use of still photographs, archival footage and interviews, this documentary traces seven decades of MacLennan's public and private life--as a young boy in Nova Scotia, brought up in a strict Presbyterian family of Scottish descent, as a Rhodes scholar at Oxford, as a professor at McGill University, and as the author of seven novels and numerous essays. Also featured in the film are several readings from MacLennan's work.
  • In Love and Anger: Milton Acorn - Poet
    In Love and Anger: Milton Acorn - Poet
    Kent Martin 1984 52 min
    This feature documentary profiles poet Milton Acorn, who left his home in Prince Edward Island in the late 1940s to earn his living as an itinerant carpenter, and wound up in Toronto as one of Canada's most highly regarded poets and one of its most outrageous literary figures. Dubbed "The People's Poet" by fellow poets, he won the Governor General's Literary Award in 1975. Burned out by personal crises, Acorn moved back to Charlottetown in 1981. This film, directed by a P.E.I. filmmaker, brings out Acorn's wit, love of nature, unorthodox political views, and sometimes infuriating personal contradictions.
  • In Search of Innocence
    In Search of Innocence
    Léonard Forest 1964 27 min
    A questioning filmmaker from Québec finds out how Vancouver's poets and painters look at life and art. Among the people seen are sculptor Donald Jarvis, painters Jack Shadbolt, Joy Long and Margaret Peterson, and printmaker Sing Lim.
  • Jack Hodgins' Island
    Jack Hodgins' Island
    Robert Duncan 1981 56 min
    One of Canada's most exciting new literary talents, West Coast author Jack Hodgins talks about his world and his work. Using passages from his short stories and novels, the film enters the world of logging camps and saloons, of people and events on Vancouver Island. At times serious, sometimes hilarious, other times introspective, it is a reflection of a storyteller who writes about what goes on around him.
  • John McCrae's War: In Flanders Fields
    John McCrae's War: In Flanders Fields
    Robert Duncan 1998 46 min
    This feature documentary profiles poet John McCrae, from his childhood in Ontario to his years in medicine at McGill University and the WWI battlefields of Belgium, where he cared for wounded soldiers. Generations of schoolchildren have recited McCrae’s iconic poem “In Flanders Fields,” but McCrae and Alexis Helmer—the young man whose death inspired the poem—have faded from memory. This film seeks to revive their stories through a vivid portrait of a great man in Canadian history.
  • Ladies and Gentlemen... Mr. Leonard Cohen
    Ladies and Gentlemen... Mr. Leonard Cohen
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    Donald Brittain  &  Don Owen 1965 44 min
    This informal black-and-white portrait of Leonard Cohen shows him at age 30 on a visit to his hometown of Montreal, where the poet, novelist and songwriter comes "to renew his neurotic affiliations." He reads his poetry to an enthusiastic crowd, strolls the streets of the city, relaxes in this three-dollar-a-night hotel room and even takes a bath.
  • Listening for Something... Adrienne Rich and Dionne Brand in Conversation
    Listening for Something... Adrienne Rich and Dionne Brand in Conversation
    Dionne Brand 1996 55 min
    The nation, the country, where do we belong in it? In this film through conversation and poetry two poets meet for the telling and the listening. Adrienne Rich is a distinguished American feminist poet, and author of numerous books of prose, poetry, essays and speeches. Dionne Brand is a Trinidadian-Canadian femininst poet, writer and filmmaker. Incisive and inquisitive, the two women meet to discuss the world as they each see it. Claiming any subject, they talk about events as they see them, analytic, contemplative, honest and open ended. Topics include political issues, feminism, racism and lesbianism, among others. The viewer is invited into the exchange by the familiar images of two women talking intimately around a kitchen table, in corridors, or casually outdoors in the United States, Tobago and Canada. Shot in black and white and in colour, the conversation takes us over the territories of their poetry.
  • Margaret Atwood: Once in August
    Margaret Atwood: Once in August
    Michael Rubbo 1984 57 min
    In Margaret Atwood: Once in August, filmmaker Michael Rubbo attempts to discover what shapes the celebrated writer's fiction and what motivates her characters. As one of Canada's most distinguished poets and novelists, Atwood is also one of this country's most elusive literary figures.
  • Margaret Laurence, First Lady of Manawaka
    Margaret Laurence, First Lady of Manawaka
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    Robert Duncan 1978 52 min
    This feature documentary is a portrait of one of Canada's most celebrated authors, Margaret Laurence. Born in a small Prairie town in Manitoba, Laurence remained haunted by the images of this small Presbyterian home town. This film traces her life from the early days and introduces us to her characters, whom we meet through readings from her work by Canadian actress Jayne Eastwood. The film blends fact with fiction to give its audience a strong impression of who this very private person really was.
  • The Mystery of Mazo de la Roche
    The Mystery of Mazo de la Roche
    Maya Gallus 2011 52 min
    This feature documentary tells the mysterious story of Canadian author Mazo de la Roche, author of the Jalna novels. Using both dramatic and documentary techniques, the film explores this compelling woman’s uncommon family life and reveals the secrets behind the extraordinary partnership that allowed the Jalna saga to grow into the phenomenon it is today.
  • Mordecai Richler: The Writer and His Roots
    Mordecai Richler: The Writer and His Roots
    1983 57 min
    This feature documentary explores Mordecai Richler's cultural and geographic roots as well as his personal reasons for writing. The film includes excerpts from several of his books and movies as well as readings by the author.
  • Poets on Film No. 3
    Poets on Film No. 3
    Robert Doucet  &  Françoise Hartmann 1977 6 min
    This short film brings together animated interpretations of 2 poems by great Canadian wordsmiths: “Perishing Bird” by D.G. Jones, and “Mon école” by Sylvain Garneau.
  • Poets on Film No. 1
    Poets on Film No. 1
    Bozenna Heczko Elizabeth Lewis , … 1977 8 min
    This short film brings together animated interpretations of four poems by great Canadian wordsmiths: "Riverdale Lion" by John Robert Colombo, "A Kite Is a Victim" by Leonard Cohen, "Klaxon" by James Reaney and George Johnston’s "The Bulge."
  • Poet: Irving Layton Observed
    Poet: Irving Layton Observed
    Donald Winkler 1986 52 min
    This feature documentary is a portrait of the life and work of Canadian poet Irving Layton. Here, the artist who long masked himself in controversy, unexpectedly agrees to be unmasked in front of the camera. The 1981 Nobel nominee not only reads and explicates his own writings, but also speaks incisively about Canadian literature itself, defining it metaphorically as a "double hook" that combines "beauty and terror."
  • Poets on Film No. 2
    Poets on Film No. 2
    Janet Perlman Joyce Borenstein , … 1977 7 min
    This short film brings together animated interpretations of 4 poems by great Canadian wordsmiths: “From the Hazel Bough” by Earle Birney, “Travellers Palm” by P.K. Page, “Death by Streetcar” by Raymond Souster, and “A Said Poem” by John Robert Colombo.
  • Poen
    Poen
    Josef Reeve 1967 4 min
    This short film features 4 readings of a prose poem from Leonard Cohen’s novel Beautiful Losers. Read by Cohen himself, the poem produces a distinct emotional effect every time it is read, following the poet’s rendition and accompanying visuals.
  • The Scholar in Society: Northrop Frye in Conversation
    The Scholar in Society: Northrop Frye in Conversation
    Donald Winkler 1984 28 min
    This film interview affords a glimpse of a bold and learned mind illuminating important social issues. Responding to questions on the related topics of language, democracy, and the role of the modern university, acclaimed literary critic Northrop Frye explains why education is crucial: "A democracy cannot function without articulate citizens." Frye claims that the university is a place where individual liberty becomes possible, as students learn to question beliefs imposed by society. For Frye, reading and writing are "instruments of freedom."
  • Still Waters: The Poetry of P.K. Page
    Still Waters: The Poetry of P.K. Page
    Donald Winkler 1990 38 min
    This short film encapsulates the life of P.K. Page, a Canadian woman who has reached international stature as both a painter and a poet. Through an exploration of her life and art, the film shows how her powerful works have extended beyond their inherent confines into the realms of anthropology and ecology.
  • Song of Eskasoni
    Song of Eskasoni
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    Brian Guns 1993 28 min
    Eskasoni is the home of celebrated Mi’kmaq poet Rita Joe. This Cape Breton village is enjoying a revival of Indigenous traditions and spirituality which inspires much of Rita Joe's writing. For twenty years her poetry and her presence have touched thousands with dignity. This video is a celebration of the spiritual pride of the Mi’kmaq as embodied in Rita Joe's writings and her life.
  • Ten Million Books: An Introduction to Farley Mowat
    Ten Million Books: An Introduction to Farley Mowat
    Andy Thomson 1981 25 min
    Farley Mowat has sold more books than any other Canadian writer – 10 million copies in 22 languages in 50 countries. In this short film, Mowat recalls some of his experiences that have found their way into his work.
  • Volcano: An Inquiry into the Life and Death of Malcolm Lowry
    Volcano: An Inquiry into the Life and Death of Malcolm Lowry
    Donald Brittain  &  John Kramer 1976 1 h 39 min
    This feature-length documentary focuses on Malcolm Lowry, author of one of the major novels of the 20th century, Under the Volcano. But while Lowry fought a winning battle with words, he lost his battle with alcohol. Shot on location in four countries, the film combines photographs, readings by Richard Burton from the novel and interviews with the people who loved and hated Lowry, to create a vivid portrait of the man.
  • Wood Mountain Poems
    Wood Mountain Poems
    Harvey Spak 1978 28 min
    In this short documentary, Canadian poet Andrew Suknaski introduces us to Wood Mountain, the south central Saskatchewan village he calls home. In between musings on his poetry, which is tinged with nostalgia and the vast loneliness of the plains, the poet discusses the area’s multicultural background and Native heritage, as well as the customs and stories of these various ethnic groups.
  • Where Is Here?
    Where Is Here?
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    Sturla Gunnarsson 1987 53 min
    A behind-the-scenes look at the making of the 100th anniversary issue of Saturday Night magazine. The film follows a number of prominent Canadian writers as they research and write stories for this special edition. Interviews with Antonine Maillet, Robertson Davies, Mordecai Richler, David Macfarlane, Margaret Atwood and Peter Foster are featured, as well as excerpts from some of their stories.
  • A Writer in the Nuclear Age: A Conversation with Margaret Laurence
    A Writer in the Nuclear Age: A Conversation with Margaret Laurence
    Terre Nash 1985 9 min
    In this short film, internationally acclaimed author Margaret Laurence passionately addresses several issues related to peace: the social responsibility of the writer; language usage and reality; jargon and "newspeak"; imagination, meaning and understanding; the nuclear threat; world leadership; the role of empathy in communication; the distinctions between fiction and didactic writing; and the power of "ordinary" people to influence events. The film's scope makes this an excellent discussion starter in diverse subject areas.
  • W.O. Mitchell: Novelist in Hiding
    W.O. Mitchell: Novelist in Hiding
    Robert Duncan 1980 57 min
    This feature documentary turns the lens on Canadian playwright and novelist W.O. Mitchell. Throughout the film we see him in his many different roles – writer, teacher, family man, entertainer – as he talks candidly about himself, his work and the effect the Prairies have had on him, both personally and professionally.