Michelle Smith: Culture at Heart

A tribute to an astonishing legacy and a rallying cry for a new generation, director Sara Elgamal’s Queen Bee brings the remarkable work of broadcaster, actor, and thinker Dr. Rita Shelton Deverell into focus. Cinematically shot and with striking use of archives, the film features a monologue from Deverell’s one woman play, Smoked Glass Ceiling, and offers an expansive vision for change.

Fernand Dansereau is one of Quebec’s most prolific filmmakers, having produced, directed and written more than sixty documentaries, fiction films and television serial dramas. Over the course of his career, he has helped forge new filmmaking practices such as cinéma de relation and direct cinema. This short film traces a long journey, during which Dansereau has constantly travelled the pathways of creativity, with kindness as his guide, giving voice to people seeking to define the essence of a nation. In the process, it affords the viewer a glimpse into the filmmaker’s own soul.

An intimate glimpse into the life of Cree author, musician, playwright, and storyteller Tomson Highway, who is the 2022 recipient of the Governor General’s Performing Arts Award for Lifetime Artistic Achievement. Through his warmth and Cree humour Tomson invites us into his home in Gatineau, Quebec, where he shares stories about his parents, reasons for living, and the power of music as a language in and of itself.

For Linda Rabin, all is movement. That has been the guiding principle for this pioneer of modern dance in Quebec, who has been a dancer, teacher, choreographer, somatic educator and the cofounder with Candace Loubert of l’École de danse contemporaine de Montréal in 1981. In Linda’s view, dancers’ gestures are not merely technically well executed movements, but expressions of life itself. Spirituality, openness to the world and the fluidity of bodies are here conveyed with subtlety.

Through a duet of poetry and self-reflection, choreographer Crystal Pite finds language to describe the wordless artform of dance. Glimpses into a rehearsal for her acclaimed work Revisor combined with images of natural and industrial forms, mirror the states of tension and connection within the human body.

After an incredible 40-year career, iconic producer and songwriter David Foster has still not achieved EGOT status (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, Tony). But today he’s about to achieve something much greater.

A window onto the world of a theatre giant, and an opportunity to discover the man behind the words. Michel Marc Bouchard discusses his youth and talks candidly about what has motivated him over the years to speak out and share his concerns, which resonate here at home and across the globe.

Raised in the wings of the theatre, it is perhaps no surprise that Molly Johnson was destined to become one of Canada’s greatest voices. Directed by Molly’s brother—acclaimed actor and director Clark Johnson—Molly Movie is as much a tribute to Molly’s singer-songwriter career as it is a testament to the communities she supports and the philanthropic work that drives her.

k.d. lang shares her perspective on preferring silence and listening to making noise as one of the 2023 recipients of the GGPAA for Lifetime Artistic Achievement. A musician, 2SLGBTQI+ activist, daughter and icon, lang transcends categorization. Here, she delves into the essence and significance of musical expression, examining its emotional impact on both the performer and the audience.

Paul Sun-Hyung Lee shares his love of family, acting and toys in this special episode of his Funboxing Sundays YouTube show. Okay, see you!

Sharing Lyric Art showcases the unique talent of soprano Rosemarie Landry, C.M. Her love of song and the French language has not only taken her on travels around the world—it’s also given her opportunities to share her passion with younger generations in every corner of the globe.