Suzanne Lebeau

In this documentary short, two actresses pay tribute to Suzanne Lebeau on the set of one of her many plays. One of them is Isabelle Miquelon, who brought this great woman of the theatre's words to life on stage in Le bruit des os qui craquent. The other is a young actress who tells us about the passion for telling truth to children that has driven Suzanne Lebeau throughout her career.

Produced by the National Film Board of Canada in co-operation with the National Arts Centre and the Governor General's Performing Arts Awards Foundation on the occasion of the 2016 Governor General's Performing Arts Awards.

This short follows grand dame of the theatre Diana Leblanc as she prepares for a role in The Dybbuk (Soulpepper Theatre Company) and gets ready to direct an opera (Madame Butterfly). The film weaves together archival footage, photographs, and animation depicting Leblanc as a young ballerina, offering an intimate reflection on her life’s passions, challenges, and lessons.

Produced by the NFB in co-operation with the National Arts Centre and the Governor General's Performing Arts Awards Foundation on the occasion of the 2015 Governor General's Performing Arts Awards.

In this feature documentary from The Next Big Thing series, 6 aspiring comedians try out for Montreal’s Just For Laughs comedy festival auditions and struggle to make it in Toronto's comedy scene.

Deanne Foley profiles fellow Newfoundlander Mary Walsh, the Great Warrior Queen of Canadian comedy, musing on time wasted

Deanne Foley profiles fellow Newfoundlander Mary Walsh, the Great Warrior Queen of Canadian comedy, musing on time wasted as an object of desire and time well spent as the fearless agent of her own destiny. A joyous call to action.

This feature-length film tells the story of the passion between Marie de l’Incarnation, a mid-seventeenth-century nun and God, her "divine spouse." Fusing documentary and acting by Marie Tifo, whom we follow as she rehearses for this demanding role, the film paints an astonishing portrait of this mystic who abandoned her son and left France to build a convent in Canada, where she became the first female writer in New France.

Michelle Smith is a Franco-Manitoban with a passion for arts and culture who puts her talents and people skills to work for Francophone arts organizations in her province, so that its language and community may endure and thrive.

Actor Françoise Faucher has embodied some of the greatest roles in French literature during her more than 60 years on stage. In this short documentary, she recalls the moments that led her to the theatre – and, as we watch images from her remarkable acting career, she speaks powerfully of how the best of our potential lies in our artistic expression.

In this concise portrait, director and art director Brigitte Haentjens talks about what inspires her work in theatrical creation. Her artistic choices are a response to a deep, dark need to rummage through a text until light bursts forth. Known for being outspoken and for her unconventional artistic approaches, Haentjens has left an indelible mark.

"Always remember to play," says Leslee Silverman, the visionary force behind the Manitoba Theatre for Young People, to 10-year-old William. The little boy stands at centre stage, rehearsing an exciting new role - that of Leslee Silverman.

Silverman observes with her customary wisdom and good humour. Drawing from Winnipeg's rich cultural tradition, she engages young people in the adventure of theatre, fired by the conviction that art belongs to everyone.

Produced by the National Film Board of Canada in co-operation with the National Arts Centre and the Governor General's Performing Arts Awards Foundation on the occasion of the 2011 Governor General's Performing Arts Awards.

Directed by Ariane Louis-Seize, this tribute film was created as a gift for Lorraine Pintal, director of Montreal’s Théâtre du Nouveau Monde. Featuring some of the most memorable characters and performers of Pintal’s career, the film’s succession of surreal scenes from different dramatic worlds introduces viewers to the exceptional woman of theatre, stage director, and friend whom they consider to be the “ghost light” of Quebec theatre.

In this non-narrative short, director Sophie Dupuis documents the daily lives of sailors aboard the frigate HMCS Ottawa on a mission in the Pacific Ocean, somewhere between the coasts of British Columbia and California. Composed of a series of contrasting scenes, the film immerses us in a maelstrom of sound and images, revealing the unique facets of a widely unknown world.