Moira Simpson is an award-winning filmmaker whose 40-year career includes dozens of NFB documentaries and independent and television projects. Her work is driven by a deep belief in film’s power to advance social justice, tackling urgent issues ranging from gender-based violence to Indigenous rights.

Early in her career, Simpson directed Feeling Yes, Feeling No (1984), a groundbreaking NFB-produced series empowering children to prevent sexual abuse, which was adopted in schools across Canada and internationally. At the Crossroads (1987) is a feature-length documentary that looks into the country’s financial nuances during the 1970s and ’80s. This was followed up by Changes, Especially You and Head Full of Questions in 1989, about the skills pre-adolescents will need to cope with peer pressure. Simpson also explores profound human stories in films such as Kosovo: Fragile Peace (2002), which follows a Canadian human rights lawyer helping to rebuild postwar Kosovo. 

Consisting of five films, all available on NFB.ca, the powerful Recovery Series (1984) provided visibility for women navigating addiction and mental health challenges. Having voluntarily spent some time in a rehabilitation centre, Simpson understood the critical importance of giving a voice to these experiences, to combat stigma, foster empathy and offer a vital source of hope and solidarity. 

Beyond directing and cinematography, Simpson has mentored future filmmakers through her teaching at UBC, Emily Carr and SFU, and by leading workshops in a wide variety of places, from Canada’s Arctic to Nairobi. Her career reflects an unwavering commitment to amplifying marginalized voices through visual storytelling.