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Performing Arts (20)
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Andrea Martin: Nine Lives... and Counting!Michelle Mama 2024 4 minA bona fide icon, the indefatigable Andrea Martin is behind some of the most recognizable comedic performances to ever hit screens or stages. From the legendary show Godspell to the characters that made SCTV a household name, and recent roles where she continues to buck stereotypes with hilarious effect, Nine Lives… and Counting! pays tribute to an incandescent career of reinvention. -
Bill Loewen: Music in the Prairie NightMike Maryniuk 2017 5 min“Ideas and inventions are a strange thing.” William H. Loewen’s dynamic support of the arts has translated into a blossoming of imaginative work in Manitoba and across the country. Bolstered by an all-Manitoba creative team, director Mike Maryniuk sets documentary against experimental animation and a unique musical score to explore what it means to nurture creativity and see it grow.
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Capturing Captain Canada (a.k.a. Peter A. Herrndorf)Tara Johns 2018 5 minIn this fusion of fiction and documentary film, a Special Investigator catches a break when Peter A. Herrndorf volunteers to come in for questioning on an ongoing case. The Investigator quickly finds himself in a charming game of cat and mouse however, as he must determine whether this self-professed immigrant kid could really be the nation-building super hero he's been pursuing all these years.
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Congratulations, Mr. LevyRobin Neinstein 2008 5 minA legend in his own mind, as well as a few other places, actor Eugene Levy's (American Pie, Best in Show) eyebrows alone deserve a place in the hallowed halls of national treasures. Join director Robin Neinstein as he engages Levy in an infotainment interview that goes horribly wrong. This film was produced for the 2008 Governor General's Performing Arts Award.
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A Charman EventCarl Bessai 2008 5 minEric Charman is the life of the party, and not only because he's usually the person organizing it. As a lifelong patron of the arts, Charman has raised money for the Victoria Symphony, the Pacific Opera Victoria, and, most significantly The Victoria Conservatory of Music. The life of a bon vivant is not nearly as effortless as it seems. Over the past 40 years, Charman has presided over 400 charity auctions. In this short film created for the 2008 Governor General Awards, director Carl Bessai captures the effervescent Eric Charman doing what he does best - throwing a party.
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FlorenceThibaut Duverneix & Mathieu Léger 2018 5 minThis collaborative project brings together some of the biggest names in the Quebec contemporary dance scene: Simon Ampleman, Daina Ashbee, Marie Claire Forté, Margie Gillis, Benoît Lachambre and Andrew Tay. Inspired by honoree Florence Junca Adenot’s energy, the dancers capture her infectious vitality and fascinating, impassioned life through powerful and poetic improvised performances.
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 2018 Governor General's Performing Arts Awards. -
Family BandDavid Battistella 2008 7 minIn this short documentary about The Tragically Hip, director David Battistella uses a split-screen and acid-etched colours to distil the iconic Canadian band’s essence. After decades together, through hotels, highways, gigs and recording sessions, The Hip’s members have forged a powerful brotherhood. "These guys are my life partners, musically" says bass guitarist Gord Sinclair. The Hip's brand of straight-ahead rock and roll has catapulted the band to international stardom, and ensured them a place in Canadian musical history, but at heart, they remain a bunch of guys from Kingston, Ontario, making music together just for fun.
This film was produced for the 2008 Governor General's Performing Arts Award. -
The Image Mill2011 50 minThe Image Mill is an important archival record of a spectacular show put on by Robert Lepage and Ex Machina. The original work from 2008 is now part of our history. Shot from all angles (striking master shots, long pans and zooms), the film version includes breathtaking aerial views, while highlighting the narrative qualities of the original event and allowing Lepage’s symphonic and architectural vision to shine. René Lussier’s original soundtrack was reworked and reformatted to perfectly complement every image in this film, which immortalizes a monumental, iconic work celebrated worldwide for its artistry.
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The Image Mill RevealedMariano Franco & Marie Belzil 2009 51 minThis documentary describes the final 3 months leading up to the opening of Moulin à images, an impressionistic performance-event celebrating Quebec City's 400th anniversary. Director Robert Lepage works with a member of the Ex Machina team, leading a group of talented and creative young people who were invited to build this monumental panorama.
This film by Mariano Franco and Marie Belzil demonstrates the scope of the Lepage project, highlighting the contribution of every artist. The Image Mill Revealed is an adventure in art for the viewing audience. -
KubotaJonny Silver 1982 20 minA film featuring architect, sculptor, and musician Nobuo Kubota in a sound-sculpture performance. From within a cage-like structure filled with traditional musical instruments and sound-making devices fashioned from ordinary objects and toys, Kubota creates an aural/visual montage of musical notes and noises. Praised by music educators as a valuable tool for teaching creativity in sound exploration and musical innovation, the film reveals the infinite percussion possibilities of simple objects and presents a portrait of a versatile performer whose imagination has led him far beyond the confines of conventional music.
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k.d. lang: songs & silenceLaura O'Grady 2023 5 mink.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.
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Lynda Hamilton: The Art of ListeningClaude Guilmain 2019 4 minA portrait of Lynda Hamilton, dedicated and tireless supporter of Canadian performing arts, directed by Claude Guilmain.
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Michael M. KoernerMary Lewis 2015 4 minThroughout his imposing career in the energy and financial sectors, Michael Koerner has dedicated himself to philanthropic work of similarly epic proportions. In his personal life, long-standing passions still burn as bright and steady as the North Star. Driven by generosity and an unadulterated curiosity, he seems heroically intent on evading the limelight.
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. -
Measha Brueggergosman-Lee: A New SongWill Prosper 2024 4 minProlific and inspiring, Measha Brueggergosman-Lee has sung in concert halls on every continent, and on some of the world’s biggest stages. Bringing us intimately into her home, A New Songis an up-close and personal portrait of the acclaimed soprano, the first Black recipient of the prestigious Governor General’s Lifetime Artistic Achievement Award for Classical Music.
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The Magical Life of Long Tack SamAnn Marie Fleming 2003 1 h 28 minFilmmaker Ann Marie Fleming travels the globe to piece together the story of her great-grandfather, the cosmopolitan Long Tack Sam – an internationally renowned Chinese acrobat and magician who overcame isolation, poverty, cultural and linguistic barriers, extreme racism and world wars to become one of the most successful acts of his time. This first-person road movie celebrates the spirit of Long Tack Sam's magic and art in a richly textured and exhilarating testament to his legacy.
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RemembranceRandy Bradshaw 2009 4 minAn award-winning actor, writer, producer and director, Paul Gross has struggled to find the right balance between the heart and the head, between intellect and emotions. But sometimes a story comes along, captivates a filmmaker and simply won't leave. For Gross, this story was Passchendaele, a film based on his grandfather's experiences in a WWI battle that became synonymous with Canada's courage and resolution in the face of epic tragedy. This film was produced for the 2009 Governor General's Performing Arts Award.
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Robert Lepage2009 6 minFor Robert Lepage, every production begins with a sense of exploration and discovery, whether it is an intimate one-man show, or a re-staging of Wagner's epic Ring Cycle. Lepage's work marries technology with ritual, magic with cutting-edge effects to completely reinvent theatrical space. Director J. Peter Allen borrows a page from Lepage's favourite creative mediums (film and stage) to fashion a subtly shifting view of the famed director, playwright, actor and filmmaker at work.
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Sandra Oh, InspirationKaren Lam 2019 4 minInspired by Sandra Oh’s words and actions, director Karen Lam experiments with the concept of representation in the performing arts.
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Lorraine Pintal - So The Light Never DiesAriane Louis-Seize 2019 5 minDirected 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.
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William Shatner Sings O CanadaJacob Medjuck 2011 5 minWhen William Shatner gets a Lifetime Achievement Award from Canada's Governor General, he shows appreciation as only Shatner can. In this short film, the most famous space cadet in showbiz takes helm of our heritage and treats us to a memorable rendition of Canada's national anthem.
