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Seven new NFB shorts celebrating Governor General’s Performing Arts Awards laureates launching June 8 at 9 p.m. ET on nfb.ca, CBC Gem and ICI TOU.TV

PRESS RELEASE
07/06/2024

June 7, 2024 – Montreal – National Film Board of Canada (NFB)

Seven National Film Board of Canada (NFB) short films celebrating Canadian performing arts excellence will premiere online Saturday, June 8, at 9 p.m. ET, immediately following the 2024 Governor General’s Performing Arts Awards (GGPAA) Gala at Ottawa’s National Arts Centre.

Canadians will be able to watch these moving tributes to this year’s laureates on the platforms of their choice, with films streaming on the NFB’s nfb.ca screening room as well as CBC Gem (in English) and ICI TOU.TV (in French).

For 16 years, the NFB has sought out accomplished Canadian directors to find the right combination of filmmaker, concept and laureate, producing portraits of distinguished Canadians that also stand on their own as innovative short works of cinema.

The NFB’s GGPAA film collection now totals 119 shorts produced since 2008, via a partnership with the Governor General’s Performing Arts Awards Foundation.

The laureates and their films

Lifetime Artistic Achievement Awards

Prolific 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 Song is 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.

    • Directed by Will Prosper and produced by Chanda Chevannes.

Groundbreaking theatre artist Ronnie Burkett has wowed audiences for decades with his imaginative and provocative reinventions of puppetry and storytelling. The Passion and Puppetry of Ronnie Burkett invites us into his home studio and his creative process, as the puppeteer generously and vulnerably reflects on a career that has pushed boundaries while allowing him to be genuinely himself.

    • Directed by Michelle Mama and produced by Chanda Chevannes.

Diane Juster: Foundation of a Song explores the legendary singer-songwriter’s profound relationship to melody, lyrics and emotion. In this intimate tribute, Diane Juster, an untiring advocate for protecting and encouraging Canadian artists, reflects on a legacy of love from her parents, one she’s passing on to a new generation of artists.

    • Directed by Gilles Doiron and produced by Christine Aubé.

A 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.

    • Directed by Michelle Mama and produced by Chanda Chevannes.

“Don’t make records, make history.” A true trailblazer, Wes “Maestro” Williams was the first Canadian rapper to break into the mainstream. In this snapshot portrait Wes to the East – Forward Movin’, Williams takes us through his career as a recording artist, actor, author and motivational speaker, a career that has always tirelessly looked ahead to shatter barriers for the next generation.

    • Directed by Gilles Doiron and produced by Christine Aubé.

National Arts Centre Award

Fiercely defying categorization, Artistic Frictions enters the world of iconic dancer and choreographer Mélanie Demers. Throughout a versatile and multifaceted career, Demers has reinvented the language of dance with her company, MAYDAY. Taking a cue from Demers’ reputation for highly imaginative works, this cinematic portrait invites audiences to a sumptuous banquet with dynamic contemporary dancers and performers.

    • Directed by Gilles Doiron and produced by Christine Aubé.

Ramon John Hnatyshyn Award for Voluntarism in the Performing Arts

“Being part of communities is how you understand them.” Taking audiences into the renowned Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity, and featuring live music and imagery from some of Canada’s most exciting creative talents, Home Is Where the Art Is pays homage to Calgary’s Jenny Belzberg and her unwavering dedication to the power of community and creativity in people’s lives.

    • Directed by Will Prosper and produced by Chanda Chevannes.

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French version here | Version française ici.

Media Relations

  • About the NFB

    Founded in 1939, the National Film Board of Canada (NFB) is a one-of-a-kind producer, co-producer and distributor of distinctive, engaging, relevant and innovative documentary and animated films. As a talent incubator, it is one of the world’s leading creative centres. The NFB has enabled Canadians to tell and hear each other’s stories for over eight decades, and its films are a reliable and accessible educational resource. The NFB is also recognized around the world for its expertise in preservation and conservation, and for its rich and vibrant collection of works, which form a pillar of Canada’s cultural heritage. To date, the NFB has produced more than 14,000 works, 6,500 of which can be streamed free of charge at nfb.ca. The NFB and its productions and co-productions have earned over 7,000 awards, including 11 Oscars and an Honorary Academy Award for overall excellence in cinema.