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Marie-France Guerrette Dempsey appointed Canadian Francophonie Producer at the NFB

PRESS RELEASE
09/12/2022

Marie-France Guerrette Dempsey. Self portrait.

December 9, 2022 – Montreal – National Film Board of Canada (NFB)

Nathalie Cloutier, Executive Producer at the NFB’s Quebec, Canadian Francophonie and Acadian Documentary Studio, is pleased to announce that Calgary-based Marie-France Guerrette Dempsey has been appointed to the position of Canadian Francophonie Producer.

Quote

“I welcome this appointment. It completes the Studio’s production team and reaffirms the NFB’s commitment to ensuring an ongoing presence among Francophone creators across Canada. Through her in-depth knowledge of the Francophone production community in Western Canada, Marie-France Guerrette Dempsey brings a unique perspective on creation in minority environments, which is invaluable for adequately supporting artists in producing their works. As a result, important and seldom-heard stories will now be able to be told.” — Nathalie Cloutier, Executive Producer, NFB Quebec, Canadian Francophonie and Acadian Documentary Studio

Marie-France Guerrette Dempsey’s career path

  • A Franco-Albertan of Acadian descent, documentary producer and director Marie-France Guerrette Dempsey has a rich background in production, having been the director, senior producer and executive producer of several nationally and internationally broadcast doc programs and TV series on Radio-Canada, Unis TV and TV5 Monde, among others.
  • Her work has received many nominations and awards, including a Golden Sheaf Award from the Yorkton Film Festival for Best Arts and Culture Documentary. She was also nominated for the Alberta Film and Television Award in the Best Director category.
  • As a director, Marie-France Guerrette Dempsey is known for her ability to tell stories and reveal characters empathetically and creatively. Her NFB-produced feature-length documentary Unmothered (2018) had a successful festival release, notably at the 2018 Festival international du cinéma francophone en Acadie (FICFA), and a national television broadcast in 2019, in addition to being awarded Best Canadian Feature Film at the 2019 NorthWest Fest. She’s also made two successful documentaries at the NFB, Together in Harmony (2008) and My Father, the King (2010).
  • Her bachelor’s degree in Psychology reflects her passion for people, and her goal is to explore personal stories that reveal human vulnerability and encourage audiences to see the world around them in a different light.
  • Marie-France Guerrette Dempsey has also been on various arts boards, including the board of DOC Alberta, Women in Film and Television Alberta and the Regroupement Artistique Francophone de l’Alberta.

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French version here | version française ici.

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  • About the NFB

    The National Film Board of Canada (NFB) is one of the foremost creative centres in the world. As a public producer and distributor of Canadian content, a talent incubator and a lever for Canada’s creative sector, the NFB produces nearly one hundred titles every year—from socially engaged documentaries and auteur animation to groundbreaking interactive works and participatory experiences. It was among the first cultural organizations to make clear commitments to gender parity; to launch an action plan with the goal of supporting Indigenous perspectives; and to establish concrete actions and targets that promote diversity, equity and inclusion. In addition to serving as a reference point around the world for digitization and preservation practices, the NFB ensures the long-term conservation of its works as part of the audiovisual heritage of all Canadians.