The Wendy Michener Award was a Canadian film award, presented by the

Canadian Film Awards The Canadian Film Awards were the leading Canadian cinema awards from 1949 until 1978. These honours were conducted annually, except in 1974 when a number of Quebec directors withdrew their participation and prompted a cancellation. In the 1970s ...

from 1969 to 1978 as a special achievement award for outstanding artistic achievements in film.Paul Townend
"Wendy Michener Award"
''

The Canadian Encyclopedia ''The Canadian Encyclopedia'' (TCE; french: L'Encyclopédie canadienne) is the national encyclopedia of Canada, published online by the Toronto-based historical organization Historica Canada, with the support of Canadian Heritage. Available f ...

'', October 1, 2007.

Origins

The award was created in memory of Wendy Michener, an arts journalist and film critic who was the daughter of former Governor General

Roland Michener Daniel Roland Michener (April 19, 1900 – August 6, 1991) was a Canadian lawyer, politician, and diplomat who served as Governor General of Canada, the 20th since Canadian Confederation. Michener was born and educated in Alberta. In 1917 he se ...

and his wife

Norah Michener Norah Willis Michener (1971) Norah Willis Michener PhDNorah Willis Michener (1953). ''The Integral Humanism of Jacques Maritain Related to His Philosophy of the Person'' (doctoral thesis). Biographical information. (1902–12 January 1987) was t ...

, following her death in 1969.

History

The award's purpose varied, as it was sometimes presented for unspecified general artistic achievements and other times for specific individual films; it was most commonly, but not always, used to honour emerging filmmakers for their breakthrough works. At the

25th Canadian Film Awards The 25th Canadian Film Awards were announced on October 12, 1973, to honour achievements in Canadian film.Maria Topalovich, ''And the Genie Goes To...: Celebrating 50 Years of the Canadian Film Awards''. Stoddart Publishing, 2000. . pp. 111-114. Q ...

in 1973, it was controversially awarded to film director

Gilles Carle Gilles Carle, (July 31, 1928As fully funny, Carle had pleasure to always give himself one year less, and to let people think wrongly that he was born in 1929, "The Year of the Big World Crash": see on the Quebec French newspapers that many writer ...

for "outstanding contribution to the Canadian Film Awards and the Canadian film industry", even though Carle had been one of the signatories to the boycott letter that precipitated the cancellation of that year's ceremony. The award was not always presented annually, and was discontinued when the Canadian Film Awards transitioned into the new

Genie Awards The Genie Awards were given out annually by the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television to recognize the best of Canadian cinema from 1980–2012. They succeeded the Canadian Film Awards (1949–1978; also known as the "Etrog Awards," for scul ...

in 1980.Maria Topalovich, ''And the Genie Goes To...: Celebrating 50 Years of the Canadian Film Awards''. Stoddart Publishing, 2000. .

Winners

*1969 -

Jean-Claude Labrecque Jean-Claude Labrecque, (June 19, 1938 – May 31, 2019) was a director and cinematographer who learned the basics of filmmaking at the National Film Board of Canada. Career Jean-Claude Labrecque was born in Quebec City, Quebec, and trained as ...

*1970 -

Jean Pierre Lefebvre Jean Pierre Lefebvre (; born 17 August 1941) is a Canadian filmmaker. He is widely admired as "the godfather of independent Canadian cinema," particularly among young, independent filmmakers. Biography Jean Pierre Lefebvre studied literature a ...

*1971 - ''none'' *1972 -

Mireille Dansereau Mireille Dansereau (born December 19, 1943) is a Canadian director and screenwriter who is known for "emulating the style and approach of her aesthetic role model, John Cassavetes". Biography Mireille Dansereau was a dancer for 15 years before ...

, '' Dream Life (La Vie rêvée)'' *1973 -

*1974 - ''none'' *1975 - ''none'' *1976 -

Caroline Leaf Caroline Leaf (born August 12, 1946 in Seattle, Washington) is a Canadian-American filmmaker, animator, director, tutor and artist. She has produced numerous short animated films and her work has been recognized worldwide. She is best known a ...

, ''

The Street The Street may refer to: Geographical *Wall Street in New York City's Financial District * The Street, Lawshall, Suffolk, England * The Street (Heath Charnock), a building and bridleway in Rivington, Lancashire, England Film and television * ''The ...

'' *1977 -

Zale Dalen Zale Dalen is a Canadian film and television director. He is known for the 1980 film ''The Hounds of Notre Dame'', for which he garnered a Genie Award nomination for Best Director at the 2nd Genie Awards in 1981, the cult films '' Skip Tracer'' (1 ...

, '' Skip Tracer'' *1978 -

Richard Gabourie Richard Gabourie (April 30, 1939 – October 11, 2004) was a Canadian actor, screenwriter and film producer, most noted for winning the Canadian Film Award for Best Actor in 1978 for '' Three Card Monte''. Born in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, Gabouri ...

, ''

Three Card Monte Three-card Monte – also known as Find the Lady and Three-card Trick – is a confidence game in which the victims, or "marks", are tricked into betting a sum of money, on the assumption that they can find the "money card" among three face-dow ...

Jay Scott Jeffrey Scott Beaven (October 4, 1949 – July 30, 1993), known professionally by his pen name Jay Scott, was a Canadian film critic."Critic Jay Scott, 43 among world's best". ''Toronto Star'', July 31, 1993. Early life Scott was born in Lincol ...

, "Unseen Silent Partner sweeps film awards". ''

The Globe and Mail ''The Globe and Mail'' is a Canadian newspaper printed in five cities in western and central Canada. With a weekly readership of approximately 2 million in 2015, it is Canada's most widely read newspaper on weekdays and Saturdays, although it ...

'', September 22, 1978.

References

{{Canadian Screen Awards Canadian Film Awards (1949–1978) Awards established in 1969 Awards disestablished in 1978