The Winnipeg Film Group (WFG) is an artist-run film education,
production
Production may refer to:
Economics and business
* Production (economics)
* Production, the act of manufacturing goods
* Production, in the outline of industrial organization, the act of making products (goods and services)
* Production as a stati ...
,
distribution Distribution may refer to:
Mathematics
*Distribution (mathematics), generalized functions used to formulate solutions of partial differential equations
* Probability distribution, the probability of a particular value or value range of a vari ...
, and exhibition centre in
Winnipeg
Winnipeg () is the capital and largest city of the province of Manitoba in Canada. It is centred on the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine rivers, near the longitudinal centre of North America. , Winnipeg had a city population of 749,6 ...
,
Manitoba
Manitoba ( ) is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada at the Centre of Canada, longitudinal centre of the country. It is Canada's Population of Canada by province and territory, fifth-most populous province, with a population o ...
, committed to promoting the art of Canadian cinema, especially independent cinema.
While specializing in short films, WFG's collection ranges from works one-second shorts to full-length features, with films spanning various genres including
narrative
A narrative, story, or tale is any account of a series of related events or experiences, whether nonfictional (memoir, biography, news report, documentary, travel literature, travelogue, etc.) or fictional (fairy tale, fable, legend, thriller (ge ...
drama and comedy,
animation
Animation is a method by which image, still figures are manipulated to appear as Motion picture, moving images. In traditional animation, images are drawn or painted by hand on transparent cel, celluloid sheets to be photographed and exhibited ...
experimental
An experiment is a procedure carried out to support or refute a hypothesis, or determine the efficacy or likelihood of something previously untried. Experiments provide insight into cause-and-effect by demonstrating what outcome occurs when ...
non-profit organization
A nonprofit organization (NPO) or non-profit organisation, also known as a non-business entity, not-for-profit organization, or nonprofit institution, is a legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public or social benefit, in co ...
, its operations are funded by the
Canada Council for the Arts
The Canada Council for the Arts (french: Conseil des arts du Canada), commonly called the Canada Council, is a Crown corporation established in 1957 as an arts council of the Government of Canada. It acts as the federal government's principal i ...
,
Manitoba Arts Council
The Manitoba Arts Council (MAC; ) is a provincial crown corporation whose purpose is to promote the arts. The Council awards grants to professional artists and arts organizations in Manitoba in all art forms; it also provides related creative act ...
, and Winnipeg Arts Council.
History
The Winnipeg Film Group was established in 1974 as a product of the annual Canadian Film Symposium at the
University of Manitoba
The University of Manitoba (U of M, UManitoba, or UM) is a Canadian public research university in the province of Manitoba.independent Canadian cinema.
During the Symposium, several local independent filmmakers came together to approach the government to help fund the creation of the Winnipeg Film Group, aiming to pool resources towards making independent films. By the end of the Symposium, all filmmakers in attendance—including
Denys Arcand
Georges-Henri Denys Arcand (; born June 25, 1941) is a French Canadian film director, screenwriter and producer. His film ''The Barbarian Invasions'' won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Film in 2004. His films have also been nominated three f ...
,
Donald Shebib
Donald Everett "Don" Shebib (born 27 January 1938) is a Canadian film director. Shebib is a central figure in the development of English Canadian cinema who made several short documentaries for the National Film Board of Canada and CBC Televisi ...
, and Colin Low—signed what they called the "Winnipeg Manifesto," which began, "We, the undersigned filmmakers, wish to voice our belief that the present system of film production / distribution / exhibition works to the extreme disadvantage of the Canadian filmmaker."
The Winnipeg Film Group was officially incorporated on 27 December 1974. Soon after, in 1976, WFG collaboratively produced its first completed film, ''Rabbit Pie''. In 1980, ''You Laugh Like a Duck'' marked the first co-production between WFG and the
Atlantic Filmmakers Cooperative
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's five oceans, with an area of about . It covers approximately 20% of Earth's surface and about 29% of its water surface area. It is known to separate the " Old World" of Africa, Europe an ...
. The following year, WFG began distributing independent films, and in the fall of 1982, WFG began its
cinematheque
A cinematheque is an archive of films and film-related objects with an exhibition venue. Similarly to a book library (bibliothèque in French), a cinematheque is responsible for preserving and making available to the public film heritage. Typica ...
/
revival house A revival house or repertory cinema is a cinema that specializes in showing classic or notable older films (as opposed to first run films). Such venues may include standard repertory cinemas, multi-function theatres that alternate between old movie ...
program (called Cinematheque), screening at the
National Film Board
The National Film Board of Canada (NFB; french: Office national du film du Canada (ONF)) is Canada's public film and digital media producer and distributor. An agency of the Government of Canada, the NFB produces and distributes documentary fi ...
’s Cinema Main. In 1984, ''The Three Worlds of Nick'' became the first WFG film to be screened at
Toronto Festival of Festivals
The Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF, often stylized as tiff) is one of the largest publicly attended film festivals in the world, attracting over 480,000 people annually. Since its founding in 1976, TIFF has grown to become a permane ...
(now the Toronto International Film Festival).
In 1986, WFG, in its entirety (including Cinematheque), moved into its current location in the Artspace Building at 100 Arthur Street, across the street from Winnipeg's Old Market Square. In 1989, three WFG members were nominated for
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 scu ...
: Ed Ackerman for ''Primiti Too Taa'', Lorne Bailey for ''The Milkman Cometh'', and
Guy Maddin
Guy Maddin (born February 28, 1956) is a Canadian screenwriter, director, author, cinematographer, and film editor of both features and short films, as well as an installation artist, from Winnipeg, Manitoba. Since completing his first film i ...
for ''
Tales From The Gimli Hospital
''Tales from the Gimli Hospital'' is a 1988 film directed by Guy Maddin. His feature film debut, it was his second film after the short '' The Dead Father''. ''Tales from the Gimli Hospital'' was shot in black and white on 16 mm film and star ...
Bristol, England
Bristol () is a city, ceremonial county and unitary authority in England. Situated on the River Avon, it is bordered by the ceremonial counties of Gloucestershire to the north and Somerset to the south. Bristol is the most populous city in S ...
, hosted an 8-city, 4-film tour of work from the Winnipeg Film Group. WFG also partnered with Video Pool to establish "RE:VISIONS – The Winnipeg Women’s Film and Video Festival". Also that year, the WFG earned a
lifetime achievement award
Lifetime achievement awards are awarded by various organizations, to recognize contributions over the whole of a career, rather than or in addition to single contributions.
Such awards, and organizations presenting them, include:
A
* A.C. ...
from the Canadian Film and Television Producers Association. In 1999, Gordon Wilding's ''Rapture'' (1997) became the first WFG-supported film to be part of the
Cannes Film Festival
The Cannes Festival (; french: link=no, Festival de Cannes), until 2003 called the International Film Festival (') and known in English as the Cannes Film Festival, is an annual film festival held in Cannes, France, which previews new films o ...
.
In 2015, WFG launched the Women’s Film & Video Network (now Womxn’s Film & Video Network), purposed to supporting the film and video work of women in Manitoba. The network would become arms-length and member-led in 2019, changing its name to Womxn’s Film and Video Network.
Select filmography
Early films of the Winnipeg Film Group include:
* 1976. ''Rabbit Pie'', directed by
Allan Kroeker
Allan Kroeker (born April 10, 1951, in Winnipeg, Manitoba) is a Canadian film and television director, cinematographer, screenwriter, film editor and film producer. He has the distinction of directing the series finales for '' Star Trek: Deep ...
* 1979. ''Day Dream'', directed by Alan Pakarnyk
* 1980. ''You Laugh Like a Duck'', directed by Leon Johnson
* 1984. ''The Three Worlds of Nick'', directed by
John Paizs
John Paizs (born in 1957) is a Canadians, Canadian director, writer and actor. In 1985 his independent comedy ''Crime Wave (1985 movie), Crime Wave'' was presented at the Toronto International Film Festival. He was the male lead and also wrote an ...
— screened at
Toronto Festival of Festivals
The Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF, often stylized as tiff) is one of the largest publicly attended film festivals in the world, attracting over 480,000 people annually. Since its founding in 1976, TIFF has grown to become a permane ...
(now the Toronto International Film Festival, or TIFF)
* 1985. ''Crime Wave'', directed by John Paizs — won Manitoba Motion Picture Industry Association’s Blizzard Award for Best Film of the Decade in 1997
* 1986. ''Downtime'', directed by Greg Hanec — screened at the
Berlin International Film Festival
The Berlin International Film Festival (german: Internationale Filmfestspiele Berlin), usually called the Berlinale (), is a major international film festival held annually in Berlin, Germany. Founded in 1951 and originally run in June, the festi ...
Guy Maddin
Guy Maddin (born February 28, 1956) is a Canadian screenwriter, director, author, cinematographer, and film editor of both features and short films, as well as an installation artist, from Winnipeg, Manitoba. Since completing his first film i ...
— Maddin was nominated for a
Genie Award
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 scu ...
* 1990. ''Archangel'', directed by Guy Maddin — voted Best Experimental Film by the U.S.
National Society of Film Critics
The National Society of Film Critics (NSFC) is an American film critic organization. The organization is known for its highbrow tastes, and its annual awards are one of the most prestigious film critics awards in the United States. In January 2014, ...
Stuttgart
Stuttgart (; Swabian: ; ) is the capital and largest city of the German state of Baden-Württemberg. It is located on the Neckar river in a fertile valley known as the ''Stuttgarter Kessel'' (Stuttgart Cauldron) and lies an hour from the ...
, became WFG’s first German intern
* 1995. ''
Odilon Redon
Odilon Redon (born Bertrand Redon; ; 20 April 18406 July 1916) was a French Symbolism (arts), symbolist painter, printmaker, Drawing, draughtsman and pastellist.
Early in his career, both before and after fighting in the Franco-Prussian War, he ...
'', directed by Guy Maddin — received the NFB John Spotton Award at TIFF
* 1996. ''Soft Like Me'', directed by Jeff Erbach — screened at the TIFF; purchased in 1998 by
Canal+
Canal+ (Canal Plus, , meaning 'Channel Plus'; sometimes abbreviated C+ or Canal) is a French premium television channel launched in 1984. It is 100% owned by the Groupe Canal+, which in turn is owned by Vivendi. The channel broadcasts several ki ...
for European broadcast
* 1997. ''Rapture'', directed by Gordon Wilding — purchased by Canal+ in 1999 for broadcast in France; became the first WFG-supported film to be part of the
Cannes Film Festival
The Cannes Festival (; french: link=no, Festival de Cannes), until 2003 called the International Film Festival (') and known in English as the Cannes Film Festival, is an annual film festival held in Cannes, France, which previews new films o ...
* 2000. ''
The Heart of the World
''The Heart of the World'' is a short film written and directed by Guy Maddin, produced for the 2000 Toronto International Film Festival. Maddin was one of a number of directors (including Atom Egoyan and David Cronenberg) commissioned to make four ...
'', directed by Guy Maddin and commissioned by TIFF — named the 2001 Best Experimental Film by critics on two continents.
* 2001. ''
Inertia
Inertia is the idea that an object will continue its current motion until some force causes its speed or direction to change. The term is properly understood as shorthand for "the principle of inertia" as described by Newton in his first law ...
Deco Dawson
Deco Dawson is the professional name of Darryl Kinaschuk, a Ukrainian Canadian experimental filmmaker. He is most noted as a two-time winner of the Toronto International Film Festival Award for Best Canadian Short Film, winning at the 2001 Toronto ...
Winnipeg Film Group provides training, funding, and equipment rentals to
independent film
An independent film, independent movie, indie film, or indie movie is a feature film or short film that is produced outside the major film studio system, in addition to being produced and distributed by independent entertainment companies (or, i ...
makers. In terms of distribution, it makes Canadian films available to local, national, and international film festivals, broadcasters, other film
co-ops
A cooperative (also known as co-operative, co-op, or coop) is "an autonomous association of persons united voluntarily to meet their common economic, social and cultural needs and aspirations through a jointly owned and democratically-control ...
, cinemas, and a variety of other presenting organizations.
WFG's first film, ''Rabbit Pie'', was made in 1976 and was collaboratively produced. Directed by
Allan Kroeker
Allan Kroeker (born April 10, 1951, in Winnipeg, Manitoba) is a Canadian film and television director, cinematographer, screenwriter, film editor and film producer. He has the distinction of directing the series finales for '' Star Trek: Deep ...
, it is a
pastiche
A pastiche is a work of visual art, literature, theatre, music, or architecture that imitates the style or character of the work of one or more other artists. Unlike parody, pastiche pays homage to the work it imitates, rather than mocking it ...
of
silent film
A silent film is a film with no synchronized recorded sound (or more generally, no audible dialogue). Though silent films convey narrative and emotion visually, various plot elements (such as a setting or era) or key lines of dialogue may, when ...
tropes involving a plot wherein infant rabbits are eaten at a restaurant.
The WFG is governed by a
board of directors
A board of directors (commonly referred simply as the board) is an executive committee that jointly supervises the activities of an organization, which can be either a for-profit or a nonprofit organization such as a business, nonprofit organiz ...
, which maintains the WFG’s bylaws and supports WFG's mandate, including by directly supporting private-sector fundraising. As the WFG is an artist-run organization, its board must mainly include practicing filmmakers and video artists.
As a
non-profit organization
A nonprofit organization (NPO) or non-profit organisation, also known as a non-business entity, not-for-profit organization, or nonprofit institution, is a legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public or social benefit, in co ...
, WFG operations are funded by the
Canada Council for the Arts
The Canada Council for the Arts (french: Conseil des arts du Canada), commonly called the Canada Council, is a Crown corporation established in 1957 as an arts council of the Government of Canada. It acts as the federal government's principal i ...
,
Manitoba Arts Council
The Manitoba Arts Council (MAC; ) is a provincial crown corporation whose purpose is to promote the arts. The Council awards grants to professional artists and arts organizations in Manitoba in all art forms; it also provides related creative act ...
The Winnipeg Foundation
The Winnipeg Foundation is a registered charity and community foundation based in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. Established in 1921, it is the oldest community foundation in Canada.
The Foundation is dedicated primarily to the social improvement ...
, the
Government of Manitoba
The powers and structure of the provincial Government of Manitoba (french: Gouvernement du Manitoba) are set out in the Constitution Act, 1867.
In modern Canadian use, the term "government" referred broadly to the cabinet of the day (formally ...
, and
Winnipeg School Division
The Winnipeg School Division is a school division in Winnipeg, Manitoba. With 78 schools, it is the largest of six public school divisions in Winnipeg, as well as the largest and oldest school division in Manitoba.
Its schools collectively te ...
Winnipeg Cinematheque, as the professional presentation department of the Winnipeg Film Group, is a
cinematheque
A cinematheque is an archive of films and film-related objects with an exhibition venue. Similarly to a book library (bibliothèque in French), a cinematheque is responsible for preserving and making available to the public film heritage. Typica ...
theatre that screens both
Canadian
Canadians (french: Canadiens) are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of ...
and
world cinema
World cinema is a term in film theory that refers to films made outside of the American motion picture industry, particularly those in opposition to the aesthetics and values of commercial American cinema.Nagib, Lúcia. "Towards a positive de ...
. Operated on the first floor of the historic Artspace building in Winnipeg's Exchange District, it has one screen and plays two evening shows on weekdays, and matinées on the weekends.
The focus is on Canadian films, particularly the cinema of
Manitoba
Manitoba ( ) is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada at the Centre of Canada, longitudinal centre of the country. It is Canada's Population of Canada by province and territory, fifth-most populous province, with a population o ...
, but there are also special screenings for international independent films, children's films, and classic films; Cinematheque also produces the annual
Gimme Some Truth Documentary Festival The Gimme Some Truth Documentary Festival is an annual documentary film festival in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Organized by the Winnipeg Film Group since 2008, the event is staged annually at the Cinematheque theatre.
The event is a qualifying festival f ...
.
Members
WFG is notable for having many past staff and members attain prominent positions in the Canadian media industry. Honorary members are appointed for their "exceptional achievement as a Manitoba filmmaker or for their extraordinary contribution to the development of the Winnipeg Film Group as an organization."
Honorary members of the WFG include:
*
Norma Bailey
Norma Bailey (born 1949, in Gimli, Manitoba, Canada) is a Canadian film writer, producer, and director whose work is rooted in feminist and intersectional film theory. Bailey has directed several films, both in English and French and in various dif ...
*Dave Barber
*
Richard Condie
Richard Condie, (born 1942) is a Canadian animator, filmmaker, musician and voice actor. Condie is best known for his 1985 animated short '' The Big Snit'' at the National Film Board of Canada and has won six international awards for ''Getting ...
*
Larry Desrochers
Larry is a masculine given name in English, derived from Lawrence or Laurence. It can be a shortened form of those names.
Larry may refer to the following:
People Arts and entertainment
* Larry D. Alexander, American artist/writer
*Larry Boone ...
Guy Maddin
Guy Maddin (born February 28, 1956) is a Canadian screenwriter, director, author, cinematographer, and film editor of both features and short films, as well as an installation artist, from Winnipeg, Manitoba. Since completing his first film i ...
John Paizs
John Paizs (born in 1957) is a Canadians, Canadian director, writer and actor. In 1985 his independent comedy ''Crime Wave (1985 movie), Crime Wave'' was presented at the Toronto International Film Festival. He was the male lead and also wrote an ...
Len Pendergast
Len or LEN may refer to:
People and fictional characters
* Len (given name), a list of people and fictional characters
* Lén, a character from Irish mythology
* Alex Len (born 1993), Ukrainian basketball player
* Mr. Len, American hip hop DJ
*Ka ...
Sara Angelucci
Sara Angelucci (born 1962) is a Canadian artist based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Education
She has a B.A. (Hons.) in Art History and B.F.A in Fine Arts from University of Guelph, and an M.F.A. from NSCAD University.
Work
Angelucci works pri ...
Shane Belcourt
Shane Anthony Belcourt (born December 30, 1972) is a Métis writer, director, and cinematographer from Canada.Jennie Punter, "'I didn't have time to filter'". ''The Globe and Mail'', August 14, 2008. He is best known for his 2007 feature film '' ...
*
Warren Cariou
Warren Cariou is a Canadian writer and associate professor of English at the University of Manitoba.
Biography
Cariou received a B.A. (Hons) from the University of Saskatchewan and an MA and PhD from the University of Toronto (1998). In 199 ...
*
Shelagh Carter
Shelagh Jane Carter (best known as Shelagh Carter, and occasionally referred to as Shelagh Carter-Loewen) is a Canadian director, producer, screenwriter, actress and retired theatre and film professor at the University of Winnipeg, known initia ...
Danishka Esterhazy
Danishka Esterhazy (born in Winnipeg, Manitoba) is a Canadian screenwriter and film director. She is best known for her thriller and horror movies, such as '' Black Field'' (2009), '' Level 16'' (2018), ''The Banana Splits Movie'' (2019), and the ...
Darcy Fehr
Darcy Fehr is a Canadian actor.
Career
Fehr's films include '' Desire'' (2000), '' The Saddest Music in the World'' (2003), '' There's Something Out There'' (2004) and '' The Law of Enclosures'' (2000). Fehr's most notable roles have been his po ...
*
Sadaf Foroughi
Sadaf Foroughi ( fa, صدف فروغی; born July 27, 1976) is an Iranian director, screenwriter, producer and editor. She has a bachelor's degree in French literature. After receiving her master's degree in film studies from University of Provenc ...
Dave Barber has been the Cinematheque programmer at the Winnipeg Film Group since the summer of 1982. He has won several awards for his efforts including the Making A Difference Award for “Extraordinary Contribution” to the Arts by the Winnipeg Arts Council (2007), the first-ever awarded Individual Award for “Outstanding Award of the Arts" by the Manitoba Foundation for the Arts, and the
Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee
The year 2012 marked the Diamond Jubilee of Elizabeth II being the 60th anniversary of the accession of Queen Elizabeth II on 6 February 1952. The only diamond jubilee celebration for any of Elizabeth's predecessors was in 1897, for the 60th an ...
Award by the
Governor-General of Canada
The governor general of Canada (french: gouverneure générale du Canada) is the federal viceregal representative of the . The is head of state of Canada and the 14 other Commonwealth realms, but resides in oldest and most populous realm, t ...