''Al Purdy Was Here'' is a Canadian documentary film, released in 2015."Al Purdy lives in the present in film premiering at TIFF"
''

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 14, 2015. Directed by

Brian D. Johnson Brian D. Johnson is a Canadian journalist and filmmaker, best known as an entertainment reporter and film critic for ''Maclean's''."Return of the '70s: not very far out". ''Montreal Gazette'', November 19, 1994. He first joined the magazine in 198 ...

, the film is about the A-Frame Campaign, a literary and artistic project to raise funds for the restoration of influential Canadian poet

Al Purdy Alfred Wellington Purdy (December 30, 1918 – April 21, 2000) was a 20th-century Canadian free verse poet. Purdy's writing career spanned fifty-six years. His works include thirty-nine books of poetry; a novel; two volumes of memoirs and four b ...

's cabin in Prince Edward County as a writer's and artist's retreat. It also touches upon Purdy's quest to become a great Canadian poet, and the artists wrapped up in his legacy. In addition to archival footage of Purdy, the film also features writers

Leonard Cohen Leonard Norman Cohen (September 21, 1934November 7, 2016) was a Canadian singer-songwriter, poet and novelist. His work explored religion, politics, isolation, depression, sexuality, loss, death, and romantic relationships. He was inducted in ...

, Margaret Atwood,

Michael Ondaatje Philip Michael Ondaatje (; born 12 September 1943) is a Sri Lankan-born Canadian poet, fiction writer, essayist, novelist, editor, and filmmaker. He is the recipient of multiple literary awards such as the Governor General's Award, the Giller P ...

George Bowering George Harry Bowering, (born December 1, 1935) is a prolific Canadian novelist, poet, historian, and biographer. He was the first Canadian Parliamentary Poet Laureate. He was born in Penticton, British Columbia, and raised in the nearby town o ...

and Joseph Boyden, actor

Gordon Pinsent Gordon Edward Pinsent (born July 12, 1930) is a Canadian actor, writer, director, and singer. He is known for his roles in numerous productions, including ''Away from Her'', '' The Rowdyman'', '' John and the Missus'', ''A Gift to Last'', ''Due S ...

, and musicians

Gordon Downie Gordon Edgar Downie (February 6, 1964 – October 17, 2017) was a Canadian rock singer-songwriter, musician, writer and activist. He was the singer and lyricist for the Canadian rock band The Tragically Hip, which he fronted from its form ...

Bruce Cockburn Bruce Douglas Cockburn ( ; born May 27, 1945) is a Canadian singer-songwriter and guitarist. His song styles range from folk to jazz-influenced rock and his lyrics cover a broad range of topics including human rights, environmental issues, p ...

, Jesse Zubot,

Sarah Harmer Sarah Harmer (born November 12, 1970) is a Canadian singer, songwriter and environmental activist. Early life Born and raised in Burlington, Ontario, Harmer gained her first exposure to the musician's lifestyle as a teenager, when her older sis ...

Tanya Tagaq Tanya may refer to: * Tanya (Judaism),an early work of Hasidic philosophy by Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi. * Tanya (name), a given name and list of people with the name * Tanya or Lara Saint Paul (born 1946) * List of Mortal Kombat characters#T ...

and

Doug Paisley Doug Paisley is a Canadian alternative country singer and songwriter with record label No Quarter Records. He was born in Toronto. Paisley's "What About Us?" was featured in Mojo magazine as part of a complimentary CD entitled ''New Harvest''. Pa ...

. The film debuted at the

2015 Toronto International Film Festival The 40th annual Toronto International Film Festival was held from 10 to 20 September 2015. On 28 July 2015 the first wave of films to be screened at the Festival was announced. Jean-Marc Vallée's '' Demolition'' starring Jake Gyllenhaal and Na ...

, where it was named second runner-up for the People's Choice Award for Documentaries.

''The Al Purdy Songbook''

An album of songs and poems inspired by Purdy, titled ''The Al Purdy Songbook'', was also prepared as a companion piece to the film, and was released in 2018 to mark the 100th anniversary of Purdy's birth."Canadian poet Al Purdy inspires songs by Jason Collett, Sarah Harmer and more"
''

Now Now most commonly refers to the present time. Now, NOW, or The Now may also refer to: Organizations * Natal Organisation of Women, a South African women's organization * National Organization for Women, an American feminist organization * Now ...

'', January 22, 2019.

Track listing

# "3 Al Purdys" —

(6:05) # "Transient" —

(4:14) # "Just Get Here" —

(4:28) # "The East Wind" —

Gord Downie Gordon Edgar Downie (February 6, 1964 – October 17, 2017) was a Canadian rock singer-songwriter, musician, writer and activist. He was the singer and lyricist for the Canadian rock band The Tragically Hip, which he fronted from its form ...

(4:28) # "Sensitive Man" —

Jason Collett Jason Collett is a Toronto-based Canadian singer-songwriter. He has released six solo studio albums, and is a former member of Broken Social Scene. His latest album, ''Song & Dance Man'', was released in February, 2016. Early life Collett was bo ...

(5:32) # "Outdoor Hotel" — Snowblink (3:43) # "Unprovable" —

Greg Keelor James Gregory Keelor, (born Francis McIntyre, August 29, 1954) is a Canadian singer-songwriter and musician. He is best known as a member of the band Blue Rodeo, where he shares song writing and vocal duties with Jim Cuddy. Keelor has also rel ...

(4:26) # "Wilderness Gothic" — Margaret Atwood (3:00) # "At the Quinte Hotel" — Gord Downie (3:08) # "Say the Names" — Bidiniband & the Billie Hollies (4:19) # "The Country North of Belleville" — Felicity Williams (4:54) # "Necropsy of Love" —

(1:22) # "Cowboy" — Casey Johnson (3:08)

References

External links

* 2015 films Canadian documentary films 2015 documentary films Documentary films about poets Films shot in Ontario 2015 directorial debut films 2010s English-language films 2010s Canadian films {{arts-documentary-film-stub