Donald Brittain
Biography: Donald Brittain, a revered Canadian figure, remains cherished for his genuine nature and unparalleled storytelling. He created over 100 acclaimed films, like "Volcano" (1976) portraying Malcolm Lowry and "Paperland" (1979) exposing Canadian bureaucrats. His breakthrough came with "Fields of Sacrifice" (1963), marking a shift in his career. Brittain's legacy isn't just his films; his camaraderie and perfectionism left a lasting impact at the National Film Board. Two decades after his passing, his absence is deeply felt by all who knew him.
Place of Birth: Not available
Birthday: Not available
Deathday: N/A
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Known For
Ladies and Gentlemen, Mr. Leonard Cohen
1966-02-16
Ladies and Gentlemen, Mr. Leonard Cohen
Overview: A 1964 documentary portrait of Cohen in his pre-musician days as a poet and stand-up comedian.
Genres: Documentary
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1966-02-16
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Volcano: An Inquiry into the Life and Death of Malcolm Lowry
1976-01-01
Volcano: An Inquiry into the Life and Death of Malcolm Lowry
Overview: This feature-length Oscar®-nominated documentary focuses on Malcolm Lowry, author of one of the major novels of the 20th century, Under the Volcano. But while Lowry fought a winning battle with words, he lost his battle with alcohol. Shot on location in four countries, the film combines photographs, readings by Richard Burton from the novel and interviews with the people who loved and hated Lowry, to create a vivid portrait of the man.
Genres: Documentary
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1976-01-01
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What on Earth!
1967-01-01
What on Earth!
Overview: The Martians speculate on the nature of Earth's apparent dominant life form, automobiles.
Genres: Animation
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1967-01-01
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King of the Hill
1974-10-01
King of the Hill
Overview: This feature documentary follows one of the greatest Canadian baseball players of all time, Ferguson Jenkins, through the 1972-1973 season. From the hope and innocence of spring training to the dog days of an August slump, the camera gets up close and personal at the home plate and records the intimate chatter on the mound, in the dugout and in the locker room. It provides a glimpse into the rewards and pressures of sports stardom and the easy camaraderie of the quintessential summer sport.
Genres: Documentary
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1974-10-01
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Stravinsky
1966-01-01
Stravinsky
Overview: This documentary is an informal portrait of the great modern composer Igor Stravinsky. Proudly American, though still very much an Old World figure with a long and alert memory for people and events in music, literature and art, Stravinsky is depicted here conducting the CBC Symphony Orchestra in a recording of his Symphony of Psalms.
Genres: Documentary
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1966-01-01
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The Lost Pharaoh: The Search for Akhenaten
1980-11-30
The Lost Pharaoh: The Search for Akhenaten
Overview: Ancient pharaoh Akhenaten was almost lost to history. Canadian archaeologist Donald Redford, who uncovered the foundation of one of the pharaoh’s many temples, attempts to finally piece together this great Egyptian ruler’s enigmatic story.
Genres: Documentary
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1980-11-30
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Mobility
1986-01-01
Mobility
Overview: This short documentary examines the complex range of issues affecting urban transport in developing countries. After examining cost and available technology, as well as the different needs of the industrialized middle class and the urban poor, the film proposes some surprising solutions.
Genres: Documentary
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1986-01-01
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First Stop, China
1985-01-01
First Stop, China
Overview: First Stop, China is a record of the choreographed performances and the unrehearsed moments of Les Grands Ballets Canadiens ballet company on the road, against a backdrop of unfamiliar sights and sounds. Their itinerary included China, Hong Kong, Thailand, Singapore, Japan and Korea.
Genres: Documentary
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1985-01-01
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Canada Vignettes: Wop May
1979-01-01
Canada Vignettes: Wop May
Overview: This short animated film is about Wop May, one of Canada's leading bush pilots in the 1920s.
Genres: History Documentary Animation
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1979-01-01
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Juggernaut
1968-01-01
Juggernaut
Overview: In 1968, a convoy set off to transport a Calandria, the 70-ton core of a Canadian nuclear reactor, to Rajasthan in India. Even the largest semi-trailers could not keep up with this transport, which drove over specially reinforced roads and through city walls that had been demolished to make room.
Genres: Documentary
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1968-01-01
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Whistling Smith
1975-01-29
Whistling Smith
Overview: This film is a revealing portrait of a tough cop with a big heart. Sergeant Bernie "Whistling" Smith walks the beat on Vancouver's Eastside, the hangout of petty criminals, down-and-outs and a variety of characters. His policing is unorthodox. To many drug users, petty thieves and prostitutes in this economically depressed area he is more than the iron hand of the law, he is also a counsellor and a friend.
Genres: Documentary
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1975-01-29
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The Champions, Part 1: Unlikely Warriors
1978-01-01
The Champions, Part 1: Unlikely Warriors
Overview: In Part 1 of this 3-part documentary series, director Donald Brittain chronicles the early years of Pierre Elliott Trudeau and René Lévesque. From their university days in the 1950s to 1967 when Lévesque left the Liberal Party and Trudeau became the federal Minister of Justice, Brittain attempts to get at the heart of what makes these men so fascinating.
Genres: Documentary
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1978-01-01
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The Champions, Part 2: Trappings of Power
1978-01-01
The Champions, Part 2: Trappings of Power
Overview: Part 2 of this 3-part documentary series about Pierre Elliott Trudeau and René Lévesque covers the years between 1967 and 1977, a colourful decade that saw Trudeau win three federal elections, the 1970 October Crisis and the sweeping rise to power of the Parti Québécois.
Genres: Documentary
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1978-01-01
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The Champions, Part 3: The Final Battle
1986-01-01
The Champions, Part 3: The Final Battle
Overview: The final instalment of this 3-part documentary series about Pierre Elliott Trudeau and René Lévesque spans the decade between 1976 and 1986. The film reveals the turbulent, behind-the-scenes drama during the Quebec referendum and the repatriation of the Canadian Constitution. In doing so, it also traces both Trudeau's and Lévesque's fall from power.
Genres: Documentary
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1986-01-01
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The Magical Eye
1989-01-01
The Magical Eye
Overview: Features clips from 21 documentary and animation film classics, interviews with NFB filmmakers past and present, and incisive commentary from film critics and historians on the role and influence of the NFB during its first half century of existence.
Genres: Documentary
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1989-01-01
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Paperland: The Bureaucrat Observed
1979-01-01
Paperland: The Bureaucrat Observed
Overview: Bureaucracy shapes our lives and guides us from the cradle to the grave. This documentary lays bare the idiosyncrasies of bureaucracy, whether in Canada, Austria, Hungary, the Vatican or the Virgin Islands. It also attempts to make the functioning of the public service more comprehensible. The absurdities of bureaucratic behaviour are exposed with humour and irreverence.
Genres: Documentary
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1979-01-01
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Tommy Douglas: Keeper of the Flame
1986-01-01
Tommy Douglas: Keeper of the Flame
Overview: This feature documentary traces the political career of T.C. (Tommy) Douglas, former premier of Saskatchewan and leader of the New Democratic Party, who was voted the Greatest Canadian in 2004 for his devotion to social causes, his charm and his powers of persuasion. Known as the "Father of Medicare," this one-time champion boxer and fiery preacher entered politics in the 1930s and never looked back.
Genres: Documentary
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1986-01-01
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