Phil Comeau
Phil Comeau, CM is a Canadian film and television director, born in Saulnierville, Nova Scotia. He lives in Moncton.
Biography
Phil Comeau is a film and television director and scriptwriter, based in Moncton (New Brunswick) and in Montreal (Quebec). His documentary and drama fiction films have won over 50 awards in North America and Europe. He has directed films and TV episodes in Canada and in over 20 countries, and they have been broadcast on over 70 TV networks worldwide.
His recent films include the award-winning feature-length documentaries Zachary Richard, Cajun Heart Secretariat's Jockey, Ron Turcotte and The Nature of Frederic Back. His popular adult drama series Tribu.com (I & II) received viewer ratings of 1.3 million in Quebec, Canada. Other popular drama series include the TV remakes of La Sagouine (2006)) and Lassie (1997). Other TV series include Emily of New Moon, Pit Pony, Les couleurs de mon accent, World Legends and Mayday which has been translated in 26 languages and broadcast worldwide. He also directed and co-wrote the drama feature film Jerome's Secret in Canada, and two TV movies Crash of the Century in France, and Teen Knight in Romania and the USA.
Comeau has directed and wrote numerous films about his Acadian culture. Among them, the first independent Acadian drama feature film Jerome's Secret in 1994, the first Acadian comedy The Gossips in 1978, the first Acadian children's film The Hooked Rug of Grand-Pré in 1986, and a popular series remake La Sagouine in 2006 which was entirely shot by an Acadian crew for the Canadian national TV network Radio-Canada.
A globetrotter, Phil has travelled on all continents and visited over 50 countries. As an author, he has also published poetry in two books Plumes d'ictte and Éloizes, a published script Les Gossipeuses, an Acadian dictionary Le parler Acadjonne, and in 2014 acted as editor and co-director of Acadie Then and Now, a 500-page collective essaie containing both history and contemporary chapters on the Acadian world diaspora, which won the international award Prix France-Acadie in Paris.
Film awards and honours
His films and TV series have received over 50 awards at festivals in North America and Europe. Phil Comeau has received 5 Orders. He was appointed a Member of the Order of Canada in 2011; the Order of New Brunswick and the Ordre de la Pléiade from the Assemblée des Parlementaires de la Francophonie in 2016; the distinction of the Ordre des francophones d'Amérique at the National Assembly in Quebec in 2007; and the rank of "Chevalier" of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres in France in 2006. He also received two Honorary Doctorats in Arts from the Université de Moncton, N.B. (2013) and from Université Sainte-Anne in N.S. (2007); the Prix Meritas of the Federation acadienne du Quebec in 1999; the Grand-Pre Award from the Minister of Culture of Nova Scotia in 1997, and the Prix Champion in Ottawa in 1995. His feature film Zachary Richard, Cajun Heart was presented at the United Nations in Geneva in 2017.
Filmography
as Director
- 1977: La cabane (drama)
- 1978: The Gossips (drama)
- 1979: La mer enligne nos terres
- 1980: Notre côte (TV series)
- 1982: J'avions 375 ans
- 1982: Knock on Wood
- 1983: A l'image de la mer
- 1984: La musique nous explique
- 1984: No Easy Passage (drama)
- 1985: Colds
- 1986: The Hooked Rug of Grand-Pré (drama)
- 1987: Le deuxième souffle
- 1987: Le creux de la vague
- 1990: La meteo de la mer
- 1991: Au mitan des iles
- 1992: The Art of the Street Performer
- 1993: Paleo World
- 1993: Archeology (TV series)
- 1993: The Sphinx
- 1993: Hitler's Conspiracy
- 1993: Petra, the Red City
- 1993: In Search of the Neanderthal
- 1993: Who was Cleopatra?
- 1993: Caesar's Nightmare
- 1993: Macedonia
- 1993: A City in the Clouds
- 1994: Jerome's Secret (feature drama movie)
- 1995: The New Detectives (TV series)
- 1996: Lassie (TV drama series)
- 1998: Teen Knight (TV movie, drama)
- 1998: Emily of New Moon (TV drama series)
- 1999: Walk on the Wild Side! (TV series)
- 2000: Pit Pony (TV drama series)
- 2001: Chopin: Frederic and Georges (TV drama series)
- 2001: Tribu.com I (TV drama series)
- 2002: Tall Ship Chronicles (TV series)
- 2002: Tribu.com II (TV drama series)
- 2003: Barney & Clyde (drama)
- 2003: Les couleurs de mon accent (TV docu-drama series)
- 2004: Mayday II (Air Emergency) (TV docu-drama series)
- 2005: Mayday III (Air Emergency) (TV docu-drama series)
- 2005: The Crash of the Century (TV docu-drama movie)
- 2006: La Sagouine (TV drama series)
- 2007: Risk Takers (TV series)
- 2008: Stunt Stars (TV series)
- 2009: Nature Above All
- 2011: Les Acadiens du Québec, avec Fred Pellerin (TV series)
- 2012: The Nature of Frederic Back (feature-length doc film & a TV program)
- 2013: Secretariat's Jockey, Ron Turcotte (feature-length doc film & a TV program) [1]
- 2015: J'habite ici, au bord de l'eau (TV series)
- 2016: Cousins, cousines de la Louisiane (web series)
- 2016: Belle-Île-en-Mer, île bretonne et acadienne (documentary)
- 2016: Zachary Richard, Cajun Heart / Zachary Richard, toujours batailleur (feature length doc film)
as Writer
- 1977: La cabane
- 1978: The Gossips
- 1979: La mer enligne nos terres
- 1980: Notre côte (TV series)
- 1982: J'avions 375 ans
- 1982: La musique nous explique
- 1982: Knock on Wood (TV series)
- 1983: À l'image de la mer
- 1984: No Easy Passage
- 1986: The Hooked Rug of Grand-Pre
- 1987: Le deuxième souffle
- 1987: Le Creux de la vague
- 1991: Au mitan des îles
- 1992: Archeology (TV series)
- 1994: Jerome's Secret
- 1999: Walk on the Wild Side! (TV series)
- 2002: Tall Ship Chronicles (TV series)
- 2004: Mayday II (TV series)
- 2006: La Sagouine (TV series)
- 2007: Risk Takers (TV series)
- 2008: Stunt Stars (TV series)
- 2009: Nature Above All
- 2011: Frederic Back, Grandeur Nature
- 2012: Secretariat's Jockey, Ron Turcotte
- 2015: Cousins, cousines de la Louisiane (web series)
- 2015: Zachary Richard, Cajun Heart / Zachary Richard, toujours batailleur (feature length doc film)
- 2016: Belle-Île-en-Mer, île bretonne et acadienne (documentary)
as Producer or coproducer
- 1980: Notre côte (TV doc series)
- 1983: La musique nous explique (documentary)
- 1994: Jerome's Secret (feature drama film)
- 2016: Belle-Île-en-Mer, île bretonne et acadienne (documentary)
Awards and nominations
Honors
- 2016: Cultural Personnality of the Year, NB provincial newspaper Acadie-Nouvelle
- 2016: Order of La Pléiade, Assemblée Parlementaire de la Francophonie (OIF)
- 2016: Order of New Brunswick, Gouvernment of New Brunswick
- 2015: Prix France-Acadie Award, Amitiés France-Acadie (Paris, France)
- 2014: Personality of the week, Radio-Canada & Acadie-Nouvelle (Maritimes)
- 2014: Prix Acadie-Québec Award, Bureau atlantique du Quebec & Société national de l'Acadie (New Brunswick)
- 2014: Certificat de mérite, Fédération acadienne de la Nouvelle-Écosse, Halifax (Nova Scotia)
- 2014: Film Retrospective Phil Comeau, 6 films (Lafayette, Louisiana)
- 2013: Honorary Doctorat in Arts, Université de Moncton (New Brunswick)
- 2012: Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal (Ottawa)
- 2011: Order of Canada (Ottawa)
- 2007: Honorary Doctorat in Fine-Arts, Université Sainte-Anne (Nova Scotia)
- 2007: Ordre des francophones d'Amérique (Quebec)
- 2006: Ordre des Arts et Lettres / Order of Arts and Letters, Paris (France)
- 1999: Prix Méritas Award, Federation acadienne du Québec (Montréal, Québec)
- 1997: Prix Grand-Pré Award, Halifax (Nova Scotia)
- 1995: Prix Champion, Fédération culturelle canadienne-française (Ottawa)
Film Awards
- 1984: La musique nous explique (documentary)
- Award of excellence. 1st Atlantic Film Festival, Saint-Johns, Newfoundland
- 1986: The Hooked Rug of Grand-Pre (drama)
- Award of excellence: 3rd Atlantic Film Festival, Halifax, Nova Scotia
- Prix d'excellence: Festival des jeux de la francophonie, Casablanca Morocco
- 1992: Archeology (documentary TV series)
- Best documentary TV series: Cable Ace Awards, Los Angeles, California
- Award of excellence: FilmWorld Fest, Houston, Texas
- 1994-1995: Jerome's Secret (theatrical feature film)
- 3 awards: Audience Choice Award, Bayard d'Or for acting & Best First Feature : Festival international du film francophone, Namur, Belgium
- Audience Choice Award: Festival international du cinema, Sarlat, France
- Maverick Award: Cinequest Festival, San Jose, California
- Heritage Award: International Film Festival, New Orleans, Louisiana
- Award of Excellence: FilmWorld Fest, Houston, Texas
- Award of Excellence: FilmWorld Fest, Charleston, North Carolina
- Award of Excellence: International Film Festival, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- La Vague Award: Festival international du cinéma francophone, Moncton, New Brunswick
- Audience Choice Award: Festival des films de Baie-Comeau, Québec
- Audience Choice Award: Atlantic Film Festival, Halifax, Nova Scotia
- 1996: Lassie (drama TV series)
- Audience Choice Award: FilmWorld Fest, Charleston, North Carolina
- Award of excellence: Parents Choice Awards, Maryland
- 1998: Emily of New Moon (TV series)
- 2 Best Acting Awards: Gemini Awards, Toronto
- Best drama TV series: Alliance for children & television awards, Toronto
- 2000: Pit Pony (drama TV series)
- Best drama series: Young Artists Awards, Hollywood California
- 2009: Nature Above All (documentary)
- Audience Choice Award & Special mention by Jury: Festival de films de Portneuf sur l'environnement, Quebec.
- 2010: La Sagouine (drama TV series)
- Coup de coeur Award & Hommage for actress Viola Léger: 12e Festival des créations télévisuelles de Luchon, France.
- 2012-2013: The Nature of Frederic Back / Frédéric Back, grandeur nature (feature-length documentary)
- Audience Choice Award: 30th International Festival of Films on Art, Montreal.
- Audience Choice Award: 26th Festival international du cinéma francophone, Moncton.
- Audience Choice Award: 9th Cinema on the Bayou Film Festival, Lafayette, Louisiana.
- 2013-2014: Secretariat's Jockey, Ron Turcotte / Ron Turcotte, jockey légendaire (feature-length documentary)
- Best Feature Film: 35th International Sports Film Festival, Palermo, Italy.
- Director's Choice Grand Prize: 9th Cinema on the Bayou Film Festival, Lafayette, Louisiana.
- Audience Choice Award: 25th International Film Festival Cinefest, Sudbury, Ontario.
- 2016-2017 : Belle-Île-en-Mer, île bretonne et acadienne (short documentary)
- Best short film : 30th FICFA, Moncton, NB
- Honorable jury mention: 12th Cinema on the Bayou Festival, Lafayette, LA
- 7 Awards of Excellence, including for Director, scripwriter and producer: Southern Shorts Awards, in Georgia, USA
- Platinum Remi Award, category culture : 50th Worldfest-Houston, Texas, USA
- 2016-2017 : Zachary Richard, Cajun Heart (feature-length documentary)
- Best feature documentary film: 30th FICFA, Moncton, NB
- Audience Choice Award: 30th FICFA, Moncton, NB
- Director's Choice Grand Prize: 12th Cinema on the Bayou Festival, Lafayette, LA
Film Nominations
- 1994: Jerome's Secret (feature film)
- 2 Genie Awards, Toronto.
- Official selection at Shanghai International film Festival, China
- Special presentation at UNESCO in Paris, France.
- 1999: Pit Pony (TV series)
- 2 Gemini Awards, Toronto
- 2001: Chopin: Frédéric et Georges (docu-drama)
- 2 Gemeaux Awards, Montreal
- 2001: Tribu.com I (drama TV series)
- 2 Gemeaux Awards, Montreal
- 2002: Tribu.com II (drama TV series)
- 2 Gemeaux Award, Montreal
- 2009: Nature Above All (documentary)
- Gemeaux Award for Best Portrait, Montreal
- 2013: The Nature of Frederic Back (documentary)
- 2 Gemeaux Awards for Best documentary biography & Best documentary research.
- Official selection and special presentation at Annecy International Animated Film Festival, France
- 2014-2015: Secretariat's Jockey, Ron Turcotte (documentary)
- DGC Awards (Directors Guild of Canada) for Best Documentary, Toronto
- Gémeaux Award for Best Documentary biography, Montreal.
References
- ↑ Wolski, Tom (20 June 2013). "Finally, a movie about Secretariat's jockey". Vancouver Province. Retrieved 21 June 2013.