Denys Desjardins (born 1966 in Montreal, Quebec), is a film director, screenwriter, cinematographer, editor and film historian for more than twenty years. After completing studies in literature, film and communications, he directed several acclaimed films.
Career Desjardins received the Quebec Film Critic (Association québécoise des critiques de cinéma, or AQCC) award for best short film two years in a row for La Dame aux poupées (The Doll Lady) (1996) and for Boris Lehman, filmmaker (1997), a portrait of Boris Lehman the Belgian filmmaker for whom life is a reason to make films, and making films is a reason for living. He then joined the National Film Board of Canada, where he directed Almanach 1999-2000 and My Eye for a Camera – nominated for a Jutra Award for best documentary in 2003 – as well as Being Human and Rebel with a Camera, which won him the Quebec Film Critic award for best medium-length documentary.
Desjardins has also produced and co-directed the short films Me Bob Robert and Peter and the Penny; the latter received the award for best short fiction film at the 2006 Festival Images en vue. Desjardins’ third feature-length film, The Great Resistance, was nominated for a Jutra Award for best documentary in 2008. His 2011 documentary (The Private Life of Cinema) follows the path of filmmakers who never gave up on their dream to produce feature-length fictions films and create a Quebec film industry. With Joanne Robertson, he created a web production, Making Movie History: A Portrait in 61 Parts, to celebrate the National Film Board of Canada's 75th anniversary in 2014.
Selected films Year French Title English Title Roles Theme Others Awards1996La Dame aux poupéesThe Doll Ladydirector-screenwriterproducerMme. Boudreault shares her two-story cottage with over 400 dolls, which give her free rein to dream and explore her fantasiescinematography:Hélène Choquette, Denis-Noel Mostertediting: Vincent GuignardBest short film, Rendez-vous du cinéma québécois1998Contre le temps et l'effacement, Boris Lehman...Boris Lehman, filmmakerdirector-screenwriterproducercinematographerFriends, filmmakers, critics, and crew offer their understanding of Boris Lehman, Belgian filmmaker Best short film, Rendez-vous du cinéma québécois1999AlmanachAlmanach 1999-2000director-screenwriter At the brink of year 2000, a time when Nostradamus and other prophets predicted doomsday, a cosmic meltdown, Almanach 1999-2000 takes a humorous look at the world of divination.2001Mon oeil pour une caméraMy Eye for a Cameradirector-screenwritercinematographerFascinated by the power of the camera and obsessed with the theories of Russian film pioneer Dziga Vertov, a filmmaker decides to get a camera eye to replace the real eye he lost as a child.Nominated, Jutra Award for best documentary2003Moi Robert "Bob" Me Bob Robertdirector-screenwriterproducercinematographer2005Histoire d'être humainBeing Humandirector-screenwritercinematographer 2005Pierre et le SouPeter and the Pennydirector-screenwriterproducercinematographerCelebrating his 50th birthday, intellectually challenged Peter's family want to break open his piggy bank to find a rare and valuable American penny.Co-director, co-writer, co-producer: Stéphane ThibaultCo-cinematographer: Julie PerronEditor: Stéphane LafleurBest short fiction film, 2006 Festival Images en vue2006Le direct avant la lettreRebels with a Cameradirector-screenwriterWhere does cinéma vérité come from? Who were its predecessors and what did they create? Compelled by the urge to get closer to the people in front of the camera, cinema vérité sprouted in a context of unprecedented creative freedom.Best medium-length documentary, Rendez-vous du cinéma québécois2007Au pays des colonsThe Great Resistancedirector-screenwritercinematographerIn the 1930s, in the throes of the Great Depression, the government of Quebec relocated more than 80,000 citizens to found a new settlement in the virgin forests of Quebec's Abitibi region.Nominated, Jutra Award for best documentary 2008Retour en AmériqueBack to the New Worlddirector-screenwriterproducer2009De l'office au box-officeFrom NFB to Box-Officedirector-screenwriterproducerThe film documents the development of Quebec cinema, from the founding of the National Film Board of Canada in 1939 to the creation of the Canadian Film Development Corporation in 1968, recounting the stories of Quebec filmmakers who never gave up on their dream to produce feature-length fiction films, and creating a Quebec film industry. 2011La vie privée du cinémaThe Private Life of Cinemadirector-screenwriterproducerAn in-depth two part exploration of the evolution of the private Quebec film industry, through the eyes of more than 50 industry professionals. 2013KapadokyaKapadokyadirector-screenwriterproducercinematographer2014Mes 7 lieuxproducer2015La guerre des bleuetsThe War of the Blueberriesproducer2017La ZoneThe Zonedirector-screenwriterproducercinematographer 2020Le ChâteauThe Castledirector-screenwriterproducerNominated, Prix Iris for best editing 2021L'industrie de la vieille$$eThe Busine$$ of Agingdirector-screenwriterproducercinematographerBest digital component for a documentary show or series, Prix Gémeaux 2022J'ai placé ma mèreI Lost My Momdirector-screenwriterproducercinematographerGémeaux Awards for Best Original Production for Digital Media: Documentary and Best Canadian Feature Documentary
References
External links
Biography on National Film Board of Canada web site Desjardins' vision of cinema