Robert Morin

For other people with the same name, see Robert Morin (disambiguation).
Robert Morin
Born (1949-05-20) May 20, 1949 (age 75)
Montreal, Quebec
Occupation(s)Film director
Screenwriter
cinematographer
Years active1977–present

Robert Morin (born May 20, 1949) is a Canadian film director, screenwriter, and cinematographer.[1] In 2009, he received the Governor General's Award in Visual and Media Arts.[2]

Biography

Robert Morin is known for his very personal, dark, and pessimistic "interior views" of family, crime, law enforcement, and human suffering,[3] with his work regularly moving back and forth between relatively conventional dramas with multi-actor casts, and experimental personal essay films in which Morin, or a single actor cast as a stand-in, stars in essentially a film-length philosophical monologue from the perspective of a character who, whether by choice or circumstance, has become an outsider to mainstream society.[4]

After studying literature and communications, in 1971 he began to work as a cameraman, joining ORTQ in Rimouski, where he directed films and videos. In 1977, with a group of friends and colleagues, Morin founded La Coopérative de Production Vidéo de Montréal,[5] where he continues to produce his own work. After creating close to 30 short films with his colleagues over 10 years, he directed his first feature-length film Scale-Model Sadness (Tristesse modèle réduit) in 1987.[4]

His film Requiem for a Handsome Bastard (Requiem pour un beau sans-coeur) won the Toronto International Film Festival Award for Best Canadian Film at the 1992 Toronto International Film Festival,[6] and received four Genie Award nominations at the 13th Genie Awards in 1992, including Best Picture and Best Director.[7]

Filmography

Feature films

Short films

  • La femme étrangère (The Woman from Elsewhere) (Documentary co-directed with Lorraine Dufour, 1988)
  • Le voleur vit en enfer (The Thief Lives in Hell) (Short film co-directed with Lorraine Dufour, 1984)
  • Mauvais mal (Evil Madness) (Short film co-directed with Lorraine Dufour, 1984)
  • On se paye la gomme (We Treat Ourselves to the Best) (Short film co-directed with Marcel Chouinard, 1984)
  • Toi t'es-tu lucky (And You, Are You Lucky?) (Short film co-directed with Lorraine Dufour, 1984)
  • Le mystérieux Paul (The Mysterious Paul) (Short film co-directed with Lorraine Dufour, 1983)
  • A Postcard from Victoria (Short film co-directed with Lorraine Dufour, 1983)
  • Ma richesse a cause mes privations (My Wealth Caused My Deprivations) (Short film co-directed with Lorraine Dufour, 1982)
  • Il a gagné ses épaulettes (He Won His Wings) (Documentary co-directed with Lorraine Dufour, 1981)
  • Gus est encore dans l'armée (Gus Is Still in the Army) (Short film co-directed with Lorraine Dufour, 1980)
  • Ma vie c'est pour le restant de mes jours (My Life Is for the Rest of my Life) (Short film co-directed with Lorraine Dufour, 1980)
  • Le royaume est commencé (The Kingdom Has Come) (Short film co-directed with Lorraine Dufour, 1980)
  • Même mort il faut s'organiser (Even Dead You Have To Get Organized) (Short film, 1977)

References

  1. ^ Czach, Liz. "Robert Morin". Canadian Film Encyclopedia. Archived from the original on 2012-10-07.
  2. ^ "Archives". en.ggarts.ca. Governor General of Canada. Retrieved 21 August 2022.
  3. ^ Luke Rathborne, "Interior Life: Quebecois Maverick Robert Morin on Nightmares, Humor, and Neorealism". The Film Stage, April 4, 2024.
  4. ^ a b Pierre Véronneau, "Robert Morin". The Canadian Encyclopedia, September 11, 2006.
  5. ^ "Robert Morin". Coop Vidéo de Montréal (in French).
  6. ^ Jane Stevenson, "Dark drama cops top honors". Windsor Star, September 21, 1992.
  7. ^ "Genie Award nominations". Toronto Star, November 20, 1992.