Phil Comeau

Phil Comeau (born 1956), CM is a Canadian film and television director, born in Saulnierville, Nova Scotia. He lives in Moncton, New Brunswick and Montreal, Quebec.

Phil Comeau

Biography

Phil Comeau is a film and television director and scriptwriter, based in Moncton, New Brunswick and Montreal, Quebec. His documentary and drama films have won 101 awards in North America, Europe, South America, Africa and Asia. He has directed films and TV episodes in Canada and in over 20 countries. His films have been translated in 27 languages, and been broadcast in 200 countries. A globetrotter, Phil has travelled on all continents and visited over 50 countries.

His recent award-winning feature documentaries include Acadian Music Wave, Zachary Richard, Cajun Heart, Secretariat's Jockey, Ron Turcotte, and The Nature of Frederic Back. He also directed and co-wrote the award-winning 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. His popular drama series include Tribu.com (I & II) with viewer ratings in Quebec of 1.3 million, La Sagouine (2006), Lassie (1997), Emily of New Moon, Pit Pony, Les couleurs de mon accent, World Legends and the docu-drama series Mayday broadcast worldwide.

Comeau has directed and wrote numerous films about his Acadian culture. Among them, the first independent Acadian drama feature film Jerome's Secret, the first Acadian comedy The Gossips, the first Acadian children's film The Hooked Rug of Grand-Pré, and a popular series remake on an iconic Acadian character La Sagouine. On the subject of the world Acadian diaspora, he had directed an Acadian feature in Louisiana Zachary Richard Cajun Heart, a series in Quebec Les Acadiens du Québec and a documentary in France Belle-Ile-en-Mer, a Breton and Acadian Island.

As an author, he has also published poetry in two books Plumes d'ictte and Éloizes, a published film script Les Gossipeuses, an Acadian dictionary Le parler Acadjonne, and in 2014 was the editor and co-director of the anthology Acadie Then and Now, a 500-page collective containing both history and contemporary articles on the world diaspora Acadian, which won the international award Prix France-Acadie in Paris.

Phil Comeau is a member of the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television, the Directors Guild of Canada, the Association des réalisateurs et réalisatrices du Quebec, and the Front des réalisateurs du Canada.

Recognitions

His films and TV series have received 101 awards at film festivals on 5 continents. Phil Comeau has been given 5 Orders: appointed a Member of the Order of Canada in 2011;[1] 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.[2] In 2021, Comeau was awarded the Médaille Léger-Comeau, the highest Acadian distinction by the Société Nationale de l'Acadie. [3]

Filmography

As director
  • 1977: La cabane (drama)
  • 1978: The Gossips / Les gossipeuses (drama)
  • 1979: La mer enligne nos terres
  • 1980: Notre côte (documentary series)
  • 1982: J'avions 375 ans
  • 1982: Touchons du bois / Knock on Wood (TV series)
  • 1983: A l'image de la mer
  • 1984: La musique nous explique
  • 1984: No Easy Passage (drama)
  • 1985: Colds / Rhumes (drama)
  • 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 / Frédéric et 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 / Bernard et Claude (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 movie, docu-drama)
  • 2006: La Sagouine (TV drama series)
  • 2007: Risk Takers (TV series)
  • 2008: Stunt Stars (TV series)
  • 2009: Nature Above All / La narure avant tout (documentary short)
  • 2011: Les Acadiens du Québec, avec Fred Pellerin (TV series)
  • 2012: The Nature of Frederic Back / Frederic Back, grandeur nature (feature film & a TV program)
  • 2013: Secretariat's Jockey, Ron Turcotte / Ron Turcotte, jockey légendaire (feature film & a TV program)
  • 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 / A Breton and Acadian Island (documentary)
  • 2016: Zachary Richard, Cajun Heart / Zachary Richard, toujours batailleur (feature film & a TV program)
  • 2018: Acadian Music Wave / Vague d'Acadie (feature film & a TV series)
  • 2019: Belle-Ile in Acadie / Belle-Île en Acadie (documentary)

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)
  • 2017: Vague d'Acadie (TV series)
  • 2018: Heritage Minute - Expulsion of the Acadians (drama)
  • 2019: Belle-Ile in Acadie / Belle-Île en Acadie (documentary)

As producer or coproducer
  • 1980: Notre côte (TV documentary series)
  • 1983: La musique nous explique (documentary)
  • 1994: Jerome's Secret (feature drama film)
  • 2016: Belle-Île-en-Mer, île bretonne et acadienne (documentary)
  • 2019: Belle-Ile in Acadie / Belle-Île en Acadie (documentary)

Honors, Awards and Nominations

Honors
  • 2021: Médaille Léger-Comeau, the highest Acadian distinction awarded by the Société Nationale de l'Acadie
  • 2020: Prix Louisiane-Acadie - 15th Cinema Festival on the Bayou (Lafayette, Louisiana)
  • 2019: Médaille de la Ville de Marennes -10th Festival of Francophone Culture )Marennes, France)
  • 2019: The Canadian Encyclopedia (Historica Canada), Inclusion on list of 30 Famous Francophones in Canada
  • 2018: Prix Eloize, Acadian Artist Most Illustrated Internationally (New Brunswick, Canada)
  • 2018: Prix du public Radio-Canada / People's Choice for Acadian Artist of the Year (New Brunswick, Canada)
  • 2018: Prix du President, Richelieu International (Canada)
  • 2017: The Canadian Encyclopedia (Historica Canada), Inclusion of biography (Canada)
  • 2017: United Nations, Presentation of his film "Zachary Richard Cajun Heart" (Geneva, Switzerland)
  • 2016: Cultural Personality of the Year, Acadie-Nouvelle (New Brunswick, Canada)
  • 2016: ORDER OF NEW BRUNSWICK, Gouvernment of New Brunswick (Canada)
  • 2016: ORDER OF LA PLÉIADE, Assemblée Parlementaire de la Francophonie (OIF, International)
  • 2015: Prix France-Acadie Award, Amitiés France-Acadie (Paris, France)
  • 2014: Personality of the week, Radio-Canada & Acadie-Nouvelle (Maritimes, Canada)
  • 2014: Prix Acadie-Québec Award, Bureau atlantique du Quebec & Société national de l'Acadie (New Brunswick, Canada)
  • 2014: Certificat de mérite, Fédération acadienne de la Nouvelle-Écosse, Halifax (Nova Scotia, Canada)
  • 2014: Film Retrospective Phil Comeau, 6 films (Lafayette, Louisiana)
  • 2013: Honorary Doctorat in Arts, Université de Moncton (New Brunswick,Canada)
  • 2012: Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal (Ottawa, Canada)
  • 2011: ORDER OF CANADA (Ottawa) http://www.gg.ca/en/honours/recipients/146-8992
  • 2007: Honorary Doctorat in Fine-Arts, Université Sainte-Anne (Nova Scotia, Canada)
  • 2007: ORDER OF NORTH AMERICAN FRANCOPHONES (Quebec, Canada)
  • 2006: ORDER OF ARTS AND LETTERS (Paris, France)
  • 1999: Prix Méritas Award, Federation acadienne du Québec (Montréal, Canada)
  • 1997: Prix Grand-Pré Award, Halifax (Nova Scotia, Canada)
  • 1995: Prix Champion, Fédération culturelle canadienne-française (Ottawa, Canada)

Film awards
  • 2019 : Belle-Ile in Acadie / Belle-Île en Acadie (documentary)
    • Award of Merit - Best Shorts Competition (San Diego, California)
    • Silver Award for Best Documentary - Virgin Spring Cinefest (Kolkata, India)
  • 2018-19 : Acadian Music Wave / Vague d'Acadie (feature documentary)
    • Best Music Documentary or Benind the Scenes - American Tracks Music Awards (Los Angeles, USA)
    • Best Documentary - ARFF International (Paris, France)
    • Nomination for Best Documentary, arts and culture - Prix Gémeaux Awards (Montreal, Québec)
  • 2017-2019 : Belle-Île-en-Mer, a Breton and Acadian Island / Île bretonne et acadienne (documentary)
    • Best Documentary - 2nd Largo Film Awards (Lausanne, Switzerland)
    • Best Documentary - 2nd ShortCut Cinefest (Bucharest, Roumania)
    • Best Documentary - 7th South Cinematographic Academy Film & Arts (Rancagua, Chili)
    • Best Short Film - 30th FICFA (Moncton, Canada)
    • Best Short Documentary - 4th ARFF International (Paris, France)
    • Best Short Documentary - 24e FICOCC Five Continents International Film Festival (Puerto la Cruz, Venezuela).
    • Best Short Documentary - 5e Festival de Largos y Cortos de Santiago (Santiago, Chili)
    • Best Short Documentary - Sao Paulo Times Film Festival (Sao Paulo, Brazil)
    • Best Short Documentary - European Screen Awards (Jakarta, Indonésie)
    • Diamond Award, Best Short Documentary in a Foreign Language - 3rd DIRA Directors Awards (Jakarta, Indonesia)
    • Golden Award, Best Short Documentary - International Screen Awards (Yogyakarta, Indonésie).
    • Platinum Remi Award, Cultural category - 50th WorldFest Houston (Texas, USA)
    • 2nd Best Documentary - 2e Ahmednagar International Short Film Festival (Ahmednagar, India)
    • Award of Merit, Canadian and international shorts - 3rd Canada Shorts Film Festival (Toronto, Ontario)
    • Award of Excellence for Documentary - 7th Best Shorts Competition (San Diego, California, USA)
    • Award of Merit for Directing - 7th Best Shorts Competition (San Diego, California, USA)
    • Award of Merit for Scriptwriting - 7th Best Shorts Competition (San Diego, California, USA)
    • Eloize Award - Most illustrated artist outside of Acadie (Atlantic Provinces, Canada)
    • People's Choice Award - Radio-Canada (Atlantic Provinces, Canada)
    • Best Cinematography - 7th Southampton International Film Festival (Southampton, England)
    • Best Cinemtography - 7th South Cinematographic Academy Film & Arts (Rancagua, Chili)
    • Best Cinematography - 7th Picasso Einstein Buddha International Film Festival (Rishikesh, Inde)
    • Honorable jury mention - 6th Headline International Film Festival (Vancouver, Canada)
    • Honorable jury mention - 12th Cinema on the Bayou Festival (Lafayette, Louisiana, USA)
    • Honorable jury mention - Formosa Festival of International Filmmaker Awards (Taichung, Taiwan)
    • 8 Awards of Excellence, including Best Documentary, Director and Scriptwriter - 3rd Southern Shorts Awards (Georgia, USA)
  • 2016-2019 : Zachary Richard, Cajun Heart / Toujours Batailleur (feature-length documentary)
    • Director's Choice Grand Prize - 12th Cinema on the Bayou Festival (Lafayette, Louisiana, USA)
    • Best Feature Documentary - 30th FICFA (Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada)
    • Audience Award - 30th FICFA (Moncton, NB, Canada)
    • Best Documentary, Canadian and international - 17th Silver Wave Film Festival (Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada)
    • Prix de la Ville de Dieppe: 5th Festival du film canadien de Dieppe (Dieppe, France)
    • Golden World Award - World Film Awards (Jakarta, Indonesia)
    • Remi Award - 50th Worldfest International Film Festival (Houston, Texas)
    • Award of Merit - 15th Accolade Global Film Competition (San Diego, California, USA)
    • 2 awards Exceptional Merit Award & Human Spirit Award - Doc Without Borders Film Festival (Delaware, USA)
    • 2 Awards of Excellence: Production and Sound - Oniros Film Award (Aoste, Italy)
  • 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 Award: 25th International Film Festival Cinefest, Sudbury, Ontario.
  • 2012-2013: The Nature of Frederic Back / Frédéric Back, grandeur nature (feature-length documentary)
    • Audience Award: 30th International Festival of Films on Art, Montreal.
    • Audience Award: 26th Festival international du cinéma francophone, Moncton.
    • Audience Award: 9th Cinema on the Bayou Film Festival, Lafayette, Louisiana.
  • 2010: La Sagouine (drama TV series)
    • Coup de coeur Award & Hommage for actress Viola Léger: 12e Festival des créations télévisuelles de Luchon, France.
  • 2009: Nature Above All (documentary)
    • Audience Award & Special mention by Jury: Festival de films de Portneuf sur l'environnement, Quebec.
  • 2000: Pit Pony (drama TV series)
    • Best drama series: Young Artists Awards, Hollywood California
  • 1998: Emily of New Moon (TV series)
    • Best drama TV series: Alliance for children & television awards, Toronto
    • 2 Best Acting Awards: Gemini Awards, Toronto
  • 1996: Lassie (drama TV series)
    • Audience Award: FilmWorld Fest, Charleston, North Carolina
    • Award of excellence: Parents Choice Awards, Maryland
  • 1994-1995: Jerome's Secret (theatrical feature film)
    • 3 awards: Audience Award, Bayard d'Or for acting & Best First Feature : Festival international du film francophone, Namur, Belgium
    • Audience 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
  • 1992: Archeology (documentary TV series)
    • Best documentary TV series: Cable Ace Awards, Los Angeles, California
    • Award of excellence: FilmWorld Fest, Houston, Texas
  • 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
  • 1984: La musique nous explique (documentary)
    • Award of excellence. 1st Atlantic Film Festival, Saint-Johns, Newfoundland

Film nominations
  • 2017-2018 : Belle-Ile-en-Mer, a Breton and Acadian Island)
    • Los Angeles Independent Film Festival (LA, California), Barcelona Planet Film Festival (Spain), Moscow Shorts International Film Festival (Russia), Gold Movie Awards Goddess Nike (London, England), Feel The Reel International Film Festival (Glasgow, Scotland), International Short Film Festival Beverin (Belgium), Move Me Productions Film Festival (Antwerp, Belgium), Near Nazareth (Israel), Bucharest ShortCut CineFest (Roumania), Short to the Point (Bucharest, Romania), Woodengate Film Festival (Baia Mare, Roumania), Festival insulaire de l’île de Groix (France), Festival CineFil (Lorient, France), Festival 24 images seconde (Florac, France), Festival Les Cousins d'Amérique (Loudun, France), Les Nuits Cajun (Saulieu, France), Ficmarc Caribbean Sea International Film Festival (Pampatar, Venezuela), Fondecoin Independent International Short Film Festival (Puerto La Cruz, Venezuela), Oaxaca FilmFest (Mexico), Rendez Vous Québec Cinéma (Montreal, Canada), Festival de cinéma de la ville de Québec (Quebec, Canada), Atlantic International Film Festival (Halifax, Canada), Charlottetown Film Festival (PEI, Canada), Silver Wave Film Festival (Fredericton, Canada).
  • 2017-2018 : Zachary Richard, toujours batailleur (Cajun Heart)
    • 2 Gémeaux Awards : Best director and Best scriptwriting for a documentary, Montreal.
    • Special presentation at the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland.
    • Los Angeles CineFest (LA, California), International Filmmaker Festival (Nice, France), Move Me Productions Film Festival (Antwerp, Belgium), Festival 24 images seconde (Florac, France), Festival Les Cousins d'Amérique (Loudun, France), Les Nuits Cajun (Saulieu, France), Atlantic International Film Festival (Halifax), Charlottetown Film Festival (PEI).
  • 2014-2015: Secretariat's Jockey, Ron Turcotte (documentary)
    • Gémeaux Award for Best Documentary biography, Montreal
    • DGC Awards (Directors Guild of Canada) for Best Documentary, Toronto
  • 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
  • 2009: Nature Above All (documentary)
    • Gemeaux Award for Best Portrait, Montreal
  • 2002: Tribu.com II (drama TV series)
    • 2 Gemeaux Award, Montreal
  • 2001: Tribu.com I (drama TV series)
    • 2 Gemeaux Awards, Montreal
  • 2001: Chopin: Frédéric et Georges (docu-drama)
    • 2 Gemeaux Awards, Montreal
  • 1999: Pit Pony (TV series)
    • 2 Gemini Awards, Toronto
  • 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.

References
  1. "Nova Scotians become Order of Canada inductees". CBC. May 27, 2011. Retrieved April 11, 2018.
  2. "Phil Comeau | The Canadian Encyclopedia". www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca. Retrieved 2020-11-04.
  3. "La médaille Léger-Comeau accordée à Phil Comeau". Ici Radio Canada (in French). Retrieved 2021-01-28.
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