Philippe Baylaucq, filmmaker
Born in 1958, Philippe Baylaucq studied sculpture and film at the Hornsey and St. Martin's schools of art in London. His early films, Notre-Dame des Danses (1981) and Promise (1981), show a pronounced taste for daring and experimentation. Barcelone (1985) cemented his position as an influential figure in art film.
Baylaucq's artist portraits include one on architect Phyllis Lambert (Phyllis Lambert, 1994) and a choreography of dancer Lucie Grégoire (Les choses dernières, 1994). Lodela (1996) is a magnificent allegory of the origins of the world, celebrating the beauty and fragility of the human body. It won him 11 international awards.
His fascination with creative people continued with two very personal portraits of Quebec painters. He investigated Marcel Baril's imposing work in FIFA award-winning Mystère B. (1997). In 2000, the canvases of his artist grandfather, André Biéler, were the main source of inspiration for Couleurs de sang.
In 2001, Baylaucq made his first children's film, the musical tale Hugo et le dragon, which toured the world. Next he turned his attention to the legendary Sable Island, off the coast of Nova Scotia, with Sables émouvants (2003), selected in several festivals.
While making A Dream for Kabul, a shoot that lasted several years, Baylaucq co-ordinated the filmmaker collective that made Un cri au bonheur (2007), orchestrating the work and writing two of the 21 Quebec poems set to film by 11 directors. He is now working on a film on Reford Gardens near Grand-Métis, Quebec.
Baylaucq's dedication to film has earned him the Prix Lumières, which recognized his contribution to the advancement of directors' status in Quebec during his chairmanship of ARRQ (Association des réalisateurs et réalisatrices du Québec) from 1996 to 2000. He has chaired the Rencontres internationales du documentaire de Montréal since 2005.
Nathalie Barton, producer
Nathalie Barton is cofounder and president of the InformAction production company and has specialized in producing POV documentaries for over twenty years. Her recent productions include American Fugitive: The Truth about Hassan by Jean-Daniel Lafond, Lifelike by Tally Abecassis (nominated for three Gemini Awards in 2006), East End Kids by Carole Laganière (Jutra and Gémeaux Award nominations in 2005), The Magic Touch by Carlos Ferrand (three Gémeaux in 2005), De Mémoire de chats : les ruelles by Manon Barbeau (two Gémeaux Awards in 2005), The Messengers by Helen Doyle (more than 15 international festivals), Salam Iran, a Persian Letter (Gémeaux award—best documentary, 2002), and The Art of Time by Philippe Baylaucq. She has also co-produced several one-off documentaries with France. From 1994 to 2002, Nathalie Barton was head of the APFTQ's documentary section and a member of the association's board of directors. She also serves on the board of directors of both Vues d'Afrique and Women in Film, Television and New Media (WIFTNM).
Yves Bisaillon, producer and executive producer
Yves Bisaillon was born in Montreal and holds a degree in Urban Planning from Université de Montréal and in Communications from Université du Québec à Montréal. After working in television as a journalist and director, notably for Radio-Canada, he joined the NFB as a producer in 1997. His work includes Raymond Klibansky: From Philosophy to Life (FIFA Award 2002), Just Watch Me - Trudeau and the 70' Generation, La Cueca Sola (best documentary at Hot Docs 2004), The Cabinet of Doctor Ferron (best cultural documentary at Gémeaux 2004) and What Remains of Us (selected at the International Critic's Week, Cannes 2004; Jutra for best documentary in 2005). His recent productions include Who Shot My Brother? (people's choice at FNC 2005), Nadia's Journey (Caméra au poing Award, RIDM 2006) and Medicine Under the Influence (best science and nature documentary, Gémeaux 2006).
Patricia Bergeron, producer
Holder of a bachelor's degree in communications (film) from the Université du Québec à Montréal, Patricia Bergeron has spent over 10 years amassing solid know-how in the field of new media in parallel to various filmprojects. After occasionallyworking for Radio-Canada radio as a scriptwriter and artistic director, she joined the National FilmBoard in April 2000.
By turns Web designer for the NFB's marketing division and marketing officer for the Animation Studio, in 2003 shewas appointed producer of Parole citoyenne, the NFB's most important interactive Web platform. In 2006, she produced La tête de l'emploi, a series of five shortswith a link to aWeb component on the topic of racismin the workplace. Today Patricia Bergeron is institutional producer (multiplatform) at the National Film Board of Canada's Quebec Studio.
