Magnus Isacsson
Magnus Isacsson is a Canadian documentary filmmaker whose films investigate contemporary political issues and topics in social activism. Born in Sweden in 1948, he immigrated to Canada in 1970. He formerly worked as a producer for the CBC, and has completed more than 15 films independently since 1986.[1]
His film Uranium,[2] the story of radioactive contamination on Native land by Canada's uranium mines, won a Golden Sheaf Award[3] at the Yorkton Film Festival in 1991; Power,[4] a feature-length chronicle of the Cree's five year struggle against the Great Whale Hydro Project in Northern Quebec, received the award for Best Documentary at the International Environmental Film Festival in Paris (1997), amongst other accolades and nominations. The Choir Boys, a film about the journey of a choir of homeless men in Montreal, won the award for Best Documentary at the Mumbai International Film Festival in 2000.[5]
Isacsson has been involved in the Documentary Organization of Canada (formerly CIFC) since its beginning, contributing to the formation of the Montreal chapter in 1988.[6] He was also involved in starting the Rencontres Internationales du Documentaire de Montreal as a member of its first programming committee. In association with the RIDM, Isacsson instigated the Docu-Mondays (Lundis du Doc) screening series.[7] Isacsson is a member of the ARRQ director's union in Quebec, and has served as a board member for the Observatoire du Documentaire.[8]
Isacsson's most recent film is the feature-length documentary l'Art en Action (2009), a study of the ATSA group's provocative urban art installation. Isacsson is also currently in production on a film about the Raging Grannies. Ongoing updates about his work are available on the filmmaker's blog.
Magnus Isacsson died in Montreal, Quebec on August 2, 2012.
Filmography
- l'Art en Action (2009)
- The Battle of Rabaska (2008)
- Hell-bent for Justice (2005)
- Waiting for Martin (2004)
- Maxime, McDuff & McDo (2002)
- View From the Summit (2002)
- Pressure Point (1999)
- The Choir Boys (1999)
- Vivre Ensemble (1997)
- Power (1996)
- The Big Upheaval (1996)
- The Emperor's New Clothes (1995)
- Union Trouble (1991)
- Uranium (1991)
- Out of the Ashes (1991)
- Toivo (1990)
References
- ^ http://www.socialdoc.net/isacsson/index.html The Films of Magnus Isacsson
- ^ http://www.onf-nfb.gc.ca/eng/collection/film/?id=18301 NFB film collection Uranium
- ^ http://www.yorktonshortfilm.org/files/File/winners/winners1991.html Yorkton past winners 1991
- ^ http://www.onf-nfb.gc.ca/eng/collection/film/?id=33182 NFB film collection Power
- ^ http://miffindia.in/archives/6th%20film-awards1.htm Mumbai IFF archives
- ^ http://docorg.ca/en/history DOC history
- ^ http://www.ridm.qc.ca/archives/doc.f/evenements.series.lundis.php RIDM Docu-Mondays
- ^ http://www.obsdoc.ca/recherches.f/telequebec/observ/ Observatoire du Documentaire