Toronto, Friday, September 8, 2006

Jean-Daniel and I are very pleased to join at the Toronto International Film Festival, an event that stands in the front ranks of the world’s film festivals.

This venue has established itself as a premiere showcase for some of the world’s most popular films, launching international blockbusters as well as countless, innovative, independent productions.

So I think it is fitting that we are honouring and paying tribute at this year’s edition to our very own film pioneer, Norman McLaren.

Cinematic virtuoso, complex artist, innovator, humanist, Norman McLaren’s works continue to evoke and inspire us.

He pushed creativity to its limits in his career that spanned over four decades.

Most importantly, Norman McLaren’s body of works has left an indelible mark on the world of cinema.

As a filmmaker, his innovative approach broke down traditional barriers.

He could make films without the use of a camera, create “animated sound” by drawing directly on the soundtrack of the film.

It is said that McLaren’s approach is of great interest to electronic composers, and has resulted in his being considered a pioneer of sound as well as of filmmaking.

Norman McLaren also redefined the relationship between the concepts of “music” and “image” in a film, where the two become seamlessly woven together.

In his works he used an astonishing variety of music, including performances by Ravi Shankar and Chatur Lal; Glenn Gould playing Bach; jazz by Eldon Rathburn and Oscar Peterson; and music by Pete Seeger, among others.

To Canadians, Norman McLaren is our very own filmmaking genius. But, we must never forget his roots.

After working for the British General Post Office Film Unit in the 1930s, Norman McLaren moved to New York City before making his way to Canada in 1941. There he reconnected with film producer John Grierson, who had first hired him in Britain and who had come to Canada to lead the new National Film Board.

Working with Grierson, McLaren founded the National Film Board’s Animation Studio.

Through his work and his commitment to this art form, he inspired a generation of Canadian animators and filmmakers.

And given McLaren’s countless achievements, it is understandable that his work has been lauded around the world.

Norman McLaren’s body of work was celebrated at this year’s Festival de Cannes, when it was featured as part of the Cannes Classics programming.

McLaren was the first Canadian filmmaker to be selected for this honour, and the first ever who worked in animation.

He joins the likes of such giants as Jean Renoir, Michael Powell, Pier Paolo Pasolini and Sergei Eisenstein, who have also been honoured in this way.

But, throughout his life, we must never forget that his creativity carried a remarkable sensitivity—compassionate, human and so real—and left our culture more enriched than we can begin to imagine.

I believe that culture should always be viewed in the broadest sense possible. Culture encompasses how we think, create, dream, invent, act and live.

It is every action, every nuance, every sensibility through which each of us contributes to the bigger picture.

Norman McLaren did all of these things with passion.

‘He has indeed left his mark’ on our civilization. Time will not erase the paths that he opened to audiences and creators alike.

As the Patrons of the 65^th Anniversary of NFB Animation, my husband and I welcome this opportunity to share the works of Norman McLaren with a new audience.

But, indeed, I also want to take this opportunity to pay tribute to the National Film Board for the tremendous contribution it has made to enriching and promoting Canadian culture.

Canadian filmmakers, and many other film professionals, from writers to sound technicians to animators, are rightly celebrated and respected around the world.

And many of these people got their start at the NFB, or learned their craft from others who had worked there.

As someone who lives with a filmmaker, I have had the rare opportunity to closely observe the organic process of conceiving and creating a film.

As a result, I have had a privileged window into your world, and I know how important you are to Canadians, both to our quality of life, and to our shared culture.

As you will see shortly, Norman McLaren is also a powerful symbol of the vibrancy and the audacity of Canadian filmmaking. This evening’s retrospective wonderfully captures his genius, his skill, and his bold vision.

But who better can pay tribute to tonight’s honoree than another filmmaker—a filmmaker who had the privilege of knowing Norman McLaren at the NFB ... Jean-Daniel Lafond.