Gordon Henderson (filmmaker)

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Gordon Henderson is a Canadian documentary film producer, director, writer, and chairman of his production company, 90th Parallel Productions. Henderson has directed, written, or produced hundreds of films over his career. [1] His films have been nominated for 10 Geminis, winning two, and In 2023 he received the Canadian Screen Award for Best Factual Series. Henderson has a reputation for running one of Toronto's most successful production houses. [2]

Contents

Career

Henderson began his career as a Global TV parliamentary correspondent. He went on to produce documentaries for CBC and was the senior field producer at CTV's W5 . [1] He has directed many documentaries with Lloyd Robertson and worked closely with Bill Cameron. [1] Henderson was the senior series producer for Canada: A People's History for which he won a Gemini award. [3] Mark Starowicz wrote, "The series would have been totally impossible without Gordon Henderson, his respect for the human story, and his sense of wonder at Canadian history.” [4] In 1987 Henderson founded his own production company, 90th Parallel. [2] Henderson credits the 1994 film "The Choirmaster" with putting 90th Parallel on the map and John Haslett Cuff of the Globe said of the film, “This is an intelligent, restrained, and thoughtful film that poses a number of difficult questions about the case.” International broadcasters soon picked it up despite its local focus. [2] 90th Parallel is respected throughout Canada as a premier high-end documentary production house. [1] Henderson has been involved in the production of many films, including Inconvenient Indian, [5] Bipolarized, [6] Nahanni: River of Forgiveness, [7] and The Skin We're In (film).

Henderson has authored or co-authored three books:

For over a decade, Henderson was an instructor in the journalism department at Ryerson University in Toronto. [11]

Awards

Henderson was won two Gemini awards and has been nominated 8 times. His films have won awards in New York, Chicago, Houston, Columbus, Yorkton, Telluride, Banff, China, and Paris. [1]

Awards and nominations

YearCeremonyCategoryFilmResultRef
1998 13th Gemini Awards Best Science, Technology, Nature and Environment Documentary ProgramSuperbugsNominated
2000 15th Gemini Awards Best History/Biography Documentary ProgramAmbition: The Life & Times of Ted RogersNominated
Best Performing Arts Program or Series, or Arts Documentary Program or SeriesTall Tales From The Long Corner: The Life and Times of Ronnie HawkinsWon
2001 16th Gemini Awards Best Documentary Series Canada: A People's History Won
Best Performing Arts Program or Series, or Arts Documentary Program or SeriesThe Life & Times of Alex ColvilleNominated
2002 17th Gemini Awards Best Science, Technology, Nature, Environment or Adventure Documentary ProgramThe Cold EmbraceNominated
2005 20th Gemini Awards Best Biography Documentary ProgramThe Life and Times of Peter C. NewmanNominated
Best Sports Program or SeriesThe Hockey NomadNominated
2006 21st Gemini Awards Best History Documentary Program The Secret Mulroney Tapes Nominated
2007 22nd Gemini Awards Donald Brittain Award for Best Social/Political Documentary ProgramFaith Without FearNominated
Best Science, Technology, Nature, Environment or Adventure Documentary ProgramLight at the Edge of the WorldNominated
2009 24th Gemini Awards Best Documentary SeriesThe AdventurersNominated
2011 26th Gemini Awards Best Cross-Platform Project - Non-FictionWe Will Remember ThemNominated
Best Documentary SeriesGeologic JourneyNominated
2014 2nd Canadian Screen Awards Science or Nature Documentary Program or SeriesWind RushNominated [12]
2017 6th Canadian Screen Awards Social/Political Documentary Program (Donald Brittain Award) The Skin We're In (film) Nominated
2019 8th Canadian Screen Awards Best Feature Length Documentary Invisible Essence: The Little Prince Nominated [13]
2020 9th Canadian Screen Awards Science or Nature Documentary Program or Series

(Rob Stewart Award)

 The Nature of Things Nominated
2023 11th Canadian Screen Awards Best Factual Series We’re All Gonna Die (Even Jay Baruchel) Won [14]

Personal life and family

Henderson is the son of Canadian Lawyer Gordon F. Henderson and Joan Parkins. [15] He is married and has three grown children, including Stuart Henderson, [8] who works alongside him at 90th Parallel. [16]

He has sat on multiple volunteer boards, including Face the Future, Opera Atelier, and Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra. [16]

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 "America at a Crossroads. Faith without Fear | PBS". www.pbs.org. Retrieved 2023-05-02.
  2. 1 2 3 Grief, Amy (2015-03-29). "Keeping it Reel | Review of Journalism: The School of Journalism" . Retrieved 2023-05-03.
  3. ↑ "2001 Gemini Winners". November 12, 2001. Retrieved 2023-05-03.
  4. ↑ Friesen, Joe (2003). "'Canada: a People's History' as 'Journalists' History'". History Workshop Journal. 56 (1): 184–203. doi:10.1093/hwj/56.1.184. ISSN   1477-4569.
  5. ↑ "National Film Board of Canada announces distribution path for Inconvenient Indian". www.canada.ca. 2022-03-21. Retrieved 2023-05-03.
  6. ↑ "Bipolarized: Rethinking Mental Illness (2014)". Radio Times. Retrieved 2023-05-03.
  7. ↑ "River of Forgiveness". riverofforgiveness.com. Retrieved 2023-05-03.
  8. 1 2 Henderson, Gordon (2014-07-01). Man In The Shadows. HarperCollins Canada. ISBN   978-1-4434-3182-8.
  9. ↑ Henderson, Gordon (1980). Sandy Mackenzie, why Look So Glum? : Rhymes and Pictures about Our Prime Ministers. Deneau and Greenberg. ISBN   978-0-88879-042-2.
  10. ↑ Daniel, Alan; Henderson, Gordon (1986). Don't Go that Way Mr. Baffin. Deneau Publishers. ISBN   978-0-88879-138-2.
  11. ↑ "Behind the Scenes About the TV Series". CBC.
  12. ↑ "DOC ZONE NOMINATED FOR 6 CANADIAN SCREEN AWARDS". CBC.
  13. ↑ "2020 CANADIAN SCREEN AWARDS". solutionsmedia.cbcrc.ca (in French). Retrieved 2023-05-03.
  14. ↑ Thiessen, Connie (2023-04-12). "2023 Canadian Screen Awards: News, Documentary & Factual Awards winners". Broadcast Dialogue. Retrieved 2023-05-03.
  15. ↑ "JOAN HENDERSON Obituary (2013) - Legacy Remembers". Legacy.com. Retrieved 2023-05-03.
  16. 1 2 "Team – 90th Parallel" . Retrieved 2023-05-03.
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