Phil Comeau | |
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| Born | 1956 (age 68–69) Saulnierville, Nova Scotia, Canada |
| Years active | 1977–present |
| Notable work | Jerome's Secret |
Phil Comeau CM ONB ONS (born 1956) is a Canadian film and television director, best known for his work in both dramatic and documentary cinema. A prominent figure in Acadian and Canadian filmmaking, his work has been recognized internationally, having received over 700 awards at film festivals around the world. . [1] [2] He resides in both Moncton, New Brunswick and Montreal, Quebec.
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Career
Filmmaker Comeau has directed and written numerous feature films in both drama and documentary, and television series in more than 20 countries. Some of his work has been translated into 27 languages and broadcast in nearly 190 countries.
Drama
He directed and co-wrote the award-winning feature Jerome's Secret, the first independent Acadian dramatic feature film (Canada), and two TV movies Crash of the Century (France), and Teen Knight (Romania and the USA).
His credits in television drama include popular series such as Tribu.com (I & II), which garnered up to 1.3 million viewers in Quebec, La Sagouine, Lassie, Emily of New Moon, Pit Pony, Les couleurs de mon accent, World Legends.
Documentary and Docu-drama
Comeau's recent award-winning feature documentaries include The Secret Order, Zachary Richard Cajun Heart, Acadian Music Wave, Secretariat's Jockey Ron Turcotte, and The Nature of Frederic Back.
He also directed many documentary series including Risk Takers , Archeology, Walk on the Wild Side, and the docu-drama series Mayday, broadcast worldwide.
Acadian films
Almost half of Phil Comeau's films are about his Acadian culture. Among them, the feature film Jerome's Secret, [3] the first Acadian comedy The Gossips, the first Acadian children's film The Hooked Rug of Grand-Pré, a popular series remake on an iconic Acadian character La Sagouine, [4] and a film on Acadian woman fishermen Women Captains.
On the subject of the world Acadian diaspora, he had directed an Acadian feature in Louisiana Zachary Richard, Cajun Heart, a documentary series in Quebec Les Acadiens du Québec and documentaries in the Acadian areas of France Roots, Diaspora & War and Belle-Ile-en-Mer, a Breton and Acadian Island. His short film Belle-Île in Acadie currently holds the Guinness World Record for "Most awards won by a documentary short film," with 458 accolades worldwide. [5]
Literary Work
Comeau is also an accomplished author. He has participated in two poetry collections Plumes d’icitte and Éloizes, published his film script Les Gossipeuses, and a dictionary of Acadian French Le parler Acadjonne. He co-directed and edited the anthology Acadie Then and Now, a 500-page collection of historical and contemporary writings on the Acadian diaspora. The anthology received the Prix France-Acadie in Paris (2015).
Volunteering
For nearly 40 years, Comeau has generously volunteered his time on the boards of numerous professional associations, driven by a sincere desire to advance the film and television professions in Acadie and across Canada. He also served as president of the Front des réalisateurs indépendants du Canada (FRIC).
Personal Life
Phil Comeau was born in Saulnierville, Nova Scotia, a region with a strong Acadian heritage. His background has profoundly influenced his artistic work, which often explores Acadian culture, history, and identity. A globetrotter, the filmmaker enjoys discovering new cultures. He has traveled to over 55 countries and has made films in over 20 countries. He has lived in Baie Sainte-Marie, Halifax, Toronto, and Paris, and currently splits his time between Moncton and Montreal.
Recognitions
Phil Comeau has been recognized with numerous prestigious honours. Among them, he has received six orders: Order of Canada in 2011; [6] the Order of New Brunswick in 2016, the Order of Nova Scotia in 2023 [7] and the Ordre de la Pléiade from the French Assembly of Parlementarians in 2016; the distinction of the Ordre des francophones d'Amérique at the National Assembly in Quebec in 2007; and was promoted to the rank of "Officer" of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres in France in 2022. 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. [8] In 2021, Comeau was awarded the Médaille Léger-Comeau, the highest Acadian distinction by the Société Nationale de l'Acadie. [9] . In 2024, Comeau received the Lieutenant Governor's Awards for High Achievement in the Arts.
Recent work
The Secret Order (L'Ordre secret) won the "People's choice award" in 2022 at the Festival international du cinéma francophone en Acadie (FICFA). [10] Roots, Diaspora & War (Racines, diaspora & guerre) won the same award in 2023 and has received 128 international awards. [11]
