Newfoundland native William D. MacGillivray has won a 2013 Governor General’s Award in Visual and Media Arts.
The Governor General Awards, funded and administered by the Canada Council for the Arts, recognize achievements by Canadian artists and contributions through volunteer work, philanthropy, board governance, community outreach or professional activities.
The prize comes with $25,000 from the Canada Council and a special medallion produced in partnership with the Royal Canadian Mint.
MacGillivray, who now lives in Rose Bay, Nova Scotia, is a writer, director and filmmaker. His documentary on Ron Hynes, called “The Man of a Thousand Songs,” won the Audience Award, Best Director Award and Best Documentary Award at the 2011 Atlantic Film Festival.
Other projects of MacGillivray’s include “Gullage’s,” a TV series he made about a dysfunctional St. John’s taxi company, and a documentary about author Alistair MacLeod he produced with the National Film Board. His 1987 feature film “Life Classes” was nominated for five Genies and screened at the Berlin International Film Festival.
MacGillivray’s latest film, “Hard Drive,” will be released in 2013.
The other 2013 Governor General’s Award winners are Montreal visual artist Marcel Barbeau, visual artist Rebecca Belmore of Winnipeg, sound artist/composers/media artist Gordon Monahan of Meaford, Ontario, artist/potter Greg Payce of Calgary, Chantal Pontbriand, exhibitions and events curator and art critic of Montreal and Paris, and Colette Whiten, sculpture installation artist of Toronto and Haliburton, Ontario.
“Canada has long been renowned for excellence in the visual and media arts and the recipients of these awards are among our finest contemporary artists and artistic contributors,” said David Johnston, Governor General of Canada. “I am pleased to honour each of the laureates with these awards, and encourage audiences everywhere to view and appreciate their vision and creativity.”
Johnston will attend the awards ceremony at Rideau Hall on March 20.
