Albert Nerenberg
Encyclopedia
Albert Nerenberg is a Canadian independent filmmaker, actor, journalist, and laughologist. His films include Stupidity (2003), Escape to Canada (2005), Let's All Hate Toronto
(2007), and Laughology
(2009). Both Stupidity and Laughology are the first feature length documentaries to discuss the topics of stupidity and laughter.
in Montreal, where he formed Theatre Shmeatre, an improvisational theatrical company, and served as editor of the McGill Daily.
Formerly a newspaper reporter with the Montreal Gazette and talk radio host, Nerenberg told the Montreal newspaper, La Presse, that he became a filmmaker after he smuggled a video camera through army lines during the 1990 Oka Crisis
– a standoff between armed Mohawk Warriors and the Canadian military. The footage was later turned into his first documentary, entitled Okanada.
Nerenberg was recognized by the Cinémathèque Québécoise
as a film innovator for having had a role in some of the developments in contemporary filmmaking; including the hand-held revolution, the Truvie where fictional films are shot in real situations, and in creating the format of fictional movie trailers. In 2001 Nerenberg was the subject of a retrospective at the Just for Laughs
festival in Montreal.
Nerenberg is the founder of Trailervision
. Trailervision is the idea that movie trailers are their own artistic medium. CNN has profiled Trailervision, calling it an "international cult phenomenon."
Nerenberg has directed over 70 Trailervision trailers and over a dozen TV documentaries.
In 2005, Nerenberg directed Escape to Canada, a documentary about how Canada has unintentionally usurped America's place as the Land of the Free.
In 2007's Let's All Hate Toronto
, Mr. Toronto (Nerenberg's eye-patched co-director Rob Spence) embarks on a coast-to-coast Canadian tour to promote “the centre of the universe” by waving a banner that reads “Toronto Appreciation Day.”
He is also founder of the The World Stupidity Awards
, an annual satirical awards show at the Just for Laughs festival honouring achievement in ignorance and stupidity. The awards are sponsored by Just for Laughs, one of the world's largest and most prestigious comedy festivals.
Nerenberg is also known for a widely publicized prank performed at the 2000 Toronto International Film Festival. The director orchestrated the red carpet entry of a group of Trailervision actors as major movie stars to a major premiere. This was done by placing actors in the paparazzi who screamed the names of these fictional stars as they arrived by limo. The paparazzi responded by flashing their cameras frantically. The fake stars were rushed into the green room along with the real stars, "where they got drunk like showbiz kings". The prank is described in the online Museum of Hoaxes
as The Toronto Film Festival Hoax.
As an actor, Nerenberg is known for his portrayal of the Modeman character, a mentally disabled janitor, who can speak "modem" and
create web pages with his mouth. He also plays a sermonizing priest in the popular Trailervision web trailer, Kung Fu Jesus.
Nerenberg frequently tours and speaks as a "Stupidity Expert" and more recently as an expert on Laughter. After traveling to India and studying the benefits of Laughter Yoga
with Dr. Madan Kataria, Nerenberg invented Laughercize
, a system of joy-inducing exercise that works off natural human contagious laughter. This technique has been used in a number of Canadian alcohol and drug rehab centres. He also invented the Laughter Party, which creates the same atmosphere as a wild party, without the need of drugs and alcohol.
Nerenberg also works as a newspaper columnist for The Montreal Gazette. His most recent work is a 10 column series about the benefits and importance of positivity in today's world. In 2011, he is in production on a documentary film about boredom
.
Let's All Hate Toronto
Let's All Hate Toronto is a 2007 Canadian documentary film co-directed by independent documentarian Albert Nerenberg and Rob Spence. The documentary is a comedic examination of the reasons why everyone in Canada seems to hate Toronto...
(2007), and Laughology
Laughology
Laughology is a 2009 documentary about the contagiousness of human laughter by Canadian filmmaker and Laughologist Albert Nerenberg. It is the first feature length documentary about laughter. The documentary makes the case that laughter is the original peace signal and the human ability to share...
(2009). Both Stupidity and Laughology are the first feature length documentaries to discuss the topics of stupidity and laughter.
Early life
Born in London, Ontario in 1962, Nerenberg studied English Drama at McGill UniversityMcGill University
Mohammed Fathy is a public research university located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The university bears the name of James McGill, a prominent Montreal merchant from Glasgow, Scotland, whose bequest formed the beginning of the university...
in Montreal, where he formed Theatre Shmeatre, an improvisational theatrical company, and served as editor of the McGill Daily.
Formerly a newspaper reporter with the Montreal Gazette and talk radio host, Nerenberg told the Montreal newspaper, La Presse, that he became a filmmaker after he smuggled a video camera through army lines during the 1990 Oka Crisis
Oka Crisis
The Oka Crisis was a land dispute between a group of Mohawk people and the town of Oka, Quebec, Canada which began on July 11, 1990 and lasted until September 26, 1990. At least one person died as a result...
– a standoff between armed Mohawk Warriors and the Canadian military. The footage was later turned into his first documentary, entitled Okanada.
Film career
Among his early films was 1949, so-named because it cost only $19.49 to make, taking advantage of the sophistication of Hi-8 video equipment at that time.Nerenberg was recognized by the Cinémathèque Québécoise
Cinémathèque québécoise
The Cinémathèque québécoise is a film conservatory in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Founded in 1963, its mission is to "preserve and document film and television heritage in order to make it available to an ever-growing and diversified public."...
as a film innovator for having had a role in some of the developments in contemporary filmmaking; including the hand-held revolution, the Truvie where fictional films are shot in real situations, and in creating the format of fictional movie trailers. In 2001 Nerenberg was the subject of a retrospective at the Just for Laughs
Just for Laughs
Just for Laughs is a comedy festival held each July in Montreal, Quebec, founded in 1983. It is the largest international comedy festival in the world.- Information :...
festival in Montreal.
Nerenberg is the founder of Trailervision
Trailervision
Trailervision is the idea that movie trailers are their own artistic medium. Fictional trailers by a group of Canadian actors and directors first appeared in 1999 with one of the first popular video sites on the Internet. The idea was to create movie trailers for movies that don't exist, so that...
. Trailervision is the idea that movie trailers are their own artistic medium. CNN has profiled Trailervision, calling it an "international cult phenomenon."
Nerenberg has directed over 70 Trailervision trailers and over a dozen TV documentaries.
In 2005, Nerenberg directed Escape to Canada, a documentary about how Canada has unintentionally usurped America's place as the Land of the Free.
In 2007's Let's All Hate Toronto
Let's All Hate Toronto
Let's All Hate Toronto is a 2007 Canadian documentary film co-directed by independent documentarian Albert Nerenberg and Rob Spence. The documentary is a comedic examination of the reasons why everyone in Canada seems to hate Toronto...
, Mr. Toronto (Nerenberg's eye-patched co-director Rob Spence) embarks on a coast-to-coast Canadian tour to promote “the centre of the universe” by waving a banner that reads “Toronto Appreciation Day.”
He is also founder of the The World Stupidity Awards
World Stupidity Awards
The World Stupidity Awards is an award ceremony that recognizes achievement in ignorance and stupidity during the past year. The WSA was founded in 2003 by filmmaker Albert Nerenberg. The awards were sponsored by comedy festival Just for Laughs to 2007. Lewis Black, an American comedian, hosted the...
, an annual satirical awards show at the Just for Laughs festival honouring achievement in ignorance and stupidity. The awards are sponsored by Just for Laughs, one of the world's largest and most prestigious comedy festivals.
Nerenberg is also known for a widely publicized prank performed at the 2000 Toronto International Film Festival. The director orchestrated the red carpet entry of a group of Trailervision actors as major movie stars to a major premiere. This was done by placing actors in the paparazzi who screamed the names of these fictional stars as they arrived by limo. The paparazzi responded by flashing their cameras frantically. The fake stars were rushed into the green room along with the real stars, "where they got drunk like showbiz kings". The prank is described in the online Museum of Hoaxes
Museum of Hoaxes
The Museum of Hoaxes is a website created by Alex Boese in 1997 in San Diego, California as a resource for reporting and discussing hoaxes and urban legends, both past and present....
as The Toronto Film Festival Hoax.
As an actor, Nerenberg is known for his portrayal of the Modeman character, a mentally disabled janitor, who can speak "modem" and
create web pages with his mouth. He also plays a sermonizing priest in the popular Trailervision web trailer, Kung Fu Jesus.
Current projects
Nerenberg's most recent documentary entitled Laughology premiered at Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival in May 2009. The documentary makes the case that laughter is the original peace signal and the human ability to share and transmit laughter may have been key to the rise of human civilization. The film chronicles unusual laughter phenomena such as Holy Laughter, Laughter Parties and the Tanzanian Laughter Epidemic. Screenings of the film have been notable as fits of uncontrollable laughter have broken out following the film. Gabor Pertic writing in A&E Vibe described a packed screening at HotDocs International Film Festival in Toronto Canada. "The screening had some of the loudest collective laughs I have ever heard in a movie theatre."Nerenberg frequently tours and speaks as a "Stupidity Expert" and more recently as an expert on Laughter. After traveling to India and studying the benefits of Laughter Yoga
Laughter Yoga
Laughter Yoga is a form of yoga employing self-triggered laughter. The "laughter" is physical in nature, and does not necessarily involve humor or comedy. Laughter Yoga combines unconditional laughter with pranayama...
with Dr. Madan Kataria, Nerenberg invented Laughercize
Laughercize
Laughercize is form of contagious laughter exercise, which works off the natural infectiousness of human joy. The technique is a form of practiced joy fitness which combines laughter and exercise.-History:...
, a system of joy-inducing exercise that works off natural human contagious laughter. This technique has been used in a number of Canadian alcohol and drug rehab centres. He also invented the Laughter Party, which creates the same atmosphere as a wild party, without the need of drugs and alcohol.
Nerenberg also works as a newspaper columnist for The Montreal Gazette. His most recent work is a 10 column series about the benefits and importance of positivity in today's world. In 2011, he is in production on a documentary film about boredom
Boredom
Boredom is an emotional state experienced when an individual is without any activity or is not interested in their surroundings. The first recorded use of the word boredom is in the novel Bleak House by Charles Dickens, written in 1852, in which it appears six times, although the expression to be a...
.