Clement Virgo
Encyclopedia
Clément Virgo is a Canadian filmmaker of international acclaim. His latest feature, the boxing drama Poor Boy's Game
, stars Danny Glover
and Rossif Sutherland
. The film world-premiered at the 2007 Berlin International Film Festival
, Panorama Special Section, and was presented as a Special Selection at the 2007 Toronto International Film Festival
. Poor Boy’s Game also earned Virgo a nomination in 2007 for the DGC Outstanding Achievement Craft Award for direction of a motion picture film. In a review for Variety, critic Leslie Felperin writes “…Poor Boy’s Game may rep [Virgo’s] best work so far, blending seamlessly his preoccupation with race, fluid identities, and complex sexuality.”
Virgo’s Lie with Me
caused a stir at the 2005 Toronto International Film Festival for its artistically daring portrayal of explicit sexual themes. Starring Lauren Lee Smith
and Eric Balfour
, Lie With Me had its European premiere at the 2006 Berlin International Film Festival, Panorama Section. It has been distributed internationally in over 30 territories, and sold to Showtime in the US.
Born in Jamaica, Virgo immigrated to Canada at the age of 11. Virgo has also received acclaim for his work in short film and television. He was nominated for a 2006 DGC Outstanding Achievement Craft Award for direction of a television series (ReGenesis
). He has directed two episodes of The Wire
for HBO, and The L Word
and Soul Food
for Showtime. His short film, Save My Lost Nigga’ Soul, won Best Film prizes at the Toronto, Fespaco and Chicago Film Festivals. His other films include Rude
, which world premiered at the Cannes Film Festival
, The Planet of Junior Brown, which earned Virgo an Emmy nomination, and Love Come Down.
Most recently, he worked as a director and executive producer on the new NBC/CTV television series, The Listener
. The series premiered in North America in June 2009. His production company, Conquering Lion Pictures
, is also in development on The Book of Negroes, based on the best-selling novel by Lawrence Hill
which won the 2008 Commonwealth Writer’s Prize for Best Book.
Poor Boy's Game
Poor Boy's Game is a Canadian feature film directed by Clement Virgo. Co-written with Nova Scotian writer/director Chaz Thorne , it is the story of class struggle, racial tensions and boxing, set in the Canadian east coast port city of Halifax, Nova Scotia. The film premiered on February 11, 2007,...
, stars Danny Glover
Danny Glover
Danny Lebern Glover is an American actor, film director, and political activist. Glover is perhaps best known for his role as Detective Roger Murtaugh in the Lethal Weapon film franchise.-Early life:...
and Rossif Sutherland
Rossif Sutherland
Rossif Sutherland is a Canadian actor.Sutherland was born in Vancouver, British Columbia, the son of Canadian actors Donald Sutherland and Francine Racette, brother of actor Angus Sutherland, and half-brother of actor Kiefer Sutherland. He has appeared in films such as Timeline , and Red Doors...
. The film world-premiered at the 2007 Berlin International Film Festival
Berlin International Film Festival
The Berlin International Film Festival , also called the Berlinale, is one of the world's leading film festivals and most reputable media events. It is held in Berlin, Germany. Founded in West Berlin in 1951, the festival has been celebrated annually in February since 1978...
, Panorama Special Section, and was presented as a Special Selection at the 2007 Toronto International Film Festival
Toronto International Film Festival
The Toronto International Film Festival is a publicly-attended film festival held each September in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. In 2010, 339 films from 59 countries were screened at 32 screens in downtown Toronto venues...
. Poor Boy’s Game also earned Virgo a nomination in 2007 for the DGC Outstanding Achievement Craft Award for direction of a motion picture film. In a review for Variety, critic Leslie Felperin writes “…Poor Boy’s Game may rep [Virgo’s] best work so far, blending seamlessly his preoccupation with race, fluid identities, and complex sexuality.”
Virgo’s Lie with Me
Lie with Me
Lie with Me is a Canadian drama film with graphic sexual content that played at the 2005 Toronto International Film Festival. It is based on the novel of the same name by Tamara Berger...
caused a stir at the 2005 Toronto International Film Festival for its artistically daring portrayal of explicit sexual themes. Starring Lauren Lee Smith
Lauren Lee Smith
-Early life:Lauren attended Henry James Cambie Secondary School. Smith was born in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. The stepdaughter of a documentary filmmaker, Lauren travelled around the world with her family. When she was 14, her family moved to Los Angeles, California...
and Eric Balfour
Eric Balfour
Eric Salter Balfour is an American singer and actor of film and television. He is the lead singer of Born As Ghosts, formerly known as Fredalba...
, Lie With Me had its European premiere at the 2006 Berlin International Film Festival, Panorama Section. It has been distributed internationally in over 30 territories, and sold to Showtime in the US.
Born in Jamaica, Virgo immigrated to Canada at the age of 11. Virgo has also received acclaim for his work in short film and television. He was nominated for a 2006 DGC Outstanding Achievement Craft Award for direction of a television series (ReGenesis
ReGenesis
ReGenesis is a Canadian television program produced by The Movie Network and Movie Central in conjunction with Shaftesbury Films. The series, which ran for four seasons, revolves around the scientists of NorBAC , a fictional organization with a lab based in Toronto...
). He has directed two episodes of The Wire
The Wire (TV series)
The Wire is an American television drama series set and produced in and around Baltimore, Maryland. Created and primarily written by author and former police reporter David Simon, the series was broadcast by the premium cable network HBO in the United States...
for HBO, and The L Word
The L Word
The L Word is an American co-production television drama series originally shown on Showtime portraying the lives of a group of lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people and their friends, family and lovers in the trendy Greater Los Angeles, California city of West Hollywood...
and Soul Food
Soul food
Soul food cuisine consists of a selection of foods traditional in the cuisine of African Americans. It is closely related to the cuisine of the Southern United States...
for Showtime. His short film, Save My Lost Nigga’ Soul, won Best Film prizes at the Toronto, Fespaco and Chicago Film Festivals. His other films include Rude
Rude (film)
Rude is a 1995 Canadian crime film directed by Clement Virgo. It was screened in the Un Certain Regard section at the 1995 Cannes Film Festival.-Cast:* Maurice Dean Wint - General* Rachael Crawford - Maxine* Clark Johnson - Reece...
, which world premiered at the Cannes Film Festival
Cannes Film Festival
The Cannes International Film Festival , is an annual film festival held in Cannes, France, which previews new films of all genres including documentaries from around the world. Founded in 1946, it is among the world's most prestigious and publicized film festivals...
, The Planet of Junior Brown, which earned Virgo an Emmy nomination, and Love Come Down.
Most recently, he worked as a director and executive producer on the new NBC/CTV television series, The Listener
The Listener
The Listener was a weekly magazine established by the BBC in January 1929 which ceased publication in 1991. The entire digitised catalogue was made available online to libraries, educational and research institutions in 2011....
. The series premiered in North America in June 2009. His production company, Conquering Lion Pictures
Conquering Lion Pictures
Conquering Lion Pictures is an independent film production company founded by Clement Virgo and Damon D’Oliveira.CLP have produced or co-produced a number of noteworthy films...
, is also in development on The Book of Negroes, based on the best-selling novel by Lawrence Hill
Lawrence Hill
Lawrence Hill is an award-winning Canadian novelist and memoirist. He is best known for the 2001 memoir Black Berry, Sweet Juice: On Being Black and White in Canada and the 2007 novel The Book of Negroes....
which won the 2008 Commonwealth Writer’s Prize for Best Book.
Film
- RudeRude (film)Rude is a 1995 Canadian crime film directed by Clement Virgo. It was screened in the Un Certain Regard section at the 1995 Cannes Film Festival.-Cast:* Maurice Dean Wint - General* Rachael Crawford - Maxine* Clark Johnson - Reece...
(1995) - The Planet of Junior Brown (1997)
- Love Come DownLove Come Down"Love Come Down" is a hit single by Evelyn "Champagne" King. It was produced by Morrie Brown and written by Kashif. "Love Come Down" was the first single culled from her multi-platinum, number-one R&B album, Get Loose . In the U.S., it reached number one on the R&B and dance charts and number...
(2000) - Lie with MeLie with MeLie with Me is a Canadian drama film with graphic sexual content that played at the 2005 Toronto International Film Festival. It is based on the novel of the same name by Tamara Berger...
(2005) - Poor Boy's GamePoor Boy's GamePoor Boy's Game is a Canadian feature film directed by Clement Virgo. Co-written with Nova Scotian writer/director Chaz Thorne , it is the story of class struggle, racial tensions and boxing, set in the Canadian east coast port city of Halifax, Nova Scotia. The film premiered on February 11, 2007,...
(2007)
Television
- Side EffectsSide Effects (TV series)Side Effects was a Canadian television series, which aired from February, 1994 to January, 1996 on CBC Television.A hospital-themed drama created by Brenda Greenberg and Guy Mullally, the cast included Elizabeth Shepherd, Albert Schultz, Joseph Ziegler, Jovanni Sy and Arsinée Khanjian....
(1996) - Soul Food (2000)
- The WireThe Wire (TV series)The Wire is an American television drama series set and produced in and around Baltimore, Maryland. Created and primarily written by author and former police reporter David Simon, the series was broadcast by the premium cable network HBO in the United States...
- Episode 1.04 "Old Cases" (2002)
- Episode 1.12 "Cleaning Up" (2002)
- The L WordThe L WordThe L Word is an American co-production television drama series originally shown on Showtime portraying the lives of a group of lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people and their friends, family and lovers in the trendy Greater Los Angeles, California city of West Hollywood...
(2003) - PlatinumPlatinum (TV series)Platinum is an American television series which aired on UPN in 2003.-Synopsis:Platinum is a family saga that follows two brothers who own and operate a record company called "Sweatback Entertainment" in the competitive world of rap and hip-hop...
(2004) - ReGenesisReGenesisReGenesis is a Canadian television program produced by The Movie Network and Movie Central in conjunction with Shaftesbury Films. The series, which ran for four seasons, revolves around the scientists of NorBAC , a fictional organization with a lab based in Toronto...
(2005–2006) - The ListenerThe Listener (TV series)The Listener is a Canadian science fiction drama set in Toronto about a young paramedic named Toby Logan with the ability to listen to people's minds. The series premiered on Fox International Channels beginning with the Arabic-speaking area of northern Africa and south-western Asia on March 1, 2009...
(2009, 7 episodes)