David Secter
Encyclopedia
David Secter is a Canadian
film director
. He is best known for the 1965 film Winter Kept Us Warm
, the first English Canadian film ever screened at the Cannes Film Festival
. Widely considered a key milestone in the development of Canadian film, Winter Kept Us Warm was a gay
themed independent film written, directed and funded entirely by Secter, who is gay, while he was a student at the University of Toronto
.
Secter subsequently released a second film in Canada, The Offering in 1966, and entered discussions with CBC Television
to produce a drama series for the network. However, before that series was launched, he moved to New York City
to pursue opportunities in the much larger American film and theatre industry. In New York, he lived with several other experimental filmmakers in a clothing-optional, drug
and sex
-friendly commune
, and worked as a theatre director. He released the low-budget sex comedy Getting Together
(also titled Feelin' Up in some releases) in 1976, and subsequently moved to Los Angeles
. He did not work on another film until Cyberdorm in 1997.
In the early 1990s, Secter's nephew Joel rented Getting Together from his local video store in Winnipeg
, not knowing that his uncle had directed films. After discovering his uncle's name in the credits, Joel contacted David to discuss his career in film. These discussions culminated in Joel Secter's own debut as a filmmaker, the 2005 documentary The Best of Secter & the Rest of Secter. In the film, David also revealed that he is HIV-positive
.
Also in 2005, David Secter directed and released a documentary film on the Gay Games
, Take the Flame! Gay Games: Grace, Grit, and Glory.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
film director
Film director
A film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:...
. He is best known for the 1965 film Winter Kept Us Warm
Winter Kept Us Warm
Winter Kept Us Warm is a Canadian romantic drama film, released in 1965. The title comes from the fifth line of T. S. Eliot's The Waste Land....
, the first English Canadian film ever screened 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...
. Widely considered a key milestone in the development of Canadian film, Winter Kept Us Warm was a gay
Gay
Gay is a word that refers to a homosexual person, especially a homosexual male. For homosexual women the specific term is "lesbian"....
themed independent film written, directed and funded entirely by Secter, who is gay, while he was a student at the University of Toronto
University of Toronto
The University of Toronto is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution of higher learning in Upper Canada...
.
Secter subsequently released a second film in Canada, The Offering in 1966, and entered discussions with CBC Television
CBC Television
CBC Television is a Canadian television network owned by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, the national public broadcaster.Although the CBC is supported by public funding, the television network supplements this funding with commercial advertising revenue, in contrast to CBC Radio which are...
to produce a drama series for the network. However, before that series was launched, he moved to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
to pursue opportunities in the much larger American film and theatre industry. In New York, he lived with several other experimental filmmakers in a clothing-optional, drug
DRUGS
Destroy Rebuild Until God Shows are an American post-hardcore band formed in 2010. They released their debut self-titled album on February 22, 2011.- Formation :...
and sex
Sex
In biology, sex is a process of combining and mixing genetic traits, often resulting in the specialization of organisms into a male or female variety . Sexual reproduction involves combining specialized cells to form offspring that inherit traits from both parents...
-friendly commune
Commune (intentional community)
A commune is an intentional community of people living together, sharing common interests, property, possessions, resources, and, in some communes, work and income. In addition to the communal economy, consensus decision-making, non-hierarchical structures and ecological living have become...
, and worked as a theatre director. He released the low-budget sex comedy Getting Together
Feelin' Up
Feelin' Up is a 1976 comedy film written and directed by David Secter and distributed by Troma Entertainment. The plot follows a conservative young man's venture into a world of sexual hijinks....
(also titled Feelin' Up in some releases) in 1976, and subsequently moved to Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
. He did not work on another film until Cyberdorm in 1997.
In the early 1990s, Secter's nephew Joel rented Getting Together from his local video store in Winnipeg
Winnipeg
Winnipeg is the capital and largest city of Manitoba, Canada, and is the primary municipality of the Winnipeg Capital Region, with more than half of Manitoba's population. It is located near the longitudinal centre of North America, at the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine Rivers .The name...
, not knowing that his uncle had directed films. After discovering his uncle's name in the credits, Joel contacted David to discuss his career in film. These discussions culminated in Joel Secter's own debut as a filmmaker, the 2005 documentary The Best of Secter & the Rest of Secter. In the film, David also revealed that he is HIV-positive
HIV
Human immunodeficiency virus is a lentivirus that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome , a condition in humans in which progressive failure of the immune system allows life-threatening opportunistic infections and cancers to thrive...
.
Also in 2005, David Secter directed and released a documentary film on the Gay Games
Gay Games
The Gay Games is the world's largest sporting and cultural event organized by and specifically for LGBT athletes, artists, musicians, and others. It welcomes participants of every sexual orientation and every skill level...
, Take the Flame! Gay Games: Grace, Grit, and Glory.