Joan Pennefather
Encyclopedia
Joan Pennefather is a Canadian
film
and cultural executive. She was the first woman to be the Commissioner of the National Film Board of Canada
(NFB).
Pennefather was born in Montreal
, Quebec
, and studied history and communications at Marianopolis College
, McGill University
, Concordia University and in the United Kingdom
at the University of Oxford
.
She joined the NFB in 1977, working as a Sponsored Program Officer. In this capacity, she was responsible for producing films for various departments of the Canadian government
, both in-house at the NFB and with independent production companies. In 1981, she was promoted to become the Executive Assistant to the Deputy Film Commissioner of the NFB, and two years later was appointed the organisation's Planning Co-ordinator.
By the end of 1988, she was the NFB's Vice-Film Commissioner. When François N. Macerola
left in December that year, six months before the end of his contract, Pennefather was appointed as acting Government Film Commissioner in his place. One of her main tasks during this interim period was to oversee the NFB's fiftieth anniversary celebrations in May 1989. On September 15th 1989, Pennefather was appointed as Government Film Commissioner and Chair of the NFB on an official basis.
In 1992, Pennefather and the NFB hosted a pre-conference event entitled "It Matters Who Makes It", designed to discuss ways of improving the status of women in the media both on and off the screen, as part of the International Institute of Communications conference being held in Montreal. This event was attended by more than fifty women in the media from seventeen different countries. However, the same year Pennefather was forced to appear before the Senate Subcommittee on Veterans' Affairs to defend the documentary series The Valour and the Horror
, which the NFB had co-produced with Galafilm Inc. and the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
. The series had been criticised by some veteran
s of World War II
for its accusations of unprosecuted war crime
s committed by Canadian troops
. In 1993 she was presented with an Astral Award by the Toronto Women in Film and Television organisation, in recognition of her work to promote the role of women in the film and television industries.
Pennefather left the NFB in December 1994. This was because she had applied for and been appointed to the position of chief executive officer
of the National Arts Centre
. However, she spent only one year in this position, leaving in 1995 for "undisclosed reasons".
In 1998 she became a Commissioner of the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC). In the 2000s she became the General Manager of the arts funding organisation the Imperial Tobacco
Canada Foundation.
Francis Fox
when it was revealed in 1978 that he had forged the signature of his then girlfriend's husband on a form granting permission for her to have an abortion
. Fox resigned his post as Solicitor General and she and Fox divorced.
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
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
and cultural executive. She was the first woman to be the Commissioner of the National Film Board of Canada
National Film Board of Canada
The National Film Board of Canada is Canada's twelve-time Academy Award-winning public film producer and distributor. An agency of the Government of Canada, the NFB produces and distributes documentary, animation, alternative drama and digital media productions...
(NFB).
Pennefather was born in Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
, Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
, and studied history and communications at Marianopolis College
Marianopolis College
Marianopolis College is a private, subsidized CEGEP in Montreal nestled against the side of Mount Royal in Westmount, Quebec, Canada. It is one of the smallest anglophone colleges, with a student body of fewer than 2,000...
, McGill University
McGill 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...
, Concordia University and in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
at the University of Oxford
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
.
She joined the NFB in 1977, working as a Sponsored Program Officer. In this capacity, she was responsible for producing films for various departments of the Canadian government
Government of Canada
The Government of Canada, formally Her Majesty's Government, is the system whereby the federation of Canada is administered by a common authority; in Canadian English, the term can mean either the collective set of institutions or specifically the Queen-in-Council...
, both in-house at the NFB and with independent production companies. In 1981, she was promoted to become the Executive Assistant to the Deputy Film Commissioner of the NFB, and two years later was appointed the organisation's Planning Co-ordinator.
By the end of 1988, she was the NFB's Vice-Film Commissioner. When François N. Macerola
François N. Macerola
François N. Macerola is a Canadian lawyer and film executive. He has held a number of senior positions with the National Film Board of Canada and Telefilm Canada....
left in December that year, six months before the end of his contract, Pennefather was appointed as acting Government Film Commissioner in his place. One of her main tasks during this interim period was to oversee the NFB's fiftieth anniversary celebrations in May 1989. On September 15th 1989, Pennefather was appointed as Government Film Commissioner and Chair of the NFB on an official basis.
In 1992, Pennefather and the NFB hosted a pre-conference event entitled "It Matters Who Makes It", designed to discuss ways of improving the status of women in the media both on and off the screen, as part of the International Institute of Communications conference being held in Montreal. This event was attended by more than fifty women in the media from seventeen different countries. However, the same year Pennefather was forced to appear before the Senate Subcommittee on Veterans' Affairs to defend the documentary series The Valour and the Horror
The Valour and the Horror
The Valour and the Horror was a Canadian television documentary miniseries, which aired on CBC Television in 1992. It was a co-production between the CBC. the National Film Board of Canada and Galafilm Inc. The films were also broadcast by Radio-Canada, the French network of the CBC...
, which the NFB had co-produced with Galafilm Inc. and the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly known as CBC and officially as CBC/Radio-Canada, is a Canadian crown corporation that serves as the national public radio and television broadcaster...
. The series had been criticised by some veteran
Veteran
A veteran is a person who has had long service or experience in a particular occupation or field; " A veteran of ..."...
s of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
for its accusations of unprosecuted war crime
War crime
War crimes are serious violations of the laws applicable in armed conflict giving rise to individual criminal responsibility...
s committed by Canadian troops
Military history of Canada during the Second World War
The Second World War officially began on September 1, 1939, with the German invasion of Poland. Britain and France declared war on the Nazi Third Reich on September 3, 1939...
. In 1993 she was presented with an Astral Award by the Toronto Women in Film and Television organisation, in recognition of her work to promote the role of women in the film and television industries.
Pennefather left the NFB in December 1994. This was because she had applied for and been appointed to the position of chief executive officer
Chief executive officer
A chief executive officer , managing director , Executive Director for non-profit organizations, or chief executive is the highest-ranking corporate officer or administrator in charge of total management of an organization...
of the National Arts Centre
National Arts Centre
The National Arts Centre is a centre for the performing arts located in Ottawa, Ontario, between Elgin Street and the Rideau Canal...
. However, she spent only one year in this position, leaving in 1995 for "undisclosed reasons".
In 1998 she became a Commissioner of the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC). In the 2000s she became the General Manager of the arts funding organisation the Imperial Tobacco
Imperial Tobacco
Imperial Tobacco is a global tobacco company headquartered in Bristol, United Kingdom. It is the world’s fourth-largest cigarette company measured by market share , and the world's largest producer of cigars, fine-cut tobacco and tobacco papers...
Canada Foundation.
Personal life
Pennefather had been married to former Solicitor General of CanadaSolicitor General of Canada
The Solicitor General of Canada was a position in the Canadian ministry from 1892 to 2005. The position was based on the Solicitor General in the British system and was originally designated as an officer to assist the Minister of Justice...
Francis Fox
Francis Fox
Francis Fox, PC, QC is a member of the Senate of Canada. He is a former Canadian Cabinet minister and is the former Principal Secretary in the Prime Minister's Office, and thus was a senior aide to Prime Minister Paul Martin. He also worked as a lobbyist in the 1980s.-Life and career:Born in...
when it was revealed in 1978 that he had forged the signature of his then girlfriend's husband on a form granting permission for her to have an abortion
Abortion
Abortion is defined as the termination of pregnancy by the removal or expulsion from the uterus of a fetus or embryo prior to viability. An abortion can occur spontaneously, in which case it is usually called a miscarriage, or it can be purposely induced...
. Fox resigned his post as Solicitor General and she and Fox divorced.