Magnus Isacsson
Encyclopedia
Magnus Isacsson is a Canadian
documentary film
maker whose films investigate contemporary political issues and topics in social activism. Born in Sweden
in 1948, he immigrated to Canada in 1970. He formerly worked as a producer
for the CBC
, and has completed more than 15 films independently since 1986.
His film Uranium, the story of radioactive contamination on Native land by Canada's uranium mines
, won a Golden Sheaf Award at the Yorkton Film Festival in 1991; Power, a feature-length chronicle of the Cree's
five year struggle against the Great Whale Hydro Project in Northern Quebec
, received the award for Best Documentary at the International Environmental Film Festival in Paris (1997), amongst other accolades and nominations. The Choir Boys, a film about the journey of a choir of homeless men in Montreal, won the award for Best Documentary at the Mumbai International Film Festival in 2000.
Isacsson has been involved in the Documentary Organization of Canada (formerly CIFC) since its beginning, contributing to the formation of the Montreal chapter in 1988. He was also involved in starting the Rencontres Internationales du Documentaire de Montreal as a member of its first programming committee. In association with the RIDM, Isacsson instigated the Docu-Mondays (Lundis du Doc) screening series. Isacsson is a member of the ARRQ director's union in Quebec, and has served as a board member for the Observatoire du Documentaire.
Isacsson's most recent film is the feature-length documentary l'Art en Action (2009), a study of the ATSA group's provocative urban art installation. Isacsson is also currently in production on a film about the Raging Grannies
. Ongoing updates about his work are available on the filmmaker's blog.
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...
documentary film
Documentary film
Documentary films constitute a broad category of nonfictional motion pictures intended to document some aspect of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction or maintaining a historical record...
maker whose films investigate contemporary political issues and topics in social activism. Born in Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
in 1948, he immigrated to Canada in 1970. He formerly worked as a producer
Film producer
A film producer oversees and delivers a film project to all relevant parties while preserving the integrity, voice and vision of the film. They will also often take on some financial risk by using their own money, especially during the pre-production period, before a film is fully financed.The...
for the CBC
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...
, and has completed more than 15 films independently since 1986.
His film Uranium, the story of radioactive contamination on Native land by Canada's uranium mines
Uranium mining
Uranium mining is the process of extraction of uranium ore from the ground. The worldwide production of uranium in 2009 amounted to 50,572 tonnes, of which 27% was mined in Kazakhstan. Kazakhstan, Canada, and Australia are the top three producers and together account for 63% of world uranium...
, won a Golden Sheaf Award at the Yorkton Film Festival in 1991; Power, a feature-length chronicle of the Cree's
Cree
The Cree are one of the largest groups of First Nations / Native Americans in North America, with 200,000 members living in Canada. In Canada, the major proportion of Cree live north and west of Lake Superior, in Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and the Northwest Territories, although...
five year struggle against the Great Whale Hydro Project in Northern Quebec
Nord-du-Québec
Nord-du-Québec is the largest of the seventeen administrative regions of Quebec, Canada. With , of which are lakes and rivers, it covers much of the Labrador Peninsula and about 55% of the total land surface area of Quebec....
, received the award for Best Documentary at the International Environmental Film Festival in Paris (1997), amongst other accolades and nominations. The Choir Boys, a film about the journey of a choir of homeless men in Montreal, won the award for Best Documentary at the Mumbai International Film Festival in 2000.
Isacsson has been involved in the Documentary Organization of Canada (formerly CIFC) since its beginning, contributing to the formation of the Montreal chapter in 1988. He was also involved in starting the Rencontres Internationales du Documentaire de Montreal as a member of its first programming committee. In association with the RIDM, Isacsson instigated the Docu-Mondays (Lundis du Doc) screening series. Isacsson is a member of the ARRQ director's union in Quebec, and has served as a board member for the Observatoire du Documentaire.
Isacsson's most recent film is the feature-length documentary l'Art en Action (2009), a study of the ATSA group's provocative urban art installation. Isacsson is also currently in production on a film about the Raging Grannies
Raging Grannies
The Raging Grannies are activist organizations in many cities and towns in Canada, the United States, and in other countries. They are social justice activists, all women old enough to be grandmothers, who dress up in clothes that mock stereotypes of older women, and sing songs at protests...
. Ongoing updates about his work are available on the filmmaker's blog.
Filmography
- l'Art en Action (2009)
- The Battle of Rabaska (2008)
- Hell-bent for Justice (2005)
- Waiting for Martin (2004)
- Maxime, McDuff & McDoMaxime, McDuff & McDoMaxime, McDuff & McDo is a 2002 documentary film by Magnus Isacsson that shows the attempt of unionizing a McDonald's restaurant in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.They were successful, but McDonald's quickly shut down the franchise after the union won....
(2002) - View From the Summit (2002)
- Pressure Point (1999)
- The Choir Boys (1999)
- Vivre Ensemble (1997)
- Power (1996)
- The Big Upheaval (1996)
- The Emperor's New Clothes (1995)
- Union Trouble (1991)
- Uranium (1991)
- Out of the Ashes (1991)
- Toivo (1990)