Clement Virgo
| Clement Virgo | |
|---|---|
| File:Clement Virgo at the event An Evening With Pam Grier.jpg | |
| Born | June 1, 1966 Montego Bay, Jamaica |
| Occupation | Film director Film producer Screenwriter |
| Years active | 1991 - Present |
| Website | www.conqueringlionpictures.com |
Clement Virgo (born June 1, 1966 in Montego Bay, Jamaica) is a Canadian filmmaker. He co-wrote and directed a six-part miniseries adaptation of Lawrence Hill's bestselling novel The Book of Negroes (2015), starring Aunjanue Ellis, Cuba Gooding Jr., Lou Gossett Jr., Ben Chaplin, Jane Alexander and Lyriq Bent that aired to wide acclaim and a record-breaking 1.7 million Canadian viewers in January 2015 on CBC in Canada.[1] It went on to premiere in February 2015 in the US, drawing landmark ratings for BET (Black Entertainment Television.)[2]
His previous 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.” [3]
Virgo’s Lie with Me caused a stir at the 2005 Toronto International Film Festival for its artistically daring portrayal of explicit sexual themes.[4] 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.[5]
Born in Jamaica, Virgo immigrated to Canada at the age of 11.[6] 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.[7] 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.
Since 2010, Virgo has also presented a series of intimate annual talks to celebrate Black History Month in Toronto with such notable guests as Lee Daniels, Norman Jewison, Spike Lee, Pam Grier, John Singleton, and Chris Tucker.
Filmography
Film
- Rude (1995)
- The Planet of Junior Brown (1997)
- Love Come Down (2000)
- Lie with Me (2005)
- Poor Boy's Game (2008)
Television
- Side Effects (1996)
- Soul Food (2000)
- The Wire
- Episode 1.04 "Old Cases" (2002)
- Episode 1.12 "Cleaning Up" (2002)
- The L Word (2003)
- Platinum (2004)
- ReGenesis (2005–2006)
- The Listener (2009, 7 episodes)
- Copper (TV series) (2013, 1 episode)
- The Book of Negroes (2015, 6 episode miniseries)
References
- ↑ http://www.cbc.ca/news/arts/book-of-negroes-tops-ratings-for-its-time-slot-1.2895342
- ↑ http://www.bet.com/shows/the-book-of-negroes.html
- ↑ Felperin, Leslie. (February 12, 2007). "Berlin Reviews". Variety. http://www.variety.com/review/VE1117932781?refcatid=2478. Retrieved 2010-11-24.
- ↑ Walker, Susan. (September 25, 2005). "Lie With Me." Toronto Star.
- ↑ http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0418832/
- ↑ Wyndham Wise. The Canadian Encyclopedia. http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/index.cfm?PgNm=TCE&Params=A1ARTA0009970
- ↑ Fuller, Jan. Northern Stars. 2009. http://www.northernstars.ca/directorsmz/virgo_clement_bio.html
