Martin Villeneuve

From Infogalactic: the planetary knowledge core
Jump to: navigation, search
Martin Villeneuve
File:Photo of filmmaker Martin Villeneuve, April 2015.jpg
Filmmaker Martin Villeneuve in April 2015
Born Bécancour, Quebec, Canada
Alma mater Université du Québec à Montréal
Occupation Screenwriter, film producer, film director, actor, art director, writer
Years active 2001–present
Relatives Denis Villeneuve (brother)
Website www.bulbapp.com/MartinVilleneuve

Martin Villeneuve (French: [maʁtɛ̃ vilnœv]) is a Canadian screenwriter, producer, director, actor, and art director. He was nominated at the Canadian Screen Award (formerly Genie Award) in 2013 for Best Adapted Screenplay, for Mars et Avril, his feature film debut, and Quebec's first true science fiction movie.[1] Villeneuve is the first TED speaker to come out of Quebec,[2][3] and he has worked for Cirque du Soleil as an artistic director for commercials and films.[4] He is also known for The 12 Tasks of Imelda, his second feature film released in 2022, in which he portrays his own grandmother.[5]

Early life

He studied film production at Concordia University and graphic design at Université du Québec à Montréal. In 2002, he received an award from the commercial creativity agency Sid Lee[6] for the quality of his portfolio. In the years that followed, he worked as an artistic director with this agency and created advertising campaigns for several Cirque du Soleil shows, including Zumanity, KÀ and Corteo. He found the name for these three shows, as well as for Guy Laliberté’s One Drop Foundation. When the agency (formerly known as Diesel) changed its name in 2006, Villeneuve had the idea for the anagram Sid Lee. He also directed TV commercials for Cirque du Soleil,[7] in addition to music videos and documentary shorts.[8]

Career

Villeneuve began his career as a writer and graphic artist in 2002. He has created the comic book La voix du tonnerre (Les 400 coups, 2004), as well as the two graphic novels Mars et Avril (Sid Lee & la Pastèque, 2002-2006).[9][4] In 2012, the feature film adaptation of Mars et Avril which Villeneuve wrote, directed and produced, was brought to the silver screen and released in Canada in Fall 2012.[10] Mars et Avril toured in 20 international festivals, starting with a world premiere at the 47th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, Czech Republic, and received 10 nominations.[11][12][13][14] Martin Villeneuve was nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay at the 2013 Canadian Screen Awards, and he also won an Imaging the Future Award at the Neuchâtel International Fantasy Film Festival in Switzerland.[8]

On February 27, 2013, Villeneuve gave a TED Talk about Mars et Avril at TED,[2][15][16] thereby becoming the first (and so far, the only) speaker from Quebec invited to this event that took place in Long Beach, California.[3][17] Prior to his talk, the opening sequence of the movie was shown,[18] as well as a three minutes overview[19] of the steps leading from the green screen to the final images.[20][21][22] Villeneuve's talk, "How I made an impossible film," was released on TED.com on June 7, 2013, and a month later was added to TED's movie magic list, notably featuring directors James Cameron and J. J. Abrams.[23] His talk has been subtitled in 33 languages and viewed more than a million times. Since then, Mars et Avril has been sold to the U.S. and is available online.[24]

In 2014, Villeneuve made his acting debut in his short comedy film Imelda, in the role of his paternal grandmother, for which he won three awards, including the Union des Artistes’ Best Actor Award at the 12th Prends ça court ! Gala.[25]

In 2016-2017, he directed the first episodes of the second season of Real Detective for Investigation Discovery Channel and Netflix.[8]

On August 3, 2020, a 14-minute documentary about filmmaker Martin Villeneuve was released online. Directed by Jean Benoit, it features interviews with stage director Robert Lepage, illustrator François Schuiten and filmmaker Denis Villeneuve.[26]

Martin Villeneuve shot two sequels to his short film Imelda, both released in Fall 2020. Imelda 2: The Notary had its world premiere and opened the Quebec City Film Festival on September 16, 2020, and won the Cinémental Award for Best Canadian Short Film 2020.[27] Imelda 3: Simone had its world premiere and opened the Festival du cinéma international en Abitibi-Témiscamingue on October 31, 2020, in front of a real audience despite the Covid crisis.[28]

He gave a one-hour storytelling masterclass for Goalcast, which went live on January 7, 2021.[29]

Villeneuve's second feature film, The 12 Tasks of Imelda, which he wrote, directed, produced and starred in, had its world premiere at the Quebec City Film Festival on September 9, 2022, before going into commercial release in 29 theaters across Quebec on October 28, 2022.[30] It was also screened at the 2022 Whistler Film Festival,[31] where it won the award for Best Editing in a Borsos Competition film.[32][33]

Martin Villeneuve is currently directing the Red Ketchup animated series, based on the eponymous graphic novels. Produced by Sphere Animation, this 20-episode series will air on Teletoon at Night and Adult Swim starting in 2023.[34]

Personal life

Martin Villeneuve is the younger brother of filmmaker Denis Villeneuve.[35][36] He is in a relationship with Kika Martinez, and they are raising two children.[37]

Selected bibliography

Graphic novels

  • Mars et Avril, tome 2 : À la poursuite du fantasme, photo-novel, photography by Yanick Macdonald, Éd. Diesel & la Pastèque, 2006[38]
  • La voix du tonnerre, comic book, illustrations by Daniel Svatek, Éd. Les 400 coups, 2004[39]
  • Mars et Avril, tome 1, photo-novel, photography by Yanick Macdonald, Éd. Les 400 coups, 2002 (revised version published by Diesel & la Pastèque in 2006)[9]

Selected filmography

  • 2022: The 12 Tasks of Imelda (Les 12 travaux d’Imelda) (feature)[40]
  • 2020: Imelda 3: Simone (short)[41]
  • 2020: Imelda 2: The Notary (short)[42]
  • 2020: Once Upon A Time Martin Villeneuve (documentary short directed by Jean Benoit, featuring interviews with stage director Robert Lepage, illustrator François Schuiten and filmmaker Denis Villeneuve)[26]
  • 2020: More of the World (music video)[43]
  • 2019: The Crab: Prelude to Aquarica (short)[44]
  • 2016–2017: Real Detective, Season 2 (TV series, 2 episodes)[45]
  • 2014: Imelda (short)[46]
  • 2013: Martin Villeneuve: How I made an impossible film (TED Talks)[2]
  • 2013: The Mars & Avril Experience (Making of)[47]
  • 2012: Mars et Avril / Mars and April (feature)[48]
  • 2012: Magic Mike
  • 2011: Two Immortals: Prelude to Mars and April (short)[49]
  • 2003–2013: Cirque du Soleil – Advertising & documentary shorts[7]
  • 2002: Jouisseland by Jean Leloup (music video)[50]
  • 2000: Chrysanthème (short)[51]

Awards and mentions

  • 2022: The 12 Tasks of Imelda won the award for Best Editing in a Borsos Competition film at the 2022 Whistler Film Festival.[52]
  • 2020: Martin Villeneuve won the Cinémental Award for Best Canadian Short Film 2020 for Imelda 2: The Notary, ex æquo with Scars by Alex Anna.
  • 2015: Martin Villeneuve won the Union des Artistes’ Best Actor Award at the 12th Prends ça court ! Gala for his role in Imelda, in which he plays his own grandmother.[46]
  • 2014: Imelda won Quebec’s Best Short Film Award at Festival Images en vues, as well as a Special Mention from the jury in the category Best Canadian Short Film at the FICFA.[46]
  • 2013: Martin Villeneuve gave a TED Talk about Mars et Avril – Quebec's first science fiction film – at TED2013, thereby becoming the first (and so far the only) French Canadian speaker invited to this prestigious event that took place in Long Beach, California.[53][54]
  • 2013: Mars et Avril received nine nominations in Canada (four at the Canadian Screen Awards and five at the Jutra), including one for best adapted screenplay.[24] The film's music, composed by Benoît Charest, won the Felix in the category "Album of the year – original soundtrack" at the ADISQ Gala.[55]
  • 2012–2013: Mars et Avril was screened in more than twenty international film festivals among the most prestigious (Karlovy Vary, Mill Valley, FNC Montreal, Mumbai, Whistler, Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival, Sci-Fi London, etc.), and won an Imaging the Future Award at the Neuchâtel International Fantasy Film Festival in Switzerland as well as an honorable mention at the Boston Science Fiction Film Festival for "incredible post-production work."[24]
  • 2011: Applied Arts Award, category "Advertising Photography – Series" for the exhibition "Dieu(X) Modes d'emploi," at the Musée de la civilisation de Québec.
  • 2011: Grafika Award, category "Affiche culturelle – série" for the exhibition "Dieu(X) Modes d'emploi," at the Musée de la civilisation de Québec.
  • 2008: We Love Books: A World Tour | The Best in Independent Publishing and Graphic Design: Mars et Avril volumes 1 & 2.
  • 2008: Gutenberg Award, category "Books": Mars et Avril volume 2.
  • 2007: Nominee, Lux Award, category "Books": Mars et Avril volume 2.
  • 2006: Alcuin Society Book Design Awards, category "Prose Illustrated": Mars et Avril volume 2.
  • 2004: Nominee, Bédélys Award: La voix du tonnerre.
  • 2003: Nominee, Grafika Award, category "Books": Mars et Avril volume 1.
  • 2002: Honorable mention, Alcuin Society Book Design Awards, category "Pictorial": Mars et Avril volume 1.
  • 2002: UQAM-Diesel Award for the quality of the portfolio.
  • 2002: He designed film posters, most notoriously the one for Québec-Montréal showing the pictograph of a moose screwing a car, which earned him the Travelling Laurentides Award for best launching campaign.[8]
  • 2001: Nominee, Création Vidéo Award, Clermont-Ferrand Vidéo Formes Festival (France): Chrysanthème (short).

References

  1. ↑ Mars and April // Mars & Avril, review from Variety, July 16, 2012
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 “Martin Villeneuve: How I made an impossible film”, TED, June 7, 2013
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Quebec's first TED Talk, article from Cult Montreal, June 7, 2013
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Script error: No such module "In lang". Festival du nouveau cinéma: Mars et Avril leaps off the page, article from The Gazette, October 5, 2012
  5. ↑ THE 12 TASKS OF IMELDA - A film by Martin Villeneuve, Maison 4:3, September 3, 2022
  6. ↑ Sid Lee website Archived 2011-06-20 at the Library of Congress Web Archives
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 Cirque du Soleil – Advertising on Vimeo, 2003-2013
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 Martin Villeneuve on IMDb
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 “Mars et Avril” leaps off the pages of graphic novels, BULB, 2002-2006
  10. ↑ Mars and April, review from Screen Daily, July 13, 2012
  11. ↑ Spend the weekend watching the impossible (and beautiful) Mars & Avril, review from io9, December 6, 2013
  12. ↑ Out there down here: Sci-Fi-London 2013, review from Sight & Sound, May 27, 2013
  13. ↑ Sci-Fi London 2013 Review: MARS ET AVRIL Deserves Greater Attention, review from Screen Anarchy, May 8, 2013
  14. ↑ Mars et Avril directed by Martin Villeneuve, review from Exclaim!, March 21, 2013
  15. ↑ 10 jaw-dropping images from the film “Mars et Avril,” and how the magic was created, article from the official TED Blog, June 7, 2013
  16. ↑ A sci-fi film with a $2 million budget: Martin Villeneuve at TED2013, article from the official TED Blog, February 27, 2013
  17. ↑ How translation amplifies ideas: TED speakers show appreciation, article from the official TED Blog, August 28, 2014
  18. ↑ Mars et Avril – Opening Sequence (TED2013) on Vimeo
  19. ↑ Mars et Avril – Creating the Visual Effects (TED2013) on Vimeo
  20. ↑ Four TED talks every filmmaker should watch, article from IndieWire, September 23, 2013
  21. ↑ 3 Things You Need to Make an Impossible Movie Archived 2016-03-05 at the Wayback Machine, article from Film School Rejects, July 1, 2013
  22. ↑ Making an Impossible Film: How Director Martin Villeneuve Brought His Sci-Fi Drama to Life, article from No Film School, June 14, 2013
  23. ↑ 10 talks about the making of movie magic
  24. ↑ 24.0 24.1 24.2 A futuristic tale of fantasy and desire, BULB, December 2, 2013
  25. ↑ Imelda: A funny and moving short film, BULB, February 20, 2015
  26. ↑ 26.0 26.1 Once Upon A Time Martin Villeneuve (English subtitled) on Vimeo, July 24, 2020
  27. ↑ IMELDA 2: THE NOTARY by Martin Villeneuve, festivalcinema.ca, November 1, 2020
  28. ↑ Imelda 3: Simone at the FCIAT, Festival du cinéma international en Abitibi-Témiscamingue, October 31, 2020
  29. ↑ Goalcast Storytelling Mastermind – Martin Villeneuve, Vimeo, January 7, 2021
  30. ↑ The 12 Tasks of Imelda: The feature film!, BULB, September 3, 2022
  31. ↑ Alyssa Noel, "Whistler Film Festival announces film lineup" Pique Newsmagazine, November 2, 2022.
  32. ↑ Rachel West, "2022 Whistler Film Festival Online Viewing Guide", December 5, 2022.
  33. ↑ Pat Mullen, "River, Coyote Top Whistler Film Festival Awards Winners" Point of View, December 4, 2022.
  34. ↑ Red Ketchup in production, BULB, April 26, 2022
  35. ↑ Cronenberg’s son Brandon, Villeneuve’s brother Martin debut in 2012, article from The Canadian Press, December 30, 2011
  36. ↑ Denis Villeneuve’s brother Martin imagines future Montreal with ‘Mars et Avril’, article from The Canadian Press, October 26, 2011
  37. ↑ Martin Villeneuve's Trivia page on IMDb
  38. ↑ Mars et Avril – Interviews on Vimeo, 2011-2013
  39. ↑ Martin Villeneuve – Interviews on Vimeo, 2002-2004
  40. ↑ The 12 Tasks of Imelda, CinemaClock, September 3, 2022
  41. ↑ Imelda 3: Simone on IMDb
  42. ↑ Imelda 2: The Notary on IMDb
  43. ↑ More Of The World by Summersett on YouTube, April 13, 2020
  44. ↑ The Crab: Prelude to Aquarica on BULB, May 15, 2019
  45. ↑ Real Detective episode on Vimeo, March 23, 2017
  46. ↑ 46.0 46.1 46.2 Imelda on Vimeo with English subtitles, September 8, 2015
  47. ↑ 22-minute Making of “Mars et Avril” on Vimeo with English subtitles 2013
  48. ↑ Mars and April on IMDb
  49. ↑ Deux immortels : Prélude à Mars et Avril on Vimeo with English subtitles December 11, 2011
  50. ↑ Jouisseland on Vimeo, 2002
  51. ↑ Chrysanthème on IMDb
  52. ↑ "WFF22 Award Winners Announced", Whistler Film Festival, December 4, 2022.
  53. ↑ Quebec filmmaker gives a TED Talk, Martin Villeneuve on Bernard St-Laurent's show "C’est la vie" on CBC Radio One, June 16, 2013
  54. ↑ Martin Villeneuve on TED Talks, Martin Villeneuve on CBC's "All in a Weekend", June 2, 2013
  55. ↑ Benoît Charest: How music can set you free, BULB, December 2, 2013

External links

Retrieved from "https://infogalactic.com/w/index.php?title=Martin_Villeneuve&oldid=726770130"