Acadian filmmaker Daniel Léger's documentary Les artisans de l'atelier (The Artisans), a National Film Board of Canada (NFB) production, will end its one-year tour of the Atlantic Provinces with a bang on Thursday, September 19 at 7 p.m., with a special screening at Monument-Lefebvre in Memramcook, the town in which the film was shot. The screening will be attended by the film's protagonists and their families, by the director and by Christine Aubé, a producer at the NFB's Canadian Francophonie Studio - Acadie. A Q&A will follow the screening. The Artisans captures the daily lives of a colourful and courageous group of individuals who work at a unique organization. With this film, director Daniel Léger (A Sunday at 105, Inseparable) turns a compassionate lens onto a little-known humanist gem of a place.
The Artisans had its world premiere as the opening film of the 2018 Festival international du cinéma francophone en Acadie (FICFA), screening to a full house of deeply moved film goers. After its premiere, the film began an extensive one-year tour of numerous communities in the Atlantic Provinces, with many of the screenings attended by the director.
About the film
Produced at the NFB by Jac Gautreau and Dominic Desjardins
For more than 35 years, The Artisan Workshop in Memramcook, New Brunswick, has provided employment for people with intellectual disabilities. Staff are hired on a full-time basis to perform a range of tasks, including creating decorative objects, woodworking, preparing light meals, shredding paper, and sorting bottles, cans and other materials for recycling. More importantly, the centre serves a vital function, providing these adults with a valuable social setting where they can thrive and find personal fulfillment. "We're beautiful, the whole gang," says Jean, the self-described "handyman and best-looking" member of the group, who also narrates the film. "We are special."
About the filmmaker
Daniel Léger describes himself as "a poet of the everyday." This multidisciplinary artist has been making a living doing what he loves (making music, writing or filmmaking) since 2002. His first NFB film, A Sunday at 105 (2007), has received more than a million views on NFB.ca / ONF.ca and won awards on the festival circuit, including Best Canadian Short at the 2007 Festival international du cinéma francophone en Acadie (FICFA). Inseparable (2011) also screened to wide acclaim, including at the International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam. In 2014, Léger received the "media artist of the year" award at the Prix Éloizes and was a Gémeaux finalist in the Social Documentary category. The Artisans (2018) is his third NFB film.
About the NFB
The NFB is Canada's public producer of award-winning creative documentaries, auteur animation, interactive stories and participatory experiences. NFB producers are embedded in communities across the country, from St. John's to Vancouver, working with talented creators on innovative and socially relevant projects. The NFB is a leader in gender equity in film and digital media production, and is working to strengthen Indigenous-led production, guided by the recommendations of Canada's Truth and Reconciliation Commission. NFB productions have won over 7,000 awards, including 24 Canadian Screen Awards, 21 Webbys, 12 Oscars and more than 100 Genies. To access this award-winning content and discover the work of NFB creators, visit NFB.ca, download its apps for mobile devices or visit NFB Pause.
