The artist, celebrated for his distinguished career as an animator, director, producer, and later as the head of the animation department at the National Film Board of Canada (NFB) from 1945 to 1987, is credited with works such as the Oscar-nominated , Ryan Larkin’s ‘Walking,’ and many others.
The National Film Board of Canada (NFB) has announced the passing of veteran animator, director, and film producer Robert Verrall, who died in Montreal on January 17 at the age of 97.Born in Toronto on January 13, 1928, Verrall was an early film pioneer at the NFB, where he worked from 1945 to 1987.
Over the course of this distinguished career, his films garnered a BAFTA Award, prizes at the Cannes Film Festival and Venice Film Festival, and six Academy Award nominations.“Robert Verrall was one of the builders of the NFB, who possessed a keen eye for great stories and talented creators,” said Suzanne Guèvremont, Government Film Commissioner and NFB Chairperson.“Gifted in animation, he built on the foundation put in place by Norman McLaren to attract global renown for the NFB as a center for animation excellence.
In documentary and drama, he oversaw the NFB’s efforts to establish production units across the country.He was an ally when trailblazers like Kathleen Shannon founded Studio D, the world’s first publicly funded feminist filmmaking studio.Robert truly helped to shape the modern NFB, and we are deeply grateful for his legacy.” Verrall apprenticed with Norman McLaren and formed a close association with Colin Low and Wolf Koenig, with whom he made , winner of the best animated short film award at Cannes and the first NFB film nominated in an animation category at the Academy Awards.
Verrall distinguished himself as a producer and as head of the NFB’s Animation Department from 1967 to 1972, claiming credits on Ryan Larkin’s Oscar-nominated (1968), Yvon Mallette’s (1968), Zlatko Grgić’s (1971) and Barrie Nelson’s comedic (1974).His own film, (1968), transported audiences from the farthest conceivable point of the universe to the tiniest particle of existence.In 1972, Verrall became Director of English Production, a post he held until 1976.
During his term he was responsible for extending NFB production activities to Toronto and Winnipeg while helping to establish Studio D, the NFB’s legendary women’s filmmaking unit, and Studio B, responsible for drama.In 1977, he was appointed Executive Producer of Special Projects, which included the Canada Vignettes program and Paul Cowan’s .Verrall was named head of Studio B in 1980.
Verrall’s legacy includes over 50 films before retiring from the NFB in the summer of 1986 to live at his farm in the Eastern Townships.His son David followed in his footsteps as a producer and executive producer of animation in his own right, joining the NFB in 1977 and going on to head its English Animation Studio in Montreal.Robert Verrall was interviewed in 2012 for the NFB online anthology , where he recalls coming to Ottawa to join the NFB and the early days in the animation studio, including his work on the Oscar winning .
Journalist, antique shop owner, aspiring gemologist—L'Wren brings a diverse perspective to animation, where every frame reflects her varied passions.
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