John Feeney
Encyclopedia
John Feeney was a New Zealand
-born director of documentary films. He worked with the New Zealand National Film Unit, National Film Board of Canada
(NFB) and made films and did photography
in Egypt
. He was nominated for two Academy Awards
.
and attended at Victoria University
. During the Second World War he served as a lieutenant in the Royal New Zealand Naval Reserve, escaping from Singapore
and taking part in the D-Day landings on 6 June 1944. He then served as a research assistant with the War History Branch of the Navy Department in Wellington until 1948.
film credits include Legend of the Wanganui River and Hot Earth.
.
In 1958, Feeney received his first nomination for an Academy Award for Documentary Short Subject
for The Living Stone
, about Inuit carving.http://www.nfb.ca/film/living-stone
In 1964, he was nominated again, for Eskimo Artist: Kenojuak
(1963), a groundbreaking look at the work of Inuit graphic artist Kenojuak Ashevak
.http://www.nfb.ca/film/eskimo-artist-kenojuak/ Regarding the use of the term "Eskimo" in the title, Feeney wrote in 1993 that he had suggested using the now-accepted term "Inuit" in the film, but had been told that it would be confusing for non-Inuit audiences of the day.
Eskimo Artist: Kenojuak found new life again in 1992, when filmmakers Colin Low
and Tony Ianzelo
combined archival and contemporary footage of Kenojuak in Momentum
, Canada’s IMAX HD film for Expo '92
. http://www.nfb.ca/trouverunfilm/fichefilm.php?id=28411&v=h&lg=en&exp=${momentum}
, making films and photographing. He first arrived in Egypt in 1963 to make the documentary Fountains of the Sun, at the request of that country's ministry of culture. http://www.adhamonline.com/News/Spring05news/feeney.html
His photography is collected in his book Photographing Egypt: Forty Years Behind the Lens, published by The American University in Cairo
Press.
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
-born director of documentary films. He worked with the New Zealand National Film Unit, National Film Board of Canada
National Film Board of Canada
The National Film Board of Canada is Canada's twelve-time Academy Award-winning public film producer and distributor. An agency of the Government of Canada, the NFB produces and distributes documentary, animation, alternative drama and digital media productions...
(NFB) and made films and did photography
Photography
Photography is the art, science and practice of creating durable images by recording light or other electromagnetic radiation, either electronically by means of an image sensor or chemically by means of a light-sensitive material such as photographic film...
in Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
. He was nominated for two Academy Awards
Academy Awards
An Academy Award, also known as an Oscar, is an accolade bestowed by the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to recognize excellence of professionals in the film industry, including directors, actors, and writers...
.
Early life
Feeney was born in NgaruawahiaNgaruawahia
Ngāruawāhia is a town in the Waikato region of the North Island of New Zealand. It is located 20 km north-west of Hamilton at the confluence of the Waikato and Waipa Rivers...
and attended at Victoria University
Victoria University of Wellington
Victoria University of Wellington was established in 1897 by Act of Parliament, and was a former constituent college of the University of New Zealand. It is particularly well known for its programmes in law, the humanities, and some scientific disciplines, but offers a broad range of other courses...
. During the Second World War he served as a lieutenant in the Royal New Zealand Naval Reserve, escaping from Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
and taking part in the D-Day landings on 6 June 1944. He then served as a research assistant with the War History Branch of the Navy Department in Wellington until 1948.
New Zealand National Film Unit
His New ZealandNew Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
film credits include Legend of the Wanganui River and Hot Earth.
NFB
Feeney directed ten NFB productions 1954 to 1963, working most often with producer Tom Daly. Most of his NFB films focused on the Canadian Arctic and the InuitInuit
The Inuit are a group of culturally similar indigenous peoples inhabiting the Arctic regions of Canada , Denmark , Russia and the United States . Inuit means “the people” in the Inuktitut language...
.
In 1958, Feeney received his first nomination for an Academy Award for Documentary Short Subject
Academy Award for Documentary Short Subject
This is a list of films by year that have received an Oscar together with the other nominations for best documentary short subject. Following the Academy's practice, the year listed for each film is the year of release: the awards are announced and presented early in the following year.-1940s:*1941...
for The Living Stone
The Living Stone
The Living Stone is a 1958 Canadian short documentary film directed by John Feeney about Inuit art. It was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Documentary Short.-External links:*...
, about Inuit carving.http://www.nfb.ca/film/living-stone
In 1964, he was nominated again, for Eskimo Artist: Kenojuak
Eskimo Artist: Kenojuak
Eskimo Artist: Kenojuak is a 1964 Canadian short documentary film about Inuit artist Kenojuak Ashevak, directed by John Feeney. It was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Documentary Short....
(1963), a groundbreaking look at the work of Inuit graphic artist Kenojuak Ashevak
Kenojuak Ashevak
Kenojuak Ashevak, is regarded as one of the most notable Canadian pioneers of modern Inuit art.-Life:Kenojuak Ashevak was born in an igloo in an Inuit camp, Ikirasaq, at the southern coast of Baffin Island. At three years old, she lost her father. In 1952, she had to be treated for three years...
.http://www.nfb.ca/film/eskimo-artist-kenojuak/ Regarding the use of the term "Eskimo" in the title, Feeney wrote in 1993 that he had suggested using the now-accepted term "Inuit" in the film, but had been told that it would be confusing for non-Inuit audiences of the day.
Eskimo Artist: Kenojuak found new life again in 1992, when filmmakers Colin Low
Colin Low (filmmaker)
Colin Archibald Low, CM, RCA is a Canadian animation and documentary filmmaker.Born in Cardston, Alberta, Low attended the Banff School of Fine Arts and the Calgary Institute of Technology, now known as the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology...
and Tony Ianzelo
Tony Ianzelo
Tony Ianuzielo, CM, RCA is a Canadian documentary director and cinematographer.He was born in Toronto, Ontario, Canada and attended Toronto’s Ryerson Polytechnical School...
combined archival and contemporary footage of Kenojuak in Momentum
Momentum (IMAX film)
Momentum was the first film shot and released in the IMAX HD film format, which ran at 48 frames per second.The film was created for the Canada pavilion at Seville Expo '92....
, Canada’s IMAX HD film for Expo '92
Seville Expo '92
The Universal Exposition of Seville took place from Monday, April 20 to Monday, October 12, 1992 on La Isla de La Cartuja , Seville, Spain. The theme for the Expo was "The Age of Discovery" and over 100 countries were represented...
. http://www.nfb.ca/trouverunfilm/fichefilm.php?id=28411&v=h&lg=en&exp=${momentum}
Egypt
After Canada, he spend much of his life in EgyptEgypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
, making films and photographing. He first arrived in Egypt in 1963 to make the documentary Fountains of the Sun, at the request of that country's ministry of culture. http://www.adhamonline.com/News/Spring05news/feeney.html
His photography is collected in his book Photographing Egypt: Forty Years Behind the Lens, published by The American University in Cairo
American University in Cairo
The American University in Cairo is an independent, non-profit, apolitical, secular institution of higher learning located in Cairo, Egypt...
Press.