Ron Kelly (filmmaker)
Encyclopedia
Ron Kelly is a Canadian film director
and screenwriter
. He began his career with the CBC
film unit, directing many short and documentary film
s between 1952 and 1964. He traveled to France, Spain and Mexico producing and directing documentaries independently from 1956 to 1958. From 1959 to 1962 he studied at Pinewood Studios
, England, on a Canadian Arts Council fellowship and while there produced and directed documentaries for the BBC
, CBC and National Office of Film, UK. In 1967 he co-wrote and directed the feature film Waiting for Caroline
, as a commemoration of Canada's centennial year. Waiting for Caroline was distributed internationally by United Artists, Hollywood. In Hollywood in 1968, Kelly directed for Twentieth Century Fox Studios and Disney Studio. In 1970 he returned to Canada, writing, directing and producing dramas and documentaries for the NFB
and CBC. His most recent film is Victims of Victims (2004), a documentary exploration of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.
for England at the Cannes Film Festival
, 1962 for The Tearaways. In 1965 he received a Canadian Film Award
for Best Direction for his film The Gift, a documentary on Hiroshima
, and again in 1967 for an episode of the TV Series Wojeck
entitled The Last Man in the World. The latter also received the Golden Globe Award
at Monte Carlo. Kelly's television productions of The Open Grave (a 1964 episode of the TV series Horizon
) and The Megantic Outlaw (1970) were also winners of Canadian Film Awards, and The Open Grave won the Prix Italia
in Genoa. The Irish received 1st prize for documentaries at the New York Film Festival, and the Atlanta Film Festival and the Chicago Film Festival's Gold Bear Award in 1975.
Film director
A film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:...
and screenwriter
Screenwriter
Screenwriters or scriptwriters or scenario writers are people who write/create the short or feature-length screenplays from which mass media such as films, television programs, Comics or video games are based.-Profession:...
. He began his career with the CBC
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly known as CBC and officially as CBC/Radio-Canada, is a Canadian crown corporation that serves as the national public radio and television broadcaster...
film unit, directing many short and documentary film
Documentary film
Documentary films constitute a broad category of nonfictional motion pictures intended to document some aspect of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction or maintaining a historical record...
s between 1952 and 1964. He traveled to France, Spain and Mexico producing and directing documentaries independently from 1956 to 1958. From 1959 to 1962 he studied at Pinewood Studios
Pinewood Studios
Pinewood Studios is a major British film studio situated in Iver Heath, Buckinghamshire, approximately west of central London. The studios have played host to many productions over the years from huge blockbuster films to television shows to commercials to pop promos.The purchase of Shepperton...
, England, on a Canadian Arts Council fellowship and while there produced and directed documentaries for the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
, CBC and National Office of Film, UK. In 1967 he co-wrote and directed the feature film Waiting for Caroline
Waiting for Caroline
Waiting for Caroline is a 1967 Canadian drama film directed by Ron Kelly and produced by the National Film Board of Canada.-Plot:Caroline is torn between two cultures, the English-speaking community of Vancouver where she grew up and the French-speaking Québec where she is currently living...
, as a commemoration of Canada's centennial year. Waiting for Caroline was distributed internationally by United Artists, Hollywood. In Hollywood in 1968, Kelly directed for Twentieth Century Fox Studios and Disney Studio. In 1970 he returned to Canada, writing, directing and producing dramas and documentaries for the NFB
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...
and CBC. His most recent film is Victims of Victims (2004), a documentary exploration of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.
Awards and recognition
Ron Kelly received the Palme d'OrPalme d'Or
The Palme d'Or is the highest prize awarded at the Cannes Film Festival and is presented to the director of the best feature film of the official competition. It was introduced in 1955 by the organising committee. From 1939 to 1954, the highest prize was the Grand Prix du Festival International du...
for England at the Cannes Film Festival
Cannes Film Festival
The Cannes International Film Festival , is an annual film festival held in Cannes, France, which previews new films of all genres including documentaries from around the world. Founded in 1946, it is among the world's most prestigious and publicized film festivals...
, 1962 for The Tearaways. In 1965 he received a Canadian Film Award
Canadian Film Award
The Canadian Film Awards were the leading Canadian cinema awards from 1949 until 1978. These honours were conducted annually except in 1974 when Quebec directors withdrew their participation and prompted a cancellation that year....
for Best Direction for his film The Gift, a documentary on Hiroshima
Hiroshima
is the capital of Hiroshima Prefecture, and the largest city in the Chūgoku region of western Honshu, the largest island of Japan. It became best known as the first city in history to be destroyed by a nuclear weapon when the United States Army Air Forces dropped an atomic bomb on it at 8:15 A.M...
, and again in 1967 for an episode of the TV Series Wojeck
Wojeck
Wojeck is a Canadian dramatic television series, which aired on the CBC from 1966 to 1968. It was the first successful drama series on English Canadian television....
entitled The Last Man in the World. The latter also received the Golden Globe Award
Golden Globe Award
The Golden Globe Award is an accolade bestowed by the 93 members of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association recognizing excellence in film and television, both domestic and foreign...
at Monte Carlo. Kelly's television productions of The Open Grave (a 1964 episode of the TV series Horizon
Horizon (Canadian TV series)
Horizon was a Canadian current affairs television series which aired on CBC Television from 1963 to 1964.-Premise:Most episodes of the series featured documentaries from various producers on various topics, with the notable exception of the fictional treatment in "The Open Grave" which was...
) and The Megantic Outlaw (1970) were also winners of Canadian Film Awards, and The Open Grave won the Prix Italia
Prix Italia
The Prix Italia is an international Italian television, radio-broadcasting and Website award. It was established in 1948 by RAI - Radiotelevisione Italiana in Capri...
in Genoa. The Irish received 1st prize for documentaries at the New York Film Festival, and the Atlanta Film Festival and the Chicago Film Festival's Gold Bear Award in 1975.
Partial filmography
- King of the Grizzlies (1970)
- The Megantic Outlaw (1970)
- Waiting for CarolineWaiting for CarolineWaiting for Caroline is a 1967 Canadian drama film directed by Ron Kelly and produced by the National Film Board of Canada.-Plot:Caroline is torn between two cultures, the English-speaking community of Vancouver where she grew up and the French-speaking Québec where she is currently living...
(1967) - The Last Man in the WorldWojeckWojeck is a Canadian dramatic television series, which aired on the CBC from 1966 to 1968. It was the first successful drama series on English Canadian television....
(1966) - Valley in a River (Documentary, 1966)
- The Gift (1965)
- Quo Vadis, Mrs. Lumb? (Documentary, 1965)
- Centennial Travellers (Documentary, (1965)
- The Open GraveHorizon (Canadian TV series)Horizon was a Canadian current affairs television series which aired on CBC Television from 1963 to 1964.-Premise:Most episodes of the series featured documentaries from various producers on various topics, with the notable exception of the fictional treatment in "The Open Grave" which was...
(1964)