Colin Low
DirectingColin Archibald Low CM RCA (July 24, 1926 – February 24, 2016) was a Canadian animation and documentary filmmaker with the National Film Board of Canada (NFB). He was known as a pioneer, one of Canada's most important filmmakers, and was regularly referred to as "the gentleman genius". His numerous honors include five BAFTA awards, eight Cannes Film Festival awards, and six Academy Award nominations. Low was born and raised in Cardston, Alberta, to Gerald and Marion Low, ranchers who were members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The town borders the Kainai Nation (Blood Tribe), which later became the subject of two of his films; his 1960 film Circle of the Sun marked the first time the Kainai Nation's sacred Sun Dance was filmed. Low studied graphic design and animation at the Banff School of Fine Arts and then the Calgary Institute of Technology. In 1946, while he was at the latter, the National Film Board of Canada was hiring and put out a call for student submissions; one of Low's teachers suggested that he send in his portfolio and, a week later, he was hired by the prominent NFB filmmaker Norman McLaren. McLaren placed Low under the tutelage of George Dunning, who would act as his mentor for five years. To hone his animation skills, he was also put to work with NFB animator Evelyn Lambart. Low was recognized as a filmmaker in 1949. In 1950, he was appointed Head of the Animation Unit. From 1972 to 1976, he was an executive producer for the NFB's Studio C; in 1976, he became Director of Regional Production. He would stay with the NFB for the rest of his life, making 203 films and acting as a researcher and advisor on many others. He officially retired in 1997, but continued to write about animation and large-format film, and to work on film projects.
Filmography — Crew
Kainai
Producer
Universe
Writer
Cree Hunters of Mistassini
Producer
City Out of Time
Director
21-87
Producer
The Hutterites
Director
Appetizers
Producer
Time and Terrain
Director
Corral
Director
Introduction to Fogo Island
Director
Very Nice, Very Nice
Producer
A Pinto for the Prince
Director
The Children of Fogo Island
Director
In Praise of Hands
Producer
The Boat That Ian Built
Producer
The Romance of Transportation in Canada
Director
Seven Surprizes
Director
City of Gold
Director
The Days of Whisky Gap
Director
Gold
Director
The Contour Connection
Director
Momentum
Director
Standing Alone
Director
Pot-pourri
Producer
The New Alchemists
Producer
Free Fall
Producer
Age of the Beaver
Director
Joe Kinsella on Education
Director
Billy Crane Moves Away
Director
Some Problems of Fogo
Director
Los Canadienses
Producer
The Winds of Fogo
Director
My Financial Career
Producer
Citizen Discussions
Director
I Don't Think It's Meant for Us...
Producer
William Wells Talks About The Island
Director
Fishermen's Meeting
Director
Coming Home
Producer
In the Labyrinth
Director
The Songs of Chris Cobb
Director
A is for Architecture
Producer
The Jolifou Inn
Director
Jim Decker Builds a Longliner
Director
The Merchant and the Teacher
Director
A Woman's Place
Director
Moving Pictures
Director
The Story of the Up Top
Director
A Memo from Fogo
Producer
Dan Roberts on Fishing
Director
Descent
Producer
One Little Indian
Producer
Earthware
Producer
Teamwork - Past and Present
Director
Jim Decker's Party
Director
Andrew Britt at Shoal Bay
Director
Riches of the Earth
Director
Thoughts on Fogo and Norway
Director
Cell 16
Producer
When I Go - That's It!
Director
Tom Best on Co-operatives
Director
Circle of the Sun
Director
Transitions
Director
A Wedding and Party
Director
Emergency
Director
The Founding of the Co-operatives
Director
McGraths at Home and Fishing
Director
The Fogo Island Improvement Committee
Director
Brian Earle on Merchants and Welfare
Director
Discussion on Welfare
Director
Fogo's Expatriates
Director
The Mercer Family
Director