Robert Verrall, Oscar-Nominated Animation Pioneer, Dies at 97

by

Robert Verrall, a trailblazing animator, director, and film producer for the National Film Board of Canada, passed away at the age of 97.

Or:

Robert Verrall, a groundbreaking figure in Canadian animation, has died at the age of 97. He worked as an animator, director, and producer for the National Film Board of Canada.

On Friday, I sadly learned of the passing of Verrall in Montreal, though the specific reasons remain undisclosed. The National Film Board, our nation’s publicly-funded filmmaker, shared this heartbreaking news after reaching out to his family.

Robert Verrall was instrumental in constructing the NFB, known for his discerning taste for compelling narratives and skilled artists. Skilled in animation, he expanded upon the groundwork laid by Norman McLaren to secure international acclaim for the NFB as a hub of animation greatness. Under his guidance, the NFB’s initiatives flourished in both documentary and drama genres, aiming to set up production facilities nationwide. A supporter of pioneers like Kathleen Shannon during the founding of Studio D, the world’s first publicly funded feminist film studio, Robert played a pivotal role in shaping today’s NFB. Suzanne Guèvremont, government film commissioner and NFB chairperson, expressed gratitude for his enduring legacy in a statement.

Verrall and long-term partner Wolf Koenig were responsible for creating the animation in Colin Low’s 1953 short film titled “The Romance of Transportation in Canada.” This masterpiece was honored with a Palme D’Or for the best animated short film at Cannes and received a nomination for the best short cartoon Oscar.

1928 saw the birth of Verrall in Toronto. He was one of Canada’s earliest filmmakers to work for the National Film Board (NFB), an animation studio headed by Norman McLaren at the time. In a 2012 short NFB documentary, he reminisced about his arrival in Ottawa in May 1945 as a summer student and his subsequent involvement with the filmmaking organization founded by the late John Grierson, who is often referred to as the ‘father of Canadian documentaries’.

As a dedicated admirer, I can’t help but share the fascinating tale of how one man, Grierson, played a pivotal role in establishing an organization like the Film Board in this nation. He was nothing short of a genius, as Verrall so eloquently put it. Subsequently, he became part of McLaren’s animation studio, where he also forged strong working bonds with Hoenig and Low.

For 41 years, from 1945 to 1986, Verrall worked at the National Film Board (NFB), amassing six Oscar nominations, a BAFTA Award, and accolades in Cannes and Venice. As head of the NFB’s animation department from 1967 to 1972, he supervised the production of significant films such as Ryan Larkin’s Oscar-nominated “Walking” (1968), Yvon Mallette’s “Boomsville” (1968), Zlatko Grgić’s “Hot Stuff” (1971), and Barrie Nelson’s humorous “Propaganda Message” (1974).

From 1972 to 1976, Verrall served as the director for English production. Later in 1977, he was appointed executive producer for unique projects, one of which was Paul Cowan’s critically acclaimed film Going the Distance, nominated for an Oscar in the same year.

By September 1980, Verrall had taken on the leadership role at Studio B and oversaw the joint production of movies and TV series such as “The Wars”, “Empire Inc.”, and “The Tin Flute/Bonheur d’occasion”. In total, Verrall was involved in directing or producing over 50 films before retiring from the NFB in 1986 to relocate to a farm in the Eastern Townships, which lies outside Montreal.

I, following in my father’s footsteps, took over as the newcomer at the National Film Board (NFB) in 1977. Over three decades later, in 2011, I bid farewell to the NFB after an illustrious 34-year journey as its head of the English Animation Studio in Montreal, a public filmmaker.

Read More

2025-01-18 01:24