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Carl Bessai Biography

Birth Name:Carl Bessai

Birth Place:Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

Profession Director, Producer, Writer, Cinematographer, Camera department, Actor

Fast Facts

Won three Leo Awards, one for Best Direction in a Feature Length Drama for "Normal" in 2008 and two for Best Feature Length Drama and Best Direction in a Feature Length Drama for "Sisters & Brothers" in 2012
Won three Vancouver International Film Festival Awards, two for Best Western Canadian Feature Film for "Unnatural & Accidental" and "Normal" in 2006 and 2007 and one for Most Popular Canadian Film for "Mothers&Daughters" in 2008
Won a San Francisco International Film Festival Award for Film & Video - Biography for "Life and Times" in 2000
Studied at the Ontario College of Art and Design and at Toronto's York University
Began his career as a camera trainee on the TV series "Avonlea" in 1993 before making his writing, producing, and directing debut with the 1998 documentary "Brothers from Vietnam․"
Quote: "Most actors want to be a participant in the creative process․ They don't want to be a cone that you put out against a piece of tape․․․[or] a digital effect․ They're living creative, awesome manic creatures that need to explore․ That's what art is․"
Best known as a filmmaker who produced and directed the films "Repeaters," "Sisters & Brothers," and "Normal․"

Awards

1999Golden Alexander-: nominated
2002Leo-Feature Length Drama: Best Screenwriter: nominated
2002Best Canadian Feature-: winner
2006American Indian Movie Award-Best Director: nominated
2006American Indian Movie Award-Best Film: nominated
2006Best Western Canadian Feature Film - Special Mention-: winner
2007Leo-Best Direction in a Feature Length Drama: nominated
2007Leo-Best Feature Length Drama: nominated
2007Leo-Best Cinematography in a Feature Length Drama: nominated
2007Best Western Canadian Feature Film-: winner
2008Leo-Best Cinematography in a Feature Length Drama: nominated
2008Leo-Best Direction in a Feature Length Drama: winner
2008Leo-Best Feature Length Drama: nominated
2008Most Popular Canadian Film-: winner
2008Platinum Award-Fantasy/Horror: winner
2009Genie-Best Achievement in Direction: nominated
2009Genie-Best Motion Picture: nominated
2010Leo-Best Feature Length Drama: nominated
2010Leo-Best Direction in a Feature Length Drama: nominated
2010Leo-Best Cinematography in a Feature Length Drama: nominated
2010Golden St. George-: nominated
2011Leo-Best Feature Length Drama: nominated
2011Leo-Best Cinematography in a Feature Length Drama: nominated
2011Leo-Best Direction in a Music, Comedy, or Variety Program or Series: nominated
2011Leo-Best Direction in a Feature Length Drama: nominated
2011Leo-Best Feature Length Drama: nominated
2012Leo-Best Feature Length Drama: winner
2012Leo-Best Direction in a Feature Length Drama: winner
2014German Independence Award - Audience Award-: nominated
2015Leo-Best Motion Picture: nominated
2015Leo-Best Direction in a Motion Picture: nominated
2017Grand Jury Prize-Bridgestone Narrative Feature Competition: nominated