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Villeneuve Denis

Denis Villeneuve was born near Trois-Rivieres, Quebec, in 1967.
He took science in college, and communications at the Université du Québec à Montréal, with a major in film. After learning the ins and outs of film production, he opted for directing.

In 1990-1991, Villeneuve competed in the CBC-sponsored Europe-Asia Competition. Having been selected, he set out to make 24 videos in 17 countries. His objectives: to get to know different peoples and to broaden his outlook. He was more interested in directing risk-fraught productions than the fine-tuned variety. The Competition judges liked his view of the world and awarded him first prize. This included making a film at the National Film Board of Canada.

On his return to Canada, Villeneuve shot some publicity clips for the CBC (Radio-Canada). Then he accompanied Pierre Perrault, award-winning NFB documentarian, on location in the High Arctic. After Villeneuve officially joined the National Film Board, he was asked to direct a film on culture shock in any country where the Canadian International Development Agency is active.

Denis Villeneuve has produced video clips for Rock groups Bundock and Zébulon and singer Daniel Bélanger. He shot the documentary footage for a television programme on Richard Séguin, a Québec singer with many records to his credit. Villeneuve is about to start principal photography on his first fiction film.