Peter Raymont
Producer

Filmmaker, journalist and writer PETER RAYMONT is the producer and director of over 100 documentary films during a 30-year career. His films have taken him to Ethiopia, Nicaragua, India, the High Arctic, and throughout North America and Europe. He is the recipient of 35 international awards including the Canadian Genie for "Best Documentary" for The World Is Watching, a critical examination of the role of the media in Nicaragua. His films have been broadcast on numerous television networks around the world.

Raymont's films are often provocative investigations of "hidden worlds" in politics, the media and big business, as well as Native, social and environmental issues.

His career began at the National Film Board of Canada in Montreal where he worked as an editor, director and producer for seven years. While at the NFB, he taught film and video production in the Canadian Arctic. In 1978 Raymont moved to Toronto and established his own independent film and television production company, Investigative Productions. The first project was the 1979 documentary, History On The Run, an examination of the work of journalists covering the Canadian federal election campaign.

Many of his documentaries are now produced through White Pine Pictures, in collaboration with his partner Lindalee Tracey.

Email: praymont@whitepinepictures.com

Some of Raymont's best-known productions:

1997 - 2000	-	A SCATTERING OF SEEDS: THE CREATION OF CANADA Executive Producer/Producer 39 x 1/2 hour television series featuring individual stories of immigrants who chose Canada as their home. Various directors across the country. Including: Website, Teacher¹s Guides and upcoming book based on the series. Broadcasters are History Television, SRC, TVO, Vision TV, SCN GEMINI AWARD, BEST MUSIC IN A DOCUMENTARY PROGRAMME OR SERIES, ACADEMY OF CANADIAN CINEMA AND TELEVISION, 1999 GOLD MEDAL, BEST DOCUMENTARY TELEVISION SERIES, WORLDFEST HOUSTON, 1998 BRONZE PLAQUE, COLUMBUS INTERNATIONAL FILM & VIDEO FESTIVAL, 1998
2000	-	RWANDA: IN SEARCH OF HOPE Producer/Director A one hour documentary chronicling thirteen Canadians as they travel to Rwanda in the aftermath of the genocide. Produced by White Pine Pictures in association with Vision TV, with the support of CIDA and the CAW Social Justice Fund. Broadcast: Vision TV - March 15, 2000
1997	-	THE NEW ICE AGE: A YEAR IN THE LIFE OF THE NHL Producer/Director A 6 hour television series documenting the behind-the-scenes action of professional hockey. Produced for CBC Sports, in collaboration with the NHL. Broadcast: CBC national network, September - October, 1998 GEMINI AWARD, BEST SPORTS PROGRAMME OR SERIES, ACADEMY OF CANADIAN CINEMA AND TELEVISION, 1999 GOLD MEDAL, BEST SPORTS DOCUMENTARY, WORLDFEST HOUSTON, 1998
1997	-	PASSING THE FLAME: THE LEGACY OF WOMEN¹S COLLEGE HOSPITAL Executive Producer/Producer A haunting one-hour docu-drama that pays tribute to the women who created Canada's first women's medical college and hospital. With dramatic re-enactments. Produced by White Pine Pictures. Funded by Mrs. Helen Phelan and the Women's College Hospital Foundation.
1996	-	INVISIBLE NATION: POLICING THE UNDERGROUND Producer An in-depth examination of the workings of Canada's Immigration system, illegal immigrants and the investigators who secure our borders. Produced by Investigative Productions for TVOntario Financed by Rogers Documenatry Fund. National broadcast March 12, 1997 - TVO, B.C. Knowledge, SCN Followed by a one hour national phone-in.
	-	WE HAVE SUCH THINGS AT HOME Executive Producer An investigation of the parallels and connections between the oppression of Canada's native people's and conditions faced by black South Africans. Broadcast: Vision TV - September 1997. Produced by Tamarack Productions Director: James Cullingham
1995	-	THE SCEPTICS' JOURNEY Director/Writer/Narrator One-hour cinema verite film on four Canadians' trip to examine development projects in India and Nepal. Produced by Prismalight, Toronto. Financed by CIDA, various NGO's. Broadcast: CBC Newsworld Rough Cuts, November 1995.
1994	-	HEARTS OF HATE - THE BATTLE FOR YOUNG MINDS Producer/Director/Co-Writer One-hour documentary on the racist movement in Canada. Produced by Investigative Productions for CTV. Financed by Telefilm, OFDC, OFIP. First broadcast; February, 1995 - CTV National Network. Also broadcast on the Learning Channel (USA), ABC Australia, NHK Japan. GOLD APPLE AWARD, NATIONAL EDUCATIONAL MEDIA COMPETITION '95 NOMINATED, '95 GOLDEN SHEAF AWARDS, Multicultural/Race Relations CERTIFICATE OF MERIT-FINALIST, 1995 WORLDFEST HOUSTON
	-	ABBY I HARDLY KNEW YA Producer/Co-Director One-hour personal film on a daughter's search for her derelict father. Produced by Investigative Productions for TVO Series "The View From Here". Financed by Telefilm, OFDC, OFIP. Licenced by BC Knowledge Network, SCN, CFCF, Vision TV. TVO Broadcast: May, 1995 16 mm. BRONZE PLAQUE, COLUMBUS INTERNATIONAL FILM & VIDEO FESTIVAL, '95 CORK FILM FESTIVAL INVITATIONAL SCREENING, 1995 NOMINATED, BEST SHORT DOCUMENTARY, THE 1996 GENIE AWARDS
1993	-	CHASING THE DREAM Producer/Director 90 minute documentary special on three minor league baseball players in the Toronto Blue Jays' organization. Produced by BallPark Pictures for CBC Sports with financing from OFDC, OFIP and corporate sponsorship. CBC National Telecast: October, 1993. BRONZE APPLE AWARD, NATIONAL EDUCATIONAL FILM & VIDEO FESTIVAL '94 NOMINATED, BEST SPORTS PROGRAM OR SERIES, THE 1995 GEMINI AWARDS
1993	-	TOUGH CHOICES Producer/Director One-hour special on cutting the national deficit. Produced for CTV (W-5 Special) in collaboration with Maclean's Magazine. CTV National Telecast: September, 1993
1992	-	VOICES FROM THE SHADOWS Producer/Director 90-minute documentary film special on Canada's welfare system shot in four provinces over five months. Produced by Investigative Productions Inc. for CBC "Witness". with financing from Telefilm, OFDC, NFB. CBC National Telecast: September, 1992. FINALIST, THE NEW YORK FESTIVALS, 1992 NOMINATED, BEST INVESTIGATIVE DOCUMENTARY, Canadian Association of Journalists, 1993
1991	-	THE PEOPLE'S ACCORD Director/Writer/Narrator Documentary on 12 Canadians negotiating a new constitution for Canada. CTV Special Produced by Lauron Productions and Somerset Productions with a tie in with Maclean's magazine. CTV National Telecast: July 1, 1991
	-	AS LONG AS THE RIVERS FLOW Producer, Executive Producer 5-hour documentary film series on native self-government. Produced by Tamarack Productions with Telefilm Canada, OFDC, NFB, TVO, TV5, Access Alberta, Knowledge Network, CBC North, Vision TV, DIANA. Film Titles: TIME IMMEMORIAL, TIKINAGAN, FLOODING JOB'S GARDEN, STARTING FIRE WITH GUNPOWDER, THE LEARNING PATH. PRODUCER'S AWARD 1991 American Indian Film Festival, San Francisco SILVER HUGO, 1991 Chicago International Film Festival (The Learning Path) PUBLIC JURY PRIZE, 1991 Nyon Documentary Film Festival (for Tikinagan) BRONZE APPLE AWARD, 1992 National Educational Film and Video Festival FESTIVAL OF FESTIVALS, TORONTO, 1991 BILAN DU FILM ETHONOGRAPHIQUE, Paris, 1992
1990	-	BETWEEN TWO WORLDS Producer Documentary investigation of the life and tragic death of Canada's "model Eskimo", Joseph Idlout, the man on the back of Canada's two dollar bill. Produced by Investigative Productions Inc. with Telefilm Canada, OFDC, Global TV, Channel 4 TV (Britain), ABC TV (Australia), SVT1 (Sweden), Access Alberta, CBC North, Vision TV. (58 minutes) SESTERCE D'ARGENT (Second prize), NYON FILM FESTIVAL, Switzerland, 1990 SPECIAL INTERNATIONAL JURY AWARD, LEIPZIG, Germany 1991 GOLD APPLE NATIONAL EDUCATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL, 1991 (Oakland CA.) BROADCAST AWARD, YORKTON FILM FESTIVAL 1991 SILVER AWARD, HOUSTON FILM FESTIVAL, 1992 TORONTO FESTIVAL OF FESTIVALS, 1990 LENINGRAD FILM FESTIVAL, 1991 MARGARET MEAD FILM FESTIVAL, (NYC), 1991 FESTIVAL OF THE AMERICAN INDIAN (NYC), 1991 Nominated for three GEMINI AWARDS including BEST DOCUMENTARY 1992 Broadcast in 9 languages in 11 countries.
1988	-	THE WORLD IS WATCHING Producer/Director/Co-Writer Documentary investigation of how news is reported from Nicaragua. Produced by Investigative Productions Inc. Pre-sold to Channel 4 (Britain), TVOntario, IKON (Holland), SVT1. Investors: Telefilm Canada, OFDC. Telecasts: 17 countries worldwide, versioned into 11 languages (59 minutes). GENIE, BEST SHORT DOCUMENTARY FILM: Academy of Canadian Cinema & TV '89 GOLD HUGO, BEST SOCIAL/POLITICAL DOCUMENTARY: Chicago Film Festival '88 ECUMENICAL PRIZE/PUBLIC JURY PRIZE: NYON FILM FESTIVAL, Switzerland '88 HONOURABLE MENTION, PEACE PRIZE COMMITTEE: Berlin Film Festival '89 BRONZE APPLE AWARD, U.S. EDUCATIONAL FILM AND VIDEO FESTIVAL, '90 BLUE RIBBON, AMERICAN FILM & VIDEO FESTIVAL, 1989 SPECIAL AWARD, MELBOURNE FILM FESTIVAL, 1989 INVITATIONAL SCREENINGS: TORONTO FESTIVAL OF FESTIVALS, 1988 SYDNEY INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL, 1989 BANFF TELEVISION FESTIVAL, 1989 34TH CORK FILM FESTIVAL (IRELAND), 1989 INPUT CONFERENCE OF PUBLIC TELEVISION, SWEDEN, 1990
1987	-	THE POLITICS OF AID Producer/Director/Writer Two half-hour films exposing US aid policies in Haiti and Jamaica. Produced for Christian Science Monitor Television, Boston, USA
1986	-	AT THE BRINK Producer/Director/Writer Documentary investigation of The Cuban Missile Crisis. Produced at WGBH TV, CENTRAL TV (London) and NHK (Japan). for the 13-part PBS Series: "The Nuclear Age". Telecast in USA, Britain, Japan, etc. - 1988 (55 minutes). SECOND PRIZE, NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT, VERMONT WORLD PEACE FILM FESTIVAL, '89
1985	-	WITH OUR OWN TWO HANDS Producer/Director/Co-Writer Documentary on a brigade of Canadian farmers working in Nicaragua. Produced by The National Film Board of Canada in collaboration with Investigative Productions Inc. (28 minutes). Telecast: CBC Network Program "MAN ALIVE", WNET (PBS NYC). NATIONAL PEACE COMMITTEE PRIZE, Cracow Film Festival, Poland BEST DOCUMENTARY, 1986 Alberta Motion Picture Industry Awards Nominated, BEST DOCUMENTARY, 1986 Canadian ACTRA Awards
	-	VENTURE - CBC TV National Current Affairs Business Program Producer/Writer/On Camera Reporter Two half-hour "Full Show" documentaries: AES - Investigation of a failing Canadian computer company TakeOver - A real estate company aquires a Canadian utility Eight other weekly reports including: Canada's New Energy Policy, The Canadian Commercial Bank Failure, The Cost of Acid Rain.
1984	-	THE BROKERS Producer/Director/Narrator A cinema verite-style documentary shot inside an international brokerage/investment company, McLeod Young Weir. Co-produced by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation and The National Film Board of Canada (57 minutes). Telecast: CBC national network
1983	-	ON TO THE POLAR SEA - A YUKON ADVENTURE Co-Producer/Director/Co-Writer A wilderness canoeing adventure in Canada's Yukon Territory. Produced by Investigative Productions Inc. for Turner Broadcasting, Atlanta and CableScope, Buffalo USA (50 minutes). Telecast on WTBS (U.S. Cable) and the PBS Network BEST DOCUMENTARY (SPORTS) and BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY, 1985 Yorkton International Film Festival
1982	-	PRISONERS OF DEBT - INSIDE THE GLOBAL BANKING CRISIS Director/Narrator Co-produced by the National Film Board of Canada and The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (57 minutes). Telecasts: CBC national network / Channel 4 TV Great Britain BEST WRITING, TV DOCUMENTARY - 1984 Canadian ACTRA Awards
	-	FALASHA - AGONY OF THE BLACK JEWS Director/Co-Writer/Narrator The politics behind the plight of Ethiopia's black Jews. Produced by Matara Film Productions Inc., Toronto (26 minutes). National CBC Telecast, "MAN ALIVE". National U.S. Telecast - NBC "Monitor". National Telecasts in Great Britain, Israel and Sweden. Winner of several awards.
	-	FALASHA - EXILE OF THE BLACK JEWS Location Director A Feature-length Documentary Film. Produced by Matara Film Productions Inc. (82 minutes). Special premiere at Toronto Festival of Festivals 1983. Two theatrical runs in New York, L.A., Montreal, Toronto. Distributor: PanCanadian.
	-	THE FORGOTTEN REFUGEES Location Director The life of an Ethiopian family in a Sudanese/UN Refugee Camp. Produced by The Canadian Educational Film Association. for the United Nations High Commission For Refugees. Educational Distribution (28 minutes).
	-	ARCTIC SPIRITS Producer/Director/Writer An investigation of the evangelical movement in the Canadian Arctic and it's parallels with Inuit Shamanism. Produced by Investigative Productions Inc. (26 minutes). National CBC Telecast, "MAN ALIVE". National Telecast Great Britain - Channel Four. Regional Telecast Ontario - TVOntario (1 hour version). Special series of screenings through North America co-ordinated by The Museum of the American Indian, New York City.
1982	-	SHIFTING SANDS: INSIDE THE PASSIONS OF THE MIDDLE EAST Consultant Producer/Co-Writer Series of 7 one-hour documentaries on the politics and culture of the Middle East. Produced by TVOntario in collaboration with The Encyclopedia Britannica. TVOntario Telecast - l985
1981	-	MAGIC IN THE SKY Producer/Director/Writer An investigation of the impact of television on Canada's Inuit people and their struggle to create their own TV Network. Co-produced by Investigative Productions Inc. and The NFB (57 minutes). Telecast in Britain (ITV), Germany (NDR), Sweden (TV1), USA (PBS). Margaret Mead Film Festival, 1983/Native American Film Festival, INPUT Conference of Public Television, Leige, Belgium, 1983. Grierson Film Seminar 1984 RED RIBBON - AMERICAN FILM FESTIVAL 1983 GOLD PLAQUE - CHICAGO FILM FESTIVAL 1983 BEST DOCUMENTARY - CANADIAN FILM AND TV AWARDS 1983
1979	-	HISTORY ON THE RUN - THE MEDIA AND THE '79 ELECTION Producer/Director/Writer/Narrator A cinema verite investigation of the work of four journalists on the election campaign trail. Produced by Investigative Productions Inc. (57 minutes). Distributed by the National Film Board of Canada. Telecast on CBC Regional Networks and CITY TV. Special Screening: The Centre For Investigative Journalism Convention.
1978	-	THE ART OF THE POSSIBLE Director/Writer/Editor/Narrator A 4 month film investigation inside the Office of Ontario Premier, William Davis. Produced by the National Film Board of Canada (57 minutes). Telecast by CBC Regional Networks
1977	-	FLORA: SCENES FROM A LEADERSHIP CONVENTION Director/Writer/Editor/Narrator Inside the campaign of Flora MacDonald, the first woman to contest the leadership of the Progressive Conservative Party. Produced by the National Film Board of Canada (57 minutes). Nominated for three Canadian Film Awards Special Premiere: The Festival of Festivals, Toronto 1977
1977	-	REFLECTIONS ON A LEADERSHIP CONVENTION Director/Writer/Editor/Narrator An analysis of the 1976 P.C. Party leadership convention. Produced by The National Film Board of Canada (21 minutes). Educational Distribution.
1976	-	NATSIK HUNTING ASIVAQTIIN (THE HUNTERS) QILALUGANIATUT (WHALE HUNTING) Producer Short films made by Inuit filmmakers in Frobisher Bay, N.W.T. Produced by The National Film Board of Canada. Telecast on The CBC Northern Service
	-	WE JUST WON'T TAKE IT Editor An analysis of the impact of Wage Controls on Auto Workers. Produced by James Littleton for the United Auto Workers. Educational Distribution (59 minutes).
	-	HAPPY BIRTHDAY Producer/Director/Writer A capsule history of the United States of America. Produced by CTV National News (1 minute)
1975	-	GRIERSON'S DOCUMENTARY PHILOSOPHY - THE WORKING CLASS ON FILM Co-Director/Editor Pilot for a series of films on the work of John Grierson, "Father of the Documentary Film". Produced by the National Film Board of Canada (14 minutes). BEST DOCUMENTARY, BLUE RIBBON - 1976 AMERICAN FILM AWARDS. BEST DOCUMENTARY UNDER 30 MINUTES, 1976 LEIPSIG FILM FESTIVAL.
	-	LUMSDEN Director/Writer/Narrator The battle of a small Saskatchewan town to fight a flood. Produced by the National Film Board of Canada (20 minutes).
	-	SIKUSILARMIUT Director/Writer/Narrator The creation of an animation film workshop in Cape Dorset NWT. Produced by the National Film Board of Canada (29 minutes).
1974	-	THE FOREST WATCHERS Director/Writer/Narrator Use of satellite and aerial photography in forestry research. Co-produced by The National Film Board of Canada and The Department of The Environment (35 mm) (25 minutes).
	-	RIVER, PLANET EARTH Director An exploration of the Saskatchewan-Nelson River System. Produced by The National Film Board of Canada and The Department of The Environment (28 minutes).
1973	-	THE INNOCENT DOOR Associate Producer/Editor The work of Canadian architect Moshe Safdie in Jerusalem. Produced by The National Film Board of Canada and The Department of Urban Affairs (30 minutes).
	-	THE COLDSPRING PROJECT Associate Producer/Editor The creation of Moshe Safdie's "New Town" project in Baltimore, USA. Produced by The National Film Board of Canada and The Department of Urban Affairs (27 minutes)
	-	JUST ANOTHER JOB Editor/Interviewer Following a rookie hockey player with the Quebec Nordiques. Produced by The National Film Board of Canada. CBC Network Telecast - The 'Adieu Alouette' Series (27 minutes).
1972	-	THE POINT: COMMUNITY LEGAL AIDCITOYEN NOUVEAU/SERVICES JURIDIQUES COMMUNAUTAIRES Assistant Director/Editor The first community controlled legal aid clinic in Canada in Point St. Charles, Montreal, P.Q. Produced by The National Film Board of Canada (2 X 28 minutes). Election Campaign TV Ads for FLORA MACDONALD PC MP. Producer/Director/Cinematographer/Writer 6X10 min.
1971	-	HAVE YOU EVER BEEN NORTH OF PRINCESS STREET? Producer/Director/Editor An investigation of poverty in North Kingston, Ontario. Produced at Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario (26 minutes)