John Kemeny (1925 – 2012) was a Hungarian-Canadian film producer whom the ''

Toronto Star The ''Toronto Star'' is a Canadian English-language broadsheet daily newspaper. It is owned by Toronto Star Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary of Torstar Corporation and part of Torstar's Daily News Brands (Torstar), Daily News Brands division. ...

'' called "the forgotten giant of Canadian film history and...the most successful producer in Canadian history." His production credits include '' The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz'', ''

Atlantic City Atlantic City, sometimes referred to by its initials A.C., is a Jersey Shore seaside resort city in Atlantic County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. Atlantic City comprises the second half of the Atlantic City- Hammonton metropolitan sta ...

'', and '' Quest for Fire''.

Early career

John Kemeny was born in

Budapest Budapest is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns of Hungary, most populous city of Hungary. It is the List of cities in the European Union by population within city limits, tenth-largest city in the European Union by popul ...

and, at a young age, forged a career in the film business, working in distribution and promotion. Following the

Hungarian Revolution of 1956 The Hungarian Revolution of 1956 (23 October – 4 November 1956; ), also known as the Hungarian Uprising, was an attempted countrywide revolution against the government of the Hungarian People's Republic (1949–1989) and the policies caused by ...

, he moved to

Montreal Montreal is the List of towns in Quebec, largest city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Quebec, the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, second-largest in Canada, and the List of North American cit ...

where, in 1959, he was hired by the

National Film Board of Canada The National Film Board of Canada (NFB; ) is a Canadian public film and digital media producer and distributor. An agency of the Government of Canada, the NFB produces and distributes documentary films, animation, web documentaries, and altern ...

(NFB). He began as an editor, then moved to directing but it was evident that his talent lay in producing. While at the NFB, he edited, wrote, directed and/or produced 100 films, including ''

Memorandum A memorandum (: memorandums or memoranda; from the Latin ''memorandum'', "(that) which is to be remembered"), also known as a briefing note, is a Writing, written message that is typically used in a professional setting. Commonly abbreviation, ...

'', '' Ladies and Gentlemen... Mr. Leonard Cohen'', '' The Things I Cannot Change'', ''

The Best Damn Fiddler from Calabogie to Kaladar ''The Best Damn Fiddler from Calabogie to Kaladar'' is a 1968 National Film Board of Canada (NFB) drama directed by Peter Pearson, produced by John Kemeny and written by Joan Finnigan. The 49-minute drama stars Chris Wiggins and Kate Reid, alon ...

'' and '' Don't Let the Angels Fall''.

International Cinemedia Center

In 1971, Kemeny left the NFB, along with three NFB colleagues: Joe Koenig, George Kaczender and Don Duprey. They formed International Cinemedia Center Productions (ICC), with the aim of producing documentaries and educational films. In 1973, the prominent director

Ted Kotcheff William Theodore Kotcheff (; April 7, 1931 – April 10, 2025) was a CanadianUS Director Ted Kotcheff Granted Bulgarian Citizenship. Bulgarian Justice Minister Ekaterina Zaharieva on Friday granted citizenship to Ted Kotcheff, a US director bor ...

returned to Montreal from London and, with his friend

Mordecai Richler Mordecai Richler (January 27, 1931 – July 3, 2001) was a Canadian writer. His best known works are ''The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz (novel), The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz'' (1959) and ''Barney's Version (novel), Barney's Versi ...

, starting developing the film version of Richler’s book '' The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz''. Kemeny had the reputation of being a calm, precise and budget-conscious producer and the deal was struck for ICC to produce the film. It was a massive success. '' The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz'' grossed $1.7 million, won several awards and was ranked, by the

Toronto International Film Festival The Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF, often stylized as tiff) is one of the most prestigious and largest publicly attended film festivals in the world. Founded in 1976, the festival takes place every year in early September. The organi ...

, in the Top 10 Canadian Films of All Time. The success of ''Duddy Kravitz'' led to a three-picture deal with

Columbia Pictures Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc., Trade name, doing business as Columbia Pictures, is an American film Production company, production and Film distributor, distribution company that is the flagship unit of the Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group ...

. Kemeny produced '' Ice Castles'', '' Shadow of the Hawk'' and '' White Line Fever''; '' Ice Castles'' was a success; '' White Line Fever'' grossed $35 million on a $1.4 million budget.

International Cinema Inc.

In 1978, Don Duprey returned to the NFB and Joe Koenig left the group to form Interactive Image Technologies (which would become Electronics Workbench). Kemeny was joined by his friend, the Quebec filmmaker Denis Héroux, and ICC became International Cinema Inc. The company produced eleven films in six years, most notably ''

'' and '' Quest for Fire''.

Alliance Entertainment

In 1984, Kemeny and Héroux merged International Cinema with RSL Entertainment, the company of producers Stephen J. Roth, Andras Hamori, Susan Cavan and Robert Lantos, to form Alliance Entertainment. The company saw immediate and stunning success, producing at least six projects a year, including features, TV movies and series (in 1998, it became

Alliance Atlantis Alliance Atlantis Communications Inc. (commonly known as Alliance Atlantis) was a Canadian media company that operated primarily as a specialty service operator in Canada. Alliance Atlantis also had offices in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Halifax, Los ...

Communications). Perhaps because of the pace, Kemeny left Alliance in 1991. He had already produced several films for

HBO Home Box Office (HBO) is an American pay television service, which is the flagship property of namesake parent-subsidiary Home Box Office, Inc., itself a unit owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. The overall Home Box Office business unit is based a ...

and would produce three more, including The Josephine Baker Story, before retiring in 1997.

Personal life and death

Kemeny was married three times; the last to Margaret who he married in 1964. Kemeny retired in 1996. He and Margaret, who was also Hungarian, returned to Europe, dividing their time between homes in Hungary and Spain. With the increasingly-unpleasant political situation in Hungary, and the desire for a warm climate, they bought a house in

Sedona, Arizona Sedona ( ) is a city that straddles the county line between Coconino County, Arizona, Coconino and Yavapai County, Arizona, Yavapai counties in the northern Verde Valley region of the U.S. state of Arizona. As of the 2010 United States Census, ...

. Kemeny was a citizen of Hungary and Canada, and his

Green card A green card, known officially as a permanent resident card, is an identity document which shows that a person has permanent residency in the United States. ("The term 'lawfully admitted for permanent residence' means the status of having been ...

had lapsed; from Spain, they waged a stressful two-year legal battle to be permitted to live in the US. In September of 2012, they were allowed to return. Two weeks after their arrival, Kemeny was diagnosed with cancer. He died one month later, on November 23, at age 87. He was pre-deceased by a daughter and was survived by his wife and one son.

Legacy

At the 12th Genie Awards in 1991, the

Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television The Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television is a Canadian non-profit organization created in 1979 to recognize the achievements of the over 4,000 Canadian cinema of Canada, film industry and television in Canada, television industry professionals ...

awarded Kemeny the Special Achievement Genie in recognition of his contribution to the Canadian film industry. Upon his death, Robert Lantos told the ''

'': "John was a producer of extraordinary accomplishments. Because he never promoted himself, preferring to stay in the shadow, few in the Canadian industry today know who he is. By the time he retired 15 years ago, he had accomplished more than any other Canadian producer - ever. Five Oscar nominations for ''Atlantic City'' including Best Picture (still the only Canadian film ever nominated in this), and the Golden Lion in Venice. An Oscar nomination and the Golden Bear in Berlin for ''Duddy Kravit''z. The César (French Oscar) for best picture and an Oscar nomination for ''Quest For Fire''. No other Canadian film has ever won either the top Berlin or the top Venice prize. He won them both, as well as a multitude of Genie Awards for these and for other films like ''The Bay Boy''. He made some of the most distinguished HBO movies ever, such as ''Murderers Among Us: The Simon Wiesenthal Story'', and ''The Josephine Baker Story'', which was nominated for twelve Emmy Awards and won five. He also made major commercial hits for Hollywood Studios, such as ''Ice Castles'' and ''White Line Fever''. He was a pioneer and a perfectionist and a founding partner of Alliance. Homage should be paid."

Filmography

*''The Inquiring Mind'' - documentary short, David Bairstow 1959 - editor *''Dykes for Dry Land'' - documentary short, Donald Wilder 1959 - editor *''Grassland Farming'' - documentary short, Donald Wilder 1959 - editor *''On Prescription Only'' - documentary short, Julian Biggs 1960 - editor *''Men Against the Ice'' - documentary short, David Bairstow 1960 - editor *''Steering North'' - documentary short, David Bairstow 1960 - editor *''Cash Advances for Prairie Grain'' - documentary short, Ernest Reid 1961 - editor *''Everybody’s Prejudiced'' - documentary short, Donald Brittain 1961 - editor *''Henry Larsen’s Northwest Passages'' - documentary short, David Bairstow 1962 - editor *''The Boy Next Door'' - short film, Ernest Reid 1962 - editor *''What Farm Price Support Means to You'' - documentary short, Ernest Reid 1962 - editor *''Canada at War: Days of Infamy'' - documentary short, Donald Brittain, Peter Jones & Stanley Clish 1962 - editor *''Canada at War: Turn of the Tide'' - documentary short, Donald Brittain, Peter Jones & Stanley Clish 1962 - editor *''Canada at War: Road to Ortona'' - documentary short, Donald Brittain & Stanley Clish 1962 - editor *''Canada at War: New Directions'' - documentary short, Donald Brittain & Stanley Clish 1962 - editor *''Canada at War: Crisis on the Hill'' - documentary short, Donald Brittain & Stanley Clish 1962 - editor *''Canada at War: The Clouded Dawn'' - documentary short, Donald Brittain & Stanley Clish 1962 - editor *''Canada at War: Dusk'' - documentary short, Donald Brittain & Stanley Clish 1962 - editor *''Drylanders'' - documentary short, Don Haldane 1963 - editor *''The Early Journeys of Vilhjalmur Stefansson'' - documentary short, David Bairstow 1963 - editor *''The Later Journeys of Vilhjalmur Stefansson'' - documentary short, David Bairstow 1963 - editor *''Memories and Predictions'' - documentary short, David Bairstow 1963 - editor *''Wedding Day'' - documentary short, Julian Biggs, Hector Lemieux & John Howe 1963 - editor *''Three Grandmothers'' - documentary short, Julian Biggs & John Howe 1963 - editor *'' Bethune'' - documentary, Donald Brittain 1964 - writer, editor, producer *''Three Country Boys'' - documentary short 1964 - co-director *''Three Fishermen'' - documentary short 1964 - co-director *''The Visit'' - documentary short 1964 – director *''Stefansson: The Arctic Prophet'' - documentary short 1965 - director and producer *''Henry Larsen'' - documentary short 1965 - director and producer *'' Ladies and Gentlemen... Mr. Leonard Cohen'' - documentary, Donald Brittain & Don Owen 1965 - producer *''Miner'' - documentary short, Robin Spry 1965 - producer *''Two Men of Montreal'' - documentary, Suzanne Angel, Donald Brittain & Don Owen 1965 - producer *''You're No Good'' - short film, George Kaczender 1965 - producer *''Level 4350'' - documentary short, Robin Spry 1965 - producer *''Little White Crimes'' - short film, George Kaczender 1966 - producer *''No Reason to Stay'' - short film,

Mort Ransen Mort Ransen (August 16, 1933 – September 4, 2021) was a Canadian film and television director, editor, screenwriter and producer, best known for his Genie Award-winning 1995 film ''Margaret's Museum''. Early life Ransen was born Moishe Socora ...

1966 - producer *''The Long Haul Men'' - documentary short, Michael Rubbo 1966 - producer *''The Merry-Go-Round'' - documentary short, Tanya Ballantyne & Tanya Tree 1966 - producer *''Trawler Fishermen'' - documentary short, Martin Defalco 1966 - producer *''The Game'' - short film, George Kaczender 1966 - producer *''Pikangikum'' - documentary short, John Gould 1967 - producer *''Andrew Britt at Shoal Bay'' - documentary short, Colin Low 1967 - producer *''Indian Dialogue'' - documentary short, David Hughes 1967 - producer *''A Wedding and Party'' - documentary short, Colin Low 1967 - producer *''A Woman’s Place'' - documentary short, Colin Low 1967 - producer *''Fishermen’s Meeting'' - documentary short, Colin Low 1967 - producer *''Fogo’s Expatriates'' - documentary short, Colin Low 1967 - producer *''Billy Crane Moves Away'' - documentary short, Colin Low 1967 - producer *''Brian Earle on Merchants and Welfare'' - documentary short, Colin Low 1967 - producer *''Citizen Discussions'' - documentary short, Colin Low 1967 - producer *''Dan Roberts on Fishing'' - documentary short, Colin Low 1967 - producer *''Jim Decker Builds a Longliner'' - documentary short, Colin Low 1967 - producer *''Jim Decker’s Party'' - documentary short, Colin Low 1967 - producer *''Joe Kinsella on Education'' - documentary short, Colin Low 1967 - producer *''McGraths at Home and Fishing'' - documentary short, Colin Low 1967 - producer *''Encounter at Kwacha House - Halifax'' - documentary short, Rex Tasker 1967 - producer *''Encounter with Saul Alinsky - Part 1: CYC Toronto'' - documentary short, Peter Pearson 1967 - producer *''Encounter with Saul Alinsky - Part 2: Rama Indian Reserve'' - documentary short, Peter Pearson 1967 - producer *''Indian Relocation - Elliot Lake: A Report'' - documentary short, David Hughes & D'Arcy Marsh 1967 - producer *''Madawaska Valley'' - documentary short, John Ormond 1967 - producer *''Ride for Your Life'' - documentary short, Robin Spry 1967 - producer *''Sabre and Foil'' - documentary short, George Kaczender 1967 - producer *''The Children of Fogo Island'' - documentary short, Colin Low 1967 - producer *''Some Problems of Fogo'' - documentary short, Colin Low 1967 - producer *''Discussion on Welfare'' - documentary short, Colin Low 1967 - producer *''The Fogo Island Improvement Committee'' - documentary short, Colin Low 1967 - producer *''The Founding of the Co-operatives'' - documentary short, Colin Low 1967 - producer *''The Mercer Family'' - documentary short, Colin Low 1967 - producer *''The Merchant and the Teacher'' - documentary short, Colin Low 1967 - producer *''The Songs of Chris Cobb'' - documentary short, Colin Low 1967 - producer *''The Story of the Up Top'' - documentary short, Colin Low 1967 - producer *''Thoughts on Fogo and Norway'' - documentary short, Colin Low 1967 - producer *''Tom Best on Co-operatives'' - documentary short, Colin Low 1967 - producer *''Two Cabinet Ministers'' - documentary short, Colin Low 1967 - producer *''William Wells Talks About the Island'' - documentary short, Colin Low 1967 - producer *''The Halifax Neighbourhood Center Project'' - documentary short, Rex Tasker 1967 - producer *'' The Things I Cannot Change'' - documentary, Tanya Ballantyne 1967 - producer *''

'' - documentary, Donald Brittain & John Spotton 1967 - producer *''The Circle'' - documentary,

1967 - producer *''A Continuing Responsibility'' - documentary short, Bonnie Sherr Klein 1968 - producer *''Introduction to Fogo Island'' - documentary short, Colin Low 1968 - producer *''Building an Organization'' - documentary short, Peter Pearson & Bonnie Sherr Klein 1968 - producer *''People and Power'' - documentary short, Bonnie Sherr Klein 1968 - producer *''Deciding to Organize'' - documentary short, Peter Pearson & Bonnie Sherr Klein 1968 - producer *''Through Conflict to Negotiation'' - documentary short, Bonnie Sherr Klein 1968 - producer *''Saul Alinsky Went to War'' - documentary, Donald Brittain 1968 - producer *''

'' - short film, Peter Pearson 1968 - producer *'' Don't Let the Angels Fall'' - feature, George Kaczender 1968 - producer *''Falling from Ladders'' - documentary short,

1969 - producer *''Passing Through Sweden'' - documentary short, Martin Duckworth 1969 - producer *''The Land'' - documentary short, Rex Tasker & Jean-Claude Labrecque 1969 - producer *''A Place for Everything'' - documentary short, Eric M. Nilsson 1970 - producer *''Overspill'' - documentary short,

1970 - producer *''The Burden They Carry'' - documentary short,

1970 - producer *''The City: Osaka'' - animated short film, Kaj Pindal 1970 - producer *''Untouched and Pure'' - documentary, Christopher Cordeaux,

& Martin Duckworth 1970 - producer *''Canada the Land'' - documentary short, Rex Tasker & Jean-Claude Labrecque 1971 - producer *''7 fois... par jour'' - feature, Denis Héroux 1971 - producer (independent) International Cinemedia Center Productions *''Marxism: The Theory That Split the World'' - documentary short, George Kaczender 1970 - producer *''Freud: The Hidden Nature of Man'' - documentary short, George Kaczender 1970 – producer *''Newton: The Mind That Found the Future'' - documentary short, George Kaczender 1970 – producer *''Two Grasslands: Texas and Iran'' - documentary short, George Kaczender 1970 - producer *''Food: The Story of a Peanut Butter Sandwich'' - documentary short, George Kaczender 1970 – producer *''Top of the World: Taiga, Tundra, Ice Cap'' - documentary short, George Kaczender 1971 - producer *''Brown Wolf'' - short film, George Kaczender 1972 - producer *'' The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz'' - feature,

1974 - producer *'' White Line Fever'' - feature,

Jonathan Kaplan Jonathan Kaplan (born November 25, 1947) is an American film producer and film director, director. His film ''The Accused (1988 film), The Accused'' (1988) earned actress Jodie Foster the Academy Awards, Oscar for Academy Award for Best Actress ...

1975 – producer *''Medieval Myths and Medicine'' - documentary short, George Kaczender 1975 - producer *''Evolution of the Appalachians'' - animated film, (for the NFB) 1976 - producer *''Volcanism: Eruption of Kilauea, Hawaii'' - short film, 1976 - producer *'' Shadow of the Hawk'' - feature,

George McCowan George McCowan (June 27, 1927 – November 1, 1995) was a Canadian film and television director in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s. McCowan began his career working for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. He worked as an actor and director fo ...

1976 - producer *'' Ice Castles'' - feature,

Donald Wrye Donald Wrye (September 24, 1934 – May 15, 2015) was an American Film director, director, screenwriter and producer. He is best known for directing the 1978 film ''Ice Castles''. He died on May 15, 2015, at his home in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. ...

1979 - producer International Cinema Inc. *''

'' - feature,

Louis Malle Louis Marie Malle (; 30 October 1932 – 23 November 1995) was a French film director, screenwriter, and producer who worked in both French cinema and Hollywood. Described as "eclectic" and "a filmmaker difficult to pin down", Malle made document ...

1980 - producer *'' Quest for Fire'' - feature,

Jean-Jacques Annaud Jean-Jacques Annaud (; born 1 October 1943) is a French film director, screenwriter and producer. He directed ''Quest for Fire (film), Quest for Fire'' (1981), ''The Name of the Rose (film), The Name of the Rose'' (1986), ''The Bear (1988 film), ...

1981 - producer *'' The Plouffe Family'' - feature, Gilles Carle 1981 - producer *'' The Crime of Ovide Plouffe'' - mini-series,

Denys Arcand Georges-Henri Denys Arcand (; born June 25, 1941) is a Canadian filmmaker. During his four decades career, he became one of the most internationally-recognized director from Quebec, earning widespread acclaim and numerous accolades for his "inten ...

& Gilles Carle 1984 - producer *'' The Bay Boy'' - feature,

Daniel Petrie Daniel Mannix Petrie (November 26, 1920 – August 22, 2004) was a Canadian film, television, and stage director who worked in Canada, Hollywood, and the United Kingdom; known for directing grounded human dramas often dealing with taboo subjec ...

1984 - producer *'' The Blood of Others'' - feature,

Claude Chabrol Claude Henri Jean Chabrol (; 24 June 1930 – 12 September 2010) was a French film director and a member of the French New Wave (''nouvelle vague'') group of filmmakers who first came to prominence at the end of the 1950s. Like his colleagues an ...

1984 - producer *''

Louisiana Louisiana ( ; ; ) is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States. It borders Texas to the west, Arkansas to the north, and Mississippi to the east. Of the 50 U.S. states, it ranks 31st in area and 25 ...

'' - TV movie,

Philippe de Broca Philippe Claude Alex de Broca de Ferrussac (; 15 March 1933 – 26 November 2004) was a French film director. He directed 30 full-length feature films, including the highly successful ''That Man from Rio (''L'Homme de Rio'')'', ''Le Magnifique, ...

1984 - producer *'' The Alley Cat'' (aka ''Le matou'') - feature,

Jean Beaudin Jean Beaudin (6 February 1939 – 18 May 2019) was a Canadian film director and screenwriter. He directed 20 films since 1969. His film ''J.A. Martin Photographer'', was entered into the 1977 Cannes Film Festival, where Monique Mercure won the ...

1985 - producer *'' The Park Is Mine'' - TV movie, Steven Hilliard Stern 1985 - producer *''

Jayce and the Wheeled Warriors ''Jayce and the Wheeled Warriors'' (French: ''Jayce et les Conquérants de la Lumière'') is an animated show which was first broadcast on TF1 on September 9, 1985, on the block ''Salut les p'tits loups!'', and eventually on September 16 in the ...

'' - TV series, 65 episodes, 1985 - producer *'' The Boy in Blue'' - feature, Charles Jarrott 1986 - producer Alliance Entertainment *''

Sword of Gideon ''Sword of Gideon'' is a 1986 Canadian television film about Mossad agents hunting down terrorists associated with the 1972 Munich massacre. It was first shown on the CTV Television Network in Canada as a four-hour miniseries and later on HBO in ...

'' - feature, Michael Anderson 1986 - executive producer *''

The Wraith ''The Wraith'' is a 1986 independently made American action-fantasy film, produced by John Kemeny, written and directed by Mike Marvin, and starring Charlie Sheen, Sherilyn Fenn, Nick Cassavetes, and Randy Quaid.Nowhere to Hide'' - feature,

Mario Philip Azzopardi Mario Philip Azzopardi (born 19 November 1950) is a Canadian-Maltese television and film director and writer. Early life and emigration Azzopardi was born in Siggiewi, Malta, and was educated at St Aloysius' College (Birkirkara, Malta), and the ...

1987 - producer *''

Iron Eagle II ''Iron Eagle II'' (also titled ''Iron Eagle II: The Battle Beyond the Flag'') is a 1988 action film directed by Sidney J. Furie and written by Furie and Kevin Alyn Elders. A sequel to the 1986 film ''Iron Eagle'', it is the second installment of ...

'' - feature,

Sidney J. Furie Sholom Joseph Furie (born February 28, 1933), commonly known as Sidney J. Furie, is a Canadian film and television director, screenwriter, and producer. After early work at the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, Furie made his feature film debu ...

1988 - producer *'' The Gate'' - feature, Tibor Takács 1987 - executive producer *'' The Gate II: Trespassers'' - feature, Tibor Takács 1990 - executive producer *''Hungarian Requiem'' - feature,

Károly Makk Károly Makk (December 22, 1925 – August 30, 2017) was a Hungarian film director and screenwriter. Five of his films were nominated for the ''Palme d'Or'' at the Cannes Film Festival; however, he won lesser awards at Cannes and elsewhere. He w ...

1991 - producer

*''

Red King, White Knight ''Red King, White Knight'' is a 1989 American political thriller television film directed by Geoff Murphy and written by Ron Hutchinson. The film stars Tom Skerritt as Bill Stoner, a retired CIA operative who is sent to eastern Europe to determ ...

'' - TV Movie,

Geoff Murphy Geoffrey Peter Murphy (12 October 1938 – 3 December 2018) was a New Zealand filmmaker, producer, director, and screenwriter best known for his work during the renaissance of New Zealand cinema that began in the second half of the 1970s. His ...

1989 - producer *'' Murderers Among Us: The Simon Wiesenthal Story'' - feature, Brian Gibson 1989 - producer *'' The Josephine Baker Story'' - TV movie, Brian Gibson 1991 - producer *'' Teamster Boss: The Jackie Presser Story'' - TV movie,

Alastair Reid Alastair Reid may refer to: * Alastair Reid (poet) (1926–2014), Scottish poet and scholar of South American literature * Alastair Reid (director) Alastair Reid (21 July 1939 – 17 August 2011) was a Scottish television and film director, ...

1992 - producer *''

Dead Silence ''Dead Silence'' is a 2007 American supernatural horror film directed by James Wan and written by Leigh Whannell. The film stars Ryan Kwanten as Jamie Ashen, a young widower returning to his hometown to search for answers to his wife's death. ...

'' - TV movie, Daniel Petrie Jr. 1997 - producer *'' When Trumpets Fade'' - TV movie,

John Irvin John Irvin (born 7 May 1940) is an English film director. Born in Newcastle upon Tyne, Northumberland, he began his career by directing a number of documentaries and television works, including the BBC Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (miniseries), ada ...

1998 – producer

Awards

(List excludes awards in the directing, acting and/or craft categories) ''Bethune'' (1964) * International Festival for Documentary and Animated Film,

Leipzig Leipzig (, ; ; Upper Saxon: ; ) is the most populous city in the States of Germany, German state of Saxony. The city has a population of 628,718 inhabitants as of 2023. It is the List of cities in Germany by population, eighth-largest city in Ge ...

, Germany: First Prize, TV, 1965 * International Festival of Red Cross and Health Films,

Sofia Sofia is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Bulgaria, largest city of Bulgaria. It is situated in the Sofia Valley at the foot of the Vitosha mountain, in the western part of the country. The city is built west of the Is ...

, Bulgaria: Gold Medal, 1967 *

Edinburgh International Film Festival The Edinburgh International Film Festival (EIFF), established in 1947, is the world's oldest continually running film festival. EIFF presents both UK and international films (all titles are World, international, European or UK Premieres), in al ...

Edinburgh Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas. The city is located in southeast Scotland and is bounded to the north by the Firth of Forth and to the south by the Pentland Hills. Edinburgh ...

, Scotland: Diploma of Honour, 1965 *

Melbourne International Film Festival The Melbourne International Film Festival (MIFF) is an annual film festival held over three weeks in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. It was founded in 1952 and is one of the oldest film festivals in the world following the founding of the Venic ...

Melbourne Melbourne ( , ; Boonwurrung language, Boonwurrung/ or ) is the List of Australian capital cities, capital and List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city of the States and territories of Australia, Australian state of Victori ...

: Diploma of Merit, 1966 *

Salerno Film Festival Salerno Film Festival (in Italian language, Festival del cinema di Salerno) has operated since 1946 in the Italian city of Salerno. History "Cine Club Salerno", a non-profit association of cinematographic culture, was born in 1945 from a group ...

Salerno Salerno (, ; ; ) is an ancient city and ''comune'' (municipality) in Campania, southwestern Italy, and is the capital of the namesake province, being the second largest city in the region by number of inhabitants, after Naples. It is located ...

, Italy: Second Prize, 1968 '' Ladies and Gentlemen... Mr. Leonard Cohen'' (1965) *

18th Canadian Film Awards The 18th Canadian Film Awards were held on May 6, 1966 to honour achievements in Canadian film. For the first time, CFA management decided to present the awards on television. The Directors Guild of Canada which, in another first, was presenting C ...

, Montreal: Genie Award for Best Film, TV Information, 1966 * American Film and Video Festival, New York: Blue Ribbon, Literature, 1966 * International Festival of Short Films,

Philadelphia Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population, sixth-most populous city in the Unit ...

: Award for Exceptional Merit, 1968 ''No Reason to Stay'' (1966) * American Film and Video Festival, New York: Blue Ribbon, Personal Guidance, 1967 *

Columbus International Film & Animation Festival The Columbus International Film + Animation Festival is a Columbus, Ohio, United States annual film festival A film festival is an organized, extended presentation of films in one or more movie theater, cinemas or screening venues, usually ann ...

Columbus, Ohio Columbus (, ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of cities in Ohio, most populous city of the U.S. state of Ohio. With a 2020 United States census, 2020 census population of 905,748, it is the List of United States ...

: Chris Award, Education & Information, 1967 * La Plata International Children's Film Festival,

La Plata La Plata () is the capital city of Buenos Aires province, Argentina. According to the 2022 Argentina census, census, the La Plata Partido, Partido has a population of 772,618 and its metropolitan area, the Greater La Plata, has 938,287 inhabit ...

, Argentina: Best Film of the Festival - Gold Plaque, 1968 * Annual Landers Associates Awards, New York: Award of Merit, 1966 *

: Diploma of Merit, 1967 * International Exhibition of Scientific Film,

Buenos Aires Buenos Aires, controlled by the government of the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires, is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Argentina. It is located on the southwest of the Río de la Plata. Buenos Aires is classified as an Alpha− glob ...

: Diploma of Honour, 1968 '' The Things I Cannot Change'' (1967) * Golden Gate International Film Festival, San Francisco: Award for Excellence in Network Presentation, 1967 *

International Short Film Festival Oberhausen The International Short Film Festival Oberhausen, founded in 1954, is one of the oldest short film festivals in the world. Held in Oberhausen, it is one of the major international platforms for the short form. The festival holds an International ...

Oberhausen Oberhausen (, ) is a city on the river Emscher in the Ruhr Area, Germany, located between Duisburg and Essen ( ). The city hosts the International Short Film Festival Oberhausen and its Gasometer Oberhausen is an anchor point of the European Rout ...

, Germany: Diploma of Merit, 1968 *

Montreal International Film Festival The Montreal International Film Festival was an annual Canadian film festival, which took place in Montreal, Quebec from 1960 to 1967.Montreal Montreal is the List of towns in Quebec, largest city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Quebec, the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, second-largest in Canada, and the List of North American cit ...

: Special Mention Mention, Medium-Length Films, 1967 * Conference on Children,

Washington Washington most commonly refers to: * George Washington (1732–1799), the first president of the United States * Washington (state), a state in the Pacific Northwest of the United States * Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States ** A ...

, DC: Certificate of Merit, 1970 *

21st British Academy Film Awards The 21st British Academy Film Awards, given by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts in 1968, honoured the best films of 1967 in film, 1967. Winners and nominees Source: Statistics See also * 40th Academy Awards * 20th Dire ...

, London: Nominee: BAFTA Award for Best Documentary, 1968 ''

'' (1967) *

Venice Film Festival The Venice Film Festival or Venice International Film Festival (, "International Exhibition of Cinematographic Art of the Venice Biennale") is an annual film festival held in Venice, Italy. It is the world's oldest film festival and one of the ...

Venice Venice ( ; ; , formerly ) is a city in northeastern Italy and the capital of the Veneto Regions of Italy, region. It is built on a group of 118 islands that are separated by expanses of open water and by canals; portions of the city are li ...

: First Prize, Lion of St. Mark, 1966 * Golden Gate International Film Festival, San Francisco: First Prize, Essay, 1966 *

Vancouver International Film Festival The Vancouver International Film Festival (VIFF) is an annual film festival held in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, for two weeks in late September and early October. The festival is operated by the Greater Vancouver International Film Festi ...

Vancouver Vancouver is a major city in Western Canada, located in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. As the List of cities in British Columbia, most populous city in the province, the 2021 Canadian census recorded 662,248 people in the cit ...

: Certificate of Merit, Television Films, 1966 *

: Special Mention, Medium-Length Films, 1966 ''The Children of Fogo Island'' (1967) * Conference on Children, Washington, DC: Certificate of Merit, 1970 ''Sabre and Foil'' (1967) * International Sports Film Festival,

Cortina d'Ampezzo Cortina d'Ampezzo (; , ; historical ) sometimes abbreviated to simply Cortina, is a town and ''comune'' in the heart of the southern (Dolomites, Dolomitic) Alps in the province of Belluno, in the Veneto region of Northern Italy. Situated on the ...

, Italy: Silver Medal, 1969 ''Ride for Your Life'' (1967) *

, Germany: Best in Category, 1968 * Melnik Automobile Club Festival,

Prague Prague ( ; ) is the capital and List of cities and towns in the Czech Republic, largest city of the Czech Republic and the historical capital of Bohemia. Prague, located on the Vltava River, has a population of about 1.4 million, while its P ...

: First Prize, 1969 '' Don't Let the Angels Fall'' (1968) * Film Critics and Journalists Association of Ceylon,

Colombo Colombo, ( ; , ; , ), is the executive and judicial capital and largest city of Sri Lanka by population. The Colombo metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of 5.6 million, and 752,993 within the municipal limits. It is the ...

, Sri Lanka: Best Foreign Feature Film, 1971 ''

'' (1968) *

21st Canadian Film Awards The 21st Canadian Film Awards were held on October 4, 1969 to honour achievements in Canadian film. The ceremony, attended by 1,200 people, was hosted by broadcaster Fred Davis (broadcaster), Fred Davis. As a result of 1968's selection process con ...

Toronto Toronto ( , locally pronounced or ) is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, most populous city in Canada. It is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Ontario. With a p ...

: Genie Award for Film of the Year, 1969 *

: Genie Award for Best TV Drama, 1969 *

: Diploma of Merit, 1970 ''Saul Alinsky Went to War'' (1968) *

: Chris Award, 1970 ''Falling from Ladders'' (1969) * International Festival of Short Films,

: Award for Exceptional Merit, 1971 ''Untouched and Pure'' (1970) *

Chicago International Film Festival The Chicago International Film Festival is an annual film festival held every fall. Founded in 1964 by Michael Kutza, it is the longest-running competitive film festival in North America. Its logo is a stark, black and white close up of the comp ...

, Chicago: Silver Hugo, Education, 1970 ''Canada the Land'' (1971) * International Festival of Tourism Films,

Palma de Mallorca Palma (, ; ), also known as Palma de Mallorca (officially between 1983 and 1988, 2006–2008, and 2012–2016), is the capital and largest city of the Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of the Balearic Islands in Spain. It is ...

, Spain: Silver Bull Award, 1973 * International Festival of Sports and Tourist Films,

Kranj Kranj (, ) is the List of cities and towns in Slovenia, fourth-largest city in Slovenia and the largest urban center of the traditional region of Upper Carniola (northwestern Slovenia) and the Slovene Alps. It is located approximately northwest o ...

Yugoslavia , common_name = Yugoslavia , life_span = 1918–19921941–1945: World War II in Yugoslavia#Axis invasion and dismemberment of Yugoslavia, Axis occupation , p1 = Kingdom of SerbiaSerbia , flag_p ...

: Diploma of Merit, 1972 '' The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz'' (1974) *

Berlin International Film Festival The Berlin International Film Festival (), usually called the Berlinale (), is an annual film festival held in Berlin, Germany. Founded in 1951 and originally run in June, the festival has been held every February since 1978 and is one of Europ ...

Berlin Berlin ( ; ) is the Capital of Germany, capital and largest city of Germany, by both area and List of cities in Germany by population, population. With 3.7 million inhabitants, it has the List of cities in the European Union by population withi ...

Golden Bear The Golden Bear () is the highest prize awarded for the best film at the Berlin International Film Festival and is, along with the Palme d'Or and the Golden Lion, the most important international film festival award. The bear is the heraldic an ...

, Best Film, 1974 *

26th Canadian Film Awards The 26th Canadian Film Awards were held on October 12, 1975 to honour achievements in Canadian film. The ceremony was hosted by radio personality Peter Gzowski. The CFAs were expanded into a week-long event in Niagara-on-the-Lake which included al ...

Niagara-on-the-Lake Niagara-on-the-Lake is a town in Ontario, Canada. It is located on the Niagara Peninsula at the point where the Niagara River meets Lake Ontario, across the river from New York (state), New York, United States. Niagara-on-the-Lake is in the R ...

, ON: Film of the Year, 1974 *

32nd Golden Globe Awards The 32nd Golden Globe Awards, honoring the best in film and television for 1974, were held on January 25, 1975. Winners and nominees The winners are first and in bold followed by the rest of the nominees. Film The following films ...

, Los Angeles: Nominee, Best Foreign Film, 1975 ''

'' (1980) *

, Italy:

Golden Lion The Golden Lion () is the highest prize given to a film at the Venice Film Festival. The prize was introduced in 1949 by the organizing committee and is regarded as one of the film industry's most prestigious and distinguished prizes. In 1970, a ...

, 1980 * 1981 National Society of Film Critics Awards, New York: Best Picture, 1981 *

Los Angeles Film Critics Association The Los Angeles Film Critics Association (LAFCA) is an American film critic organization founded in 1975. Background Its membership comprises film critics from Los Angeles–based print and electronic media. In December of each year, the organi ...

Awards, Los Angeles: Best Picture, 1981 *

Fotogramas de Plata Fotogramas de Plata are a series of Spanish annual film, theatre and television awards awarded by ''Fotogramas'' film magazine since 1951. The Film Awards -foreign and national- are given by specialized critics and those awarded to the performer ...

Madrid Madrid ( ; ) is the capital and List of largest cities in Spain, most populous municipality of Spain. It has almost 3.5 million inhabitants and a Madrid metropolitan area, metropolitan area population of approximately 7 million. It i ...

: Best Foreign Film, 1982 *

Sant Jordi Awards The Sant Jordi Awards (; ) are film prizes awarded annually by the Catalan branch of the Spanish public radio network Radio Nacional de España (RNE), Ràdio 4. The awards were established in 1957. Awards are made in the following categories: ...

Barcelona Barcelona ( ; ; ) is a city on the northeastern coast of Spain. It is the capital and largest city of the autonomous community of Catalonia, as well as the second-most populous municipality of Spain. With a population of 1.6 million within c ...

: Best Foreign Film, 1982 * National Board of Review: Top Ten Films, Second Place, 1981 *

39th Golden Globe Awards The 39th Golden Globe Awards, honoring the best in film and television for 1981, were held on January 30, 1982. Winners and nominees Film The following films received multiple nominations: The following films received multipl ...

, Los Angeles: Nominee, Best Foreign Film, 1982 * 1981 New York Film Critics Circle Awards, New York: Nominee: Best Film, 1981 *

35th British Academy Film Awards The 35th British Academy Film Awards, more commonly known as the BAFTAs, took place on 18 March 1982 at the Hippodrome, London, honouring the best national and foreign films of 1981. Presented by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts, a ...

, London: Nominee: BAFTA Award for Best Film, 1982 *

54th Academy Awards The 54th Academy Awards ceremony, organized by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), honored films released in 1981 and took place on March 29, 1982, at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in Los Angeles. During the ceremony, AMP ...

, Los Angeles: Nominee: Best Picture, 1982 *

National Film Preservation Board The United States National Film Preservation Board (NFPB) is the board selecting films for preservation in the Library of Congress' National Film Registry. It was established by the National Film Preservation Act of 1988. The National Film Regis ...

National Film Registry The National Film Registry (NFR) is the United States National Film Preservation Board's (NFPB) collection of films selected for preservation (library and archival science), preservation, each selected for its cultural, historical, and aestheti ...

Induction, 2003 '' Quest for Fire'' (1980) *

7th César Awards The 7th César Awards ceremony, presented by the Académie des Arts et Techniques du Cinéma, honoured the best French films of 1981 and took place on 27 February 1982 at the Salle Pleyel in Paris. The ceremony was chaired by Orson Welles and ho ...

, Paris: Best Film, 1982 *

9th Saturn Awards The 9th Saturn Awards, honoring the best in science fiction, fantasy and horror film in 1981, were held on July 27, 1982. It was hosted by Sandahl Bergman and Richard Lynch at the Director's Guild Theater Complex on Sunset Boulevard in Los Ange ...

, Los Angeles, Best International Film, 1982 *

, Los Angeles, Award for Outstanding Film, 1982 *

4th Genie Awards The 4th annual Genie Awards were held March 23, 1983, at the Royal Alexandra Theatre in Toronto. The ceremony was hosted by comedian Dave Thomas."Thomas goes genteel for Genies". ''The Globe and Mail'', March 19, 1983. ''The Grey Fox'' was the ...

: Nominee: Best Motion Picture, 1983 *

40th Golden Globe Awards The 40th Golden Globe Awards, honoring the best in film and television for 1982, were given on 29 January 1983. Winners and nominees Film The following films received multiple nominations: The following films received multip ...

, Los Angeles: Nominee: Best Foreign Film, 1983 '' The Plouffe Family'' (1981) *

Montreal World Film Festival The Montreal World Film Festival (), commonly abbreviated MWFF in English or FFM in French, was an annual film festival in Montreal, Quebec, Canada from 1977 to 2019.Montreal Montreal is the List of towns in Quebec, largest city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Quebec, the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, second-largest in Canada, and the List of North American cit ...

: Best Canadian Film, 1981 *

3rd Genie Awards The 3rd Genie Awards were presented on March 3, 1982, to honour Canadian films released in 1981. The film ''Les Plouffe'' ''( The Plouffe Family)'' won the most awards overall, although ''Ticket to Heaven'' won Best Picture. Those two films wer ...

: Nominee: Best Motion Picture, 1982 '' The Bay Boy'' (1984) *

6th Genie Awards The 6th Genie Awards were held on March 21, 1985, to honour to honour Canadian films released in 1984. Only four films were nominated for Best Motion Picture this year; two additional films tied for the fifth spot, and the academy opted to nom ...

: Best Motion Picture, 1985 '' The Alley Cat'' (1985) *

: Jury Prize, 1985 *

: Most Popular Film of the Festival, 1985 *

7th Genie Awards The 7th Genie Awards were held on March 20, 1986, at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre to honour achievements in Canadian film in 1985. The ceremony was co-hosted by actors Leslie Nielsen and Catherine Mary Stewart. After years of excluding for ...

: Nominee: Best Motion Picture, 1986 '' The Gate'' (1987) *

9th Genie Awards The 9th annual Genie Awards were held March 22, 1988, and honoured Canadian films released in 1987.Maria Topalovich, ''And the Genie Goes To...: Celebrating 50 Years of the Canadian Film Awards''. Stoddart Publishing, 2000. . The ceremony, which w ...

: Golden Reel Award, 1988 '' Murderers Among Us: The Simon Wiesenthal Story'' (1989) * CableACE Award: Best Movie or Miniseries, 1990 *

5th TCA Awards The 5th TCA Awards were presented by the Television Critics Association. The ceremony was held on July 21, 1989 at the Century Plaza Hotel The Fairmont Century Plaza is a 19-story luxury hotel in Century City, Los Angeles, US. The hotel fronts ...

, Los Angeles: Nominee: Program of the Year, 1989 *

41st Primetime Emmy Awards The 41st Primetime Emmy Awards were held on Sunday, September 17, 1989. The ceremony was broadcast on Fox from the Pasadena Civic Auditorium in Pasadena, California. The ceremony saw the guest acting categories double, as they were now based on ...

, Los Angeles: Nominee: Outstanding Drama or Comedy Special, 1989 '' The Josephine Baker Story'' (1991) * CableACE Award: Nominee: Best Movie or Miniseries, 1992 *

49th Golden Globe Awards The 49th Golden Globe Awards, honoring the best in film and television for 1991, were held on January 18, 1992 at the Beverly Hilton. The nominations were announced on December 27, 1991. Winners and nominees Film The followi ...

, Los Angeles: Nominee: Best Mini-Series or Television Movie, 1992 *

43rd Primetime Emmy Awards The 43rd Primetime Emmy Awards were held on Sunday, August 25, 1991. The ceremony was broadcast on Fox from the Pasadena Civic Auditorium in Pasadena, California. The network TNT received its first major nomination at this ceremony. For its ni ...

, Los Angeles: Nominee: Outstanding Drama/Comedy Special and Miniseries, 1991

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Kemeny, John 1925 births 2012 deaths Film producers from Quebec Hungarian emigrants to Canada Film directors from Montreal People from Sedona, Arizona Film people from Budapest Canadian documentary film directors Canadian documentary film producers National Film Board of Canada people Deaths from cancer in Arizona Canadian film production company founders Producers of Best Picture Genie and Canadian Screen Award winners Lionsgate people