NFB Collection
Pegi Nicol: Something Dancing About Her
20051 h 9 min 4 secFilm: Documentary
Direction: Michael Ostroff
Production: Silva BasmajianJohn WalkerSylvia SweenyLouise Lore
Script: Fiona McHughMichael OstroffEdward Riche
Something Dancing About Her is an affectionate portrait of Pegi Nicol MacLeod, a charismatic yet relatively unknown painter. Shedding fresh light on her place in Canadian art history, director Michael Ostroff chronicles the life of this remarkable creative spirit who threw herself into painting, left-wing politics and love affairs with equal enthusiasm.
Juxtaposing personal letters, first-hand accounts, archival photos and film footage, what emerges is the free-spirited personality of an artist struggling to make a career in the tumultuous 1930s and 1940s. Nicol rebelled against the prevailing narrow view of women's roles. She enjoyed a colourful life and mingled with such influential figures as painter Marian Scott, poet F.R. Scott and artist Charles Comfort.
Actors Dana Green, Fiona Reid, Sheila McCarthy and William Hutt bring emotional interpretations to the reading of excerpts from first-hand accounts and correspondence, presenting an intimate, entertaining and engaging impression of Nicol's hopes and frustrations. The film pays tribute to the joyous legacy of a woman who, as part of the Canadian art revolution, constantly questioned the purpose and role of art in society.
Availability
Subject categories
- Visual Arts > Contemporary ArtPaintingWomen Artists
- Women - Portraits > Visual Arts and Crafts
Credits
- director
- Michael Ostroff
- writer
- Fiona McHugh
- Michael Ostroff
- Edward Riche
- producer
- Silva Basmajian
- John Walker
- director of photography
- Karl Roeder
- editor
- Tai Zimmer
- interviewer
- Laura Brandon
- Joan Murray
- voice
- Dana Green
- Fiona Reid
- Sheila McCarthy
- William Hutt
- Lally Cadeau
- Joyce Campion
- Douglas Chamberlain
- Patricia Collins
- Robert King
- Barry MacGregor
- William Needles
- narrator
- Michael Jones
- original music composer
- Ian Tamblyn
- sound editor
- Leigh Uttley
- production manager
- Penny McCann
- art director
- Shuca Cristina Chalifour
- props
- Victor Elliot
- Karyn Watson
- sets
- Victor Elliot
- Karyn Watson
- gaffer
- Bob Boutwell
- grip
- Mike Bainbridge
- Richard Venasse
- Iain MacDonald
- Matt Maher
- Macleod Pappidas
- sound recordist
- Eldy Gouthro
- Justine Pimlott
- Terry A. Hunt
- additional photography
- Jim Aquila
- production assistant
- Andrea Sturko
- Heather Harrison
- Katie Binnersley
- production stills
- Barbara Robinson
- researcher
- Angela Marcus
- Elizabeth Klinck
- Michael Ostroff
- Seaton Findlay
- voice recording
- Jay Riehl
- David Kalmusky
- Robert Di Gioia
- narration recording
- Mike Nichols
- foley artist
- Leigh Uttley
- re-recording mixer
- Geoffrey Mitchell
- online editor
- Sylvain Desbiens
- Denis Gathelier
- opening title design
- Chris Mullington
- technical intern
- Dan Thornhill
- Shane Brisson-Visram
- production secretary
- Beth Biederman
- Corinne Herman
- senior administrative assistant
- Joanne Forrest
- budget officer
- Ida Di Fruscia
- Julietta McGovern
- marketing manager
- Sue Mander
- technical coordinator
- Mark Wilson
- production coordinator
- Nadine Simunic
- Jeff Sterne
- production supervisor
- Kemp Archibald
- line producer
- Douglas MacFarlane
- executive producer
- Silva Basmajian
- Sylvia Sweeny
- Louise Lore
- musician
- Ian Tamblyn
- Ian Babb
- Phil Shaw, Jr. Bova
- Rebecca Campbell
- Ken Kanwisher
- Anne Lindsay
- music recording engineer
- Marty Jones