Denise Filiatrault facts for kids

Denise Filiatrault (born May 16, 1931) is a very famous Canadian actress and director. She has had a long and successful career in television, movies, and theatre. She is known for her funny and serious roles, and for directing popular films.

Denise Filiatrault's Amazing Career

Early TV Success

Denise Filiatrault became a big star on television in the 1960s. She starred with Dominique Michel in a TV show called Moi et l'autre from 1967 to 1971. This show was on Radio-Canada. She also appeared in many of Radio-Canada's special New Year's shows, known as Bye Bye. Later, she had more success in other TV shows like Chez Denise (1978–1982), Le 101, avenue des Pins (1984–85), and Denise... aujourd'hui (1990–91).

Movies and Stage Roles

Besides her TV work, Denise also acted in movies and on stage. She often performed in plays written by Michel Tremblay. She was great at playing both funny and serious characters. Some of her notable movie roles include:

• The Death of a Lumberjack (1973) by Gilles Carle
• Once Upon a Time in the East (1974)
• Gina (1975) by Denys Arcand
• Far from You Sweetheart (1976)
• Fantastica (1980)
• The Plouffe Family (1981), where she played a troubled character named Cécile.

Becoming a Director

After The Plouffe Family, Denise took a break from acting in movies. She focused more on writing and directing plays, especially for summer comedies. Then, she decided to direct movies herself.

Directing Laura Cadieux Films

In 1998, she directed her first movie, It's Your Turn, Laura Cadieux. This film was based on a book by Michel Tremblay. It told the story of women who were overweight and looking for love. Denise used a simple but powerful style to show off the amazing actresses in the film. This movie was a big hit! Because it was so popular, Denise wrote and directed a sequel in 1999, called Laura Cadieux II. In this second movie, she explored the characters and their lives even more.

Other Films and TV Shows

In 2002, Denise directed a new fantasy comedy called Alice's Odyssey. Later, in 2003, she created a TV miniseries for TVA called Le Petit monde de Laura Cadieux. This show continued the stories of her popular movie characters. In 2004, she directed another film, Bittersweet Memories. This movie was a dramatic story about the singer Alys Robi, who was famous in the 1930s to 1950s.

Theatre Leadership

Denise Filiatrault also became the artistic director of the Théâtre du Rideau Vert. She has always been a strong supporter of diversity in entertainment. She once said that she was the first person to hire a Black Quebecer for television.

Awards and Honours

Denise Filiatrault has received many important awards for her work:

• Genie Award: In 1982, she won a Genie Award for "Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role" for her part in The Plouffe Family.
• Governor General's Performing Arts Award: She received this prestigious award in 1999 for her work in television.
• Order of Canada: In 1994, she was made an Officer of the Order of Canada. This is one of Canada's highest honours. In 2020, she was raised to Companion of the Order, which is an even higher level.
• National Order of Quebec: In 2000, she was made an Officer of the National Order of Quebec.
• Jutra Award: In 2006, Denise received the Jutra Award (now called the Prix Iris Tribute Award) for her entire career.