Martine Chartrand facts for kids

Martine Chartrand (born in 1962) is a talented Haitian Canadian filmmaker, artist, and teacher. She is known for her special way of making movies called paint-on-glass animation. Martine has made three animated short films that have been shown all over Canada and in other countries. Her films often explore important social and cultural topics, especially about Black culture and Black history.

About Martine Chartrand

Her Early Life and Education

Martine Chartrand was born in 1962. She was adopted and grew up in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. She studied art at Concordia University, getting her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in 1986. Later, in 1988, she earned a certificate in Arts Education from UQAM.

After finishing her studies, Martine started her career. She made posters and led art workshops in Canada and Europe. Before becoming a filmmaker, she worked as a painter and illustrator. In 1986, she began working as a layout and color artist. She joined the National Film Board (NFB) as a color artist, helping with films like Enfantillages (1990) and Jours de plaine (1990).

Teaching and Sharing Her Skills

Martine Chartrand is also a popular speaker. She gives talks, master classes, and art workshops around the world. She teaches other artists about the special techniques used in paint-on-glass animation. She loves to share her knowledge and craft with others.

Her Film Career

In 1992, Martine directed her first animated film for the NFB. It was called T.V. Tango. This short film was made to help kids think carefully about TV ads. It taught them to understand what they were watching.

In 1994, Martine took advanced classes in paint-on-glass animation. Her teacher was Alexander Petrov, a famous animator. This animation style takes a lot of hard work. It involves painting thousands of pictures and filming them one by one. This creates smooth, moving images.

Her film Black Soul (also known as Âme noire in French) was made by the National Film Board of Canada. Martine Chartrand directed and wrote this animated short. It tells the story of a young boy learning about his family's culture. He learns through the stories his grandmother tells him. The film is full of emotion and uses painted glass frames. It has traditional African music, gospel music, and jazz. Black Soul won the Golden Bear for Best Short Film at the Berlin International Film Festival in 2001.

Martine spent eight years working on her next film, MacPherson. This poetic film was inspired by a song from the famous French-Canadian singer Félix Leclerc. MacPherson mixes Quebec folk music with beautiful painted images.

Martine Chartrand is also the main subject of a documentary. The film is called Finding Macpherson (2014) and was directed by Serge Giguère. It shows how Martine created her short film MacPherson. The documentary also explores how Martine traced her Haitian family history through the film.

Martine's Artistic Style

Martine Chartrand uses a unique style called paint-on-glass animation. This method involves moving wet paint around on a piece of glass. The glass is placed right under a camera. The artist films each tiny change frame by frame. When played back, the images seem to blend and melt into each other. This creates a smooth, flowing movement. The final result looks like a moving painting.

Martine Chartrand's Films

Short Films She Directed

Awards Martine Chartrand Has Won

• Special Jury Commendation at the International Animation Festival, Ottawa, Canada (1992)
• Award for Best Direction at Black International Cinema I.U.S.B., Berlin, Germany (1993)
• Golden Bear - Best Short Film at the International Film Festival, Berlin, Germany (2001)
• Best Animated Short Award at the International Film Festival, Santa Barbara, USA (2002)
• First Prize (Short Film) at the Montreal World Film Festival, Montréal, Canada (2012)