Michèle Cournoyer facts for kids

Michèle Cournoyer (born November 14, 1943) is a talented Canadian animator. She is known for her unique animated films. In 2017, she received a special Governor General’s Award in Visual and Media Arts for all her amazing work.

Her Early Life and Art

Michèle Cournoyer was born in Saint-Joseph-de-Sorel, Quebec. She started drawing when she was just five years old. At age 12, she began painting with oils while in the hospital.

When she was 17, she paused her art studies to help her family. After two years studying in Quebec City, she moved to Montreal. Later, she went to London to study graphic arts. In the 1960s, while in London, she was inspired by Pop Art, the Dada movement, and surrealism. In the 1970s, she worked on films as a set designer, art director, costume designer, and writer.

Making Her Own Films

Michèle Cournoyer's first animated film was called Papa! Papa! Papa! (L'Homme et l'enfant). She got the idea for this film when a friend had a baby. She was fascinated by how parents and children connect. She first made a photography flip book, which then became her film.

Her short film Alfredo was made in 1973 when she was in Italy. After returning to Quebec, she continued working in film. She helped create movies like Mireille Dansereau’s La vie rêvée (1972) and L’arrache-coeur (1979). She also worked on Gilles Carle’s La Mort d’un bûcheron (1973). During this time, she also made her own independent films. These included Spaghettata, Toccata, Old Orchard Beach, P.Q., and Dolorosa.

Working with the National Film Board

In 1989, Cournoyer won a special competition held by the National Film Board of Canada (NFB). This led to her first animated short film with the NFB, called A Feather Tale. Her films made with the NFB often explore important and strong ideas.

Her Unique Animation Style

Michèle Cournoyer usually uses traditional animation methods. This means she draws each frame by hand. She did try using computers for some parts of her film An Artist (1994). However, she finished The Hat by drawing it on paper, even though it started on a computer.

Her film Soif was made using ink on paper. This film took her four years to complete. She had to create 10,000 drawings to get the final 1,800 drawings used in the film. She often draws with a pen and black ink in white notebooks.

List of Her Films

• Papa! Papa! Papa! (L'Homme et l'enfant), 1969
• Alfredo, 1973
• Spaghettata (co-directed with Jacques Drouin), 1976
• La Toccata, 1976
• Old Orchard Beach P. Q., 1981
• Dolorasa, 1988
• A Feather Tale (La Basse-cour), 1992
• An Artist (Une Artiste), 1994
• The Hat (Le Chapeau), 1999
• The Accordion, 2004
• Robes of War (Robe de guerre), 2008
• Soif, 2014

Awards and Recognition

In 2015, the Ottawa International Animation Film Festival held a special show about her art. On February 27, 2017, Michèle Cournoyer was announced as a winner of a Governor General's Award in Visual and Media Arts. This award celebrates her amazing contributions to visual and media arts.