Wolf Koenig facts for kids

Wolf Koenig (born October 17, 1927 – died June 26, 2014) was a talented Canadian filmmaker. He worked as a director, producer, animator, and cinematographer. Wolf Koenig was also a pioneer in a film style called Direct Cinema at the famous National Film Board of Canada.

Early Life

Wolf Koenig was born in Dresden, Germany, in 1927. When he was 10 years old, his family moved to Canada in 1937. They left Germany to escape the Nazi government.

They settled on a farm near the Grand River, close to what is now Cambridge, Ontario. In 1948, a government worker needed the family's tractor. They wanted to show off a new tree-planting machine.

As young Wolf drove the tractor, he saw a small film crew. They were from the NFB's farming film unit. After they finished filming, he talked to them. He told them he loved movies, especially animation. He hoped to work in filmmaking one day. They told him to apply for a job. About six weeks later, he got a letter. It offered him a job as a junior splicer.

Career at the National Film Board

Wolf Koenig quickly showed he had many talents. He helped film Neighbours (1952) by Norman McLaren. He also animated The Romance of Transportation in Canada (1953) for Colin Low. He was the cameraman for Low's film Corral (1954).

Koenig directed many important documentaries for the NFB. These included City of Gold (1957) with Colin Low. He also co-directed The Days Before Christmas (1958). Other famous films were Lonely Boy (1962) with Roman Kroitor and Stravinsky (1965).

He was a key person in the NFB's Candid Eye series. This series was very important for developing Direct Cinema. Direct Cinema is a style of documentary filmmaking. It tries to show real life as it happens, without much interference from the filmmaker.

Koenig also worked as the cameraman for Arthur Lipsett's films. These included Experimental Film (1963) and N-Zone (1970). Both of these films were admired by the famous director George Lucas.

From 1962 to 1967, and again from 1972 to 1975, Koenig led the NFB's English animation unit. As a producer, he helped create many films. Some of these were nominated for Academy Awards. These included The Drag (1966), What on Earth! (1966), and The House That Jack Built (1967).

Koenig also produced Alanis Obomsawin's documentary Kanehsatake: 270 Years of Resistance. This film won the Best Canadian Feature Film award in 1993.

Legacy and Awards

Wolf Koenig retired from the NFB in 1995. He moved to Westport, Ontario, where he made furniture. He still worked on films sometimes.

He received many awards during his career. In 1984, he won a Genie Award for Best Theatrical Short. This was for producing Ted Baryluk's Grocery. He also won six Canadian Film Awards.

• City of Gold won Film of the Year and Best Arts and Experimental Film.
• Lonely Boy won Film of the Year and Best General Information Film.
• Stravinsky won Best TV Information Film.
• The Hottest Show on Earth (1977) won Best Documentary Short Film.

Wolf Koenig passed away on June 26, 2014, in Toronto. He was 86 years old.