John Kastner (filmmaker)
John Kastner (April 6, 1946 – November 21, 2019) was a four-time Emmy Award-winning Canadian documentary filmmaker whose later work focused on the Canadian criminal justice system. His films included the documentaries
Filmography
Director
- Sharing the Secret (1981)
- The Lifer and the Lady (1984)
- Hunting Bobby Oatway (1997)
- Rage Against the Darkness (2004)
- Monster in the Family (2007)
- Life with Murder (2010)
- NCR: Not Criminally Responsible (2013)
- Out of Mind, Out of Sight (2014)
- Not Criminally Responsible: Wedding Secrets (2016)
Non-documentary work
Early in his career, Kastner occasionally took a break from making documentary films on serious topics with lighter fare, which included co-hosting a short-lived children's series for
In 1986, he produced the dramatic television film Turning to Stone, adapted from some of the interviews with women prisoners he had conducted while making The Parole Dance and The Lifer and the Lady.[6]
A child actor, Kastner's first screenwriting credit came in 1983, when he co-wrote The Terry Fox Story, starring Robert Duvall.[7]
Awards and honours
Kaster won four Emmy Awards. He won
Life with Murder also won the Donald Brittain Award for best social/political documentary at the
Lifetime achievement awards
Kastner received the Academy Achievement Award at the 22nd annual Gemini Awards, for his contributions to Canadian television journalism.[10] In 2012, he was the subject of a "Focus On" retrospective at the Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival.[4][11]
Personal life
He was the brother of actor Peter Kastner.[12] Their nephew Jamie Kastner is also a documentary filmmaker.[13]
References
- ^ Laskaris, Kathryn (2 May 2014). "Hot Docs: John Kastner's Out of Mind, Out of Sight takes $10,000 prize". Toronto Star. Retrieved 3 May 2014.
- ^ Jones, Allison (19 April 2013). "Film explores the meaning of 'not criminally responsible'". The Canadian Press. Toronto: Globe and Mail. Retrieved 25 April 2013.
- ^ Taylor, Noel (24 February 1986). "Review". Ottawa Citizen. Retrieved 26 April 2013.
- ^ a b "Hot Docs film festival to fete Michel Brault, John Kastner". Toronto Star. 31 January 2012. 31 January 2012. Retrieved 26 April 2013.
- ^ a b Worron, Trish (8 August 1983). "Kaster turns to kids for relief from rigours of documentaries". Ottawa Citizen. The Canadian Press. Retrieved 26 April 2013.
- ^ Sid Adilman, "Movie dramatizes horrors of prison". Toronto Star, February 21, 1986.
- ^ QMI Agency. Retrieved 26 April 2013.
- ^ Vlessing, Etan (22 November 2011). "John Kastner's Life With Murder wins International Emmy". Playback. Brunico Communications. Retrieved 26 April 2013.
- ^ "26th Annual Gemini Awards Culminate with Star-Studded Broadcast Gala" (PDF). Press release. Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television. 7 September 2011. Archived from the original (PDF) on 18 April 2013. Retrieved 26 April 2013.
- ^ "Mr. Dressup finally earns the type of recognition he has so long deserved". National Post. CanWest MediaWorks Publications Inc. 5 October 2007. Archived from the original on 24 March 2016. Retrieved 26 April 2013.
- ^ "HOT DOCS HONOURS LOCAL DOC ICON JOHN KASTNER WITH FOCUS ON RETROSPECTIVE". Press release. Hot Docs. 20 March 2012. Retrieved 26 April 2013.
- ^ Martin Knelman "Peter Kastner, 64: Actor recalled for role as rebel", Toronto Star, 20 September 2008. The Rick Salutin article in the Globe and Mail takes issue with this obituary.
- ^ "Carrying on the Kastner family business". The Globe and Mail, May 2, 2014.
External links
- John Kastner at IMDb
- John Kastner's blog at The Huffington Post
- John Kastner fonds at The Clara Thomas Archives & Special Collections, York University Libraries, York University