First film from Acadie to win a Gémeaux award for Best Documentary Program or Series: Society. Georges Hannan’s NFB doc Undertaker for Life! launching October 31 on nfb.ca.

After a successful tour of the festival circuit, Georges Hannan’s award-winning documentary Undertaker for Life! will be available free of charge on nfb.ca as of October 31, just in time for Halloween. In this authentic film that’s full of humanity, the Acadian director tackles a taboo subject and lifts the veil on an under-appreciated world: that of the artisans of bereavement. Their love of life and the living, their dark humour and comforting wisdom are the best remedies against existential despair.

About the film

Undertaker for Life! by Georges Hannan (52 min)
Produced by Christine Aubé for the NFB’s Quebec, Canadian Francophonie & Acadian Documentary Studio in Moncton
Press kit: mediaspace.nfb.ca/epk/undertaker-for-life

• Undertakers are anything but gloomy; they’re funny, generous and dedicated. We would gladly go on vacation with them, but sadly, they never have any dead time. Despite the somewhat frightening name of their occupation, undertakers are actually charming philosophers and keen observers of life. We only see their sombre side, but away from the funeral rites and on camera, they turn out to be amazingly insightful.
• This film won the Léonard-Forest Prize for Best Acadian Feature-Length Work at the 2022 Festival international du cinéma francophone en Acadie (FICFA), where it had its world premiere, and was selected to screen at the renowned Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival. It recently became the first film from Acadie to win a Gémeaux award in the Best Documentary Program or Series: Society category.

About the filmmaker

Georges Hannan has been working in the film and television industry for over 40 years. As a sound recordist, he has more than one hundred productions to his credit and has been nominated for Genie, Gemini and Gémeaux awards. Basing his approach to filmmaking on a keen ability to listen and observe, Georges Hannan sets out to show us what he calls “the extraordinary ordinary.” By demystifying taboos and revealing the many aspects of daily life that elude us, his films delve deep into unusual worlds and situations to expose universal truths.

French version here | Version française ici.

The NFB is Canada’s public producer and distributor of award-winning documentaries, auteur animation, interactive stories and participatory experiences, working with talented creators across the country. The NFB is taking action to combat systemic racism and become a more open and diverse organization, while working to strengthen Indigenous-led production and gender equity in film and digital media. NFB productions have won more than 7,000 awards, including 12 Oscars. To access this unique content, visit NFB.ca.