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"Ron Mann is ...one of the most cinematic and enjoyable documentary filmmakers that has ever served the medium"
- Ain't It Cool News

 

LONG BIOGRAPHY

Toronto filmmaker Ron Mann is one of Canada's foremost documentary filmmakers. Mann established his international reputation while in his twenties with a series of award-winning theatrical documentaries. 

His first feature, Imagine the Sound (1981) (Best Documentary, Chicago Film Festival) brings together, in interviews and performance, the prime innovators of the once-controversial free jazz movement of the 60's.

Poetry in Motion (1982) (Best Documentary, Chicago Film Festival) continues the tradition with a frenetically paced performance marathon of 24 talents of the contemporary poetry scene, including such alternative cultural luminaries as Charles Bukowski, William S. Burroughs and John Cage.

Third in the series, Comic Book Confidential (1988) (Genie: Best Feature Length Documentary; Blue Ribbon Award: American Film and Video Awards, 1989 Sundance Grand Jury Prize Nominee) combines a history of the comic book with a look at the work of 23 of the art form's most respected practitioners, including Will Eisner, Bill Gaines, Lynda Barry and Robert Crumb.

Twist (1992) mixes interviews with rare, and often hilarious, archival footage to chronicle the evolution of rock and roll dance. More than just a "rockumentary", "Twist" is ultimately a movie about the changes experienced by the baby-boom generation.

Dream Tower (1994) a portrait of Toronto's infamous Rochdale College: an experimental living environment that came to symbolize the best and the worst of what the 60's had to offer.

Grass (1999) (Genie Award: Best Documentary) presents a humorous and surprisingly balanced history of recreational marijuana use in the late 20th century.

Go Further (2003) follows actor and activist Woody Harrelson as he takes to the open road on his "Simple Organic Living Tour". Go Further was first runner-up for the People’s Choice Award at the 2004 Toronto International Film Festival.

Blue Rodeo in Stereovision (2006) (Juno Awards: Best Music DVD) originated as a TV special celebrating 20 years of Canada’s foremost roots-rock band Blue Rodeo, featuring a reunion concert with the original 5 members (Jim Cuddy, Greg Keelor, Bazil Donovan, Bob Wiseman and Cleave Anderson). The special also includes historic performances and Sweet Soul Music: an appreciation written by Paul Quarrington, two brand new acoustic songs and some burning Snowmen!

Tales of the Rat Fink (2006) is a wildly inventive bio about Renaissance man Ed “Big Daddy” Roth, who engineered a shift in mid-twentieth century culture with his customized cars, “monster” T-shirts and “Rat Fink”.

Know Your Mushrooms (2008), a feature documentary that follows uber-myco visionaries Gary Lincoff and Larry Evans (two of the more expert and unforgettably mercurial characters in the community) as they lead us on a hunt for wild mushrooms and the deeper cultural experiences attached to the mysterious fungi.

In the Wake of the Flood (2010), is a television documentary that follows Margaret Atwood on her international book tour to celebrate the publication of her dystopian novel, The Year of the Flood and to protect migratory birds.

Altman (2014), is a feature length bio-pic on the life and art of American film director Robert Altman (M*A*S*H, McCabe & 
Mrs. Miller, Nashville, The Player, Gosford Park).

Ron’s newest film Carmine Street Guitars (2018) captures five days in the life of the storied Greenwich Village guitar shop Carmine Street Guitars,

Ron has also acted as executive producer on the documentaries Brakhage (1998), Examined Life (2008), Mighty Uke (2010), and Lunarcy! (2012) as well as the television series Pure Pwnage (2010). Ron is executive producer for the upcoming Hadwin's Judgement by Sasha Snow, Al Purdy Was Here by Brian Johnson, N.I.A. by Charles Officer, Mermaids (2016) by Ali Weinstein and I Called Him Morgan (2016) by Kasper Collin. 

In 2002, Ron also founded FILMS WE LIKE, a boutique distributor of documentary, independent and international films in Canada. Beginning with Sam Green and Bill Siegel's The Weather Underground (2002), Films We Like has released over 260 films and counting.

 

SHORT BIOGRAPHY

Toronto filmmaker Ron Mann is one of Canada's foremost documentary filmmakers. Mann established his international reputation while in his twenties with a series of award-winning theatrical documentaries, including Imagine the Sound (1981), Poetry in Motion (1982), Comic Book Confidential (1988), Twist (1992), and Grass (1999). Ron’s other films include Go Further (2003), Tales of the Rat Fink (2006), Know Your Mushrooms (2008), In the Wake of the Flood (2010), Altman (2014) and Carmine Street Guitars (2018). Ron has also acted as executive producer on the documentaries Brakhage (1998), Examined Life (2008), Mighty Uke (2010), Lunarcy! (2012), Mermaids (2016) I Called Him Morgan (2016) as well as the television series Pure Pwnage (2010).

In 2002, Ron also founded FILMS WE LIKE, a boutique distributor of documentary, independent and international films in Canada. Beginning with Sam Green and Bill Siegel's The Weather Underground (2002), Films We Like has released over 300 films and counting.

 

FILMOGRAPHY

Feature Length Documentaries

CARMINE STREET GUITARS Director/Producer 2018 82 min Colour
ALTMAN Director/Producer 2014 92 min
Colour/ B&W
KNOW YOUR MUSHROOMS Director/Producer 2008 75 min
Colour/ B&W
TALES OF THE RAT FINK Director/Producer 2006 80 min
Colour/ B&W
GO FURTHER Director/Producer 2003 80 min Colour
GRASS Director/Producer 1999 80 min
Colour/ B&W
TWIST Director/Producer 1992 80 min
Colour/ B&W
COMIC BOOK CONFIDENTIAL Director/Producer 1998 90 min
Colour/ B&W
POETRY IN MOTION Director/Producer 1982 90 min Colour
IMAGINE THE SOUND Director/Producer 1981 90 min Colour
 

Feature Length DRAMA

LISTEN TO THE CITY Director/Producer 1984 77 min Colour
 

TELEVISION DOCUMENTARY

IN THE WAKE OF THE FLOOD Director/Producer 2010 48 min Colour
BLUE RODEO IN STEREOVISION Director/Producer 2005 45 min Colour
THE FIFTIES (ESP: THE BEAT) Director 1998 48 min
Colour/ B&W
DREAM TOWER Director/Producer 1994 47 min Colour
 

SHORT FILMS

SXSW X 8 Director/ Producer 2001 8 min Colour
MARCIA RESNICK'S BAD BOYS Director/ Producer 1985 5 min Colour
ECHOES WITHOUT SAYING Director/ Producer 1983 28 min Colour
FEELS SO GOOD Co-Director/ Producer 1980 5 min Colour
SSSSHH...! Director/ Producer 1980 3 min Colour
THE ONLY GAME IN TOWN Co-Director/ Producer 1979 8 min Colour
DEPOT Co-Director/ Producer 1978 5 min Colour
FLAK Director/ Producer 1976 56 min B&W
 

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER

FIRE MUSIC by Tom Siegal Executive Producer 2018 88 min
Colour/ B&W
INSIDE KENK by Alex Jansen Executive Producer 2018 29 min Colour
THE COLOUR OF INK by Brian D. Johnson Executive Producer 2022 105 min Colour
MERMAIDS by Ali Weinstein Executive Producer 2016 90 min Colour
I CALLED HIM MORGAN by Kasper Collin Executive Producer 2016 90 min
Colour/ B&W
HADWIN'S JUDGEMENT by Sasha Snow Executive Producer 2016 90 min Colour
AL PURDY WAS HERE by Brian D. Johnson Executive Producer 2015 90 min
Colour/ B&W
LUNARCY! by Simon Ennis Executive Producer 2012 90 min Colour
PURE PWNAGE created by Jarett Cale, Geoff Lapaire Executive Producer 2010 8 x 30 min Colour
MIGHTY UKE by Tony Cole Executive Producer 2010 79 min Colour
PILGRIMAGE by Peter Wintonick Executive Producer 2009 90 min Colour
EXAMINED LIFE by Astra Taylor Executive Producer 2008 90 min Colour
BRAKHAGE by Jim Shedden Executive Producer 1998 72 min
Colour/ B&W
SPECIAL OF THE DAY by Robert Kennedy Executive Producer 1989 27 min Colour
THE NEW CINEMA TAPES by Peter Wintonick Executive Producer 1983 100 min Colour
 

ELECTRONIC PRESS KIT

MAKING LEGAL EAGLES Director 1986   Colour
 

ROCK VIDEOS

START AND STOP Director 2022   Colour
JEZEBEL Director/ Producer 2007   Colour
MIGHTY DARK TO TRAVEL Diector/ Producer 2005   Colour
 

WEB SERIES

THIS WEEK ON MOVIES Executive Producer 2012 10 x 10 Colour