Paul Quarrington Life in Music Doc Airs May 29 on Bravo!
May 16, 2010
Paul Quarrington is an award winning, well respected and much loved author, filmmaker, musician and teacher. Though a very public figure in the field of Canadian arts, and an artist who made himself easily accessible to fans, he was also a complex person. So much so that few in his public or private sphere say they really knew him. With the sudden diagnosis of terminal illness, he is compelled to address this in the best way he knows how – he chooses to make art – to squeeze the juice from life and pour his passion into making this film, into re-writing his about-to-be-published memoir to include his “new thematic material,” and into writing songs, lots of songs, all made more poignant for the absolute deadline at hand.
Through this film, Paul gives us a rare and insightful glimpse into the inner workings of an artist in the act of creating. As he writes, records and performs, you see the heart and soul of a man able to express in music deeply personal issues. We witness the artist, and the man, reach for a resolution to the question that we will all face when our time comes, “what would you do?”
What unfolds is a laugh-out-loud funny, compelling, warm and enlightening story – a journey woven around music, bearing witness to the power of song to elevate, encapsulate and explain the emotions that poured into this artist’s creative endeavors. His story will inspire every viewer to look at life a bit differently – to engage and to be present as if life were to end tomorrow. It is a story of friendship and community – of immersing oneself in the redemptive powers of an audience to find solace and validation.
As a teacher, Paul would always tell students to write about what makes them uncomfortable – to be unafraid of the subject matter. With much of the music in this film written and recorded post-diagnosis, the process of coming to terms plays itself out musically. “All the Stars” – a hauntingly beautiful ballad, tells of one left behind, while “Are You Ready,” written expressly for the film, pulls all that has transpired into a deceptively simple lyric whose impact is made clear in the powerful and surprising denouement.
On screen conversations with some of the most important people in Quarrington’s life amplify the inspiring message, including longtime friend and bandmate Martin Worthy, Roddy Doyle, Dave Bidini, Wayson Choy, brothers Joel Quarrington and Tony Quarrington, daughters Carson and Flannery and their mother Dorothy Bennie. Comments by Nick Jennings and Martin Levin provide context and threaded throughout are live performances by Paul, his band Porkbelly Futures, Dan Hill, Joe Hall, Roberto Occhipinti and many more musical guests.
Producer Judith Keenan, Director Bert Kish and Editor Caroline Christie have done a masterful job of drawing the viewer into the life and work of this Renaissance artist, a gift from the man we finally get to know – the author, musician, teacher, father and friend – Paul Quarrington.
PAUL QUARRINGTON: LIFE IN MUSIC
A Feature Documentary Film
Produced by Judith Keenan, BookShorts Inc., Director Bert Kish
BRAVO! TV Broadcast Dates
Saturday, May 29 at 7pm EDT and Sunday, May 30 at 6pm EDT
DVD Available
June 2010
National Screening Tour
September – October 2010
10 for 2010 Includes Quarrington’s Cigar Box Banjo
January 15, 2010
10 for 2010 / The books you need to read this year
In the January 9th edition of the Globe & Mail, Martin Levin listed the top 10 must reads for 2010. Of Paul Quarrington’s upcoming Cigar Box Banjo he writes, “…the writer and musician extraordinaire recounts a life experienced from inside the music…”
To read Levin’s full article on the Globe & Mail website, click here.
Video: National Post Series, Part Two
December 10, 2009
The first installment in the continuing story of one man’s journey following a terminal diagnosis.
National Post Series, Part Two
December 10, 2009
Paul Quarrington: On Mountains and Mortality
When last you heard from this correspondent, I was waxing poetical about mountains; specifically, the Torngats in Northern Labrador, which are amongst the oldest on the planet. I suggested that people who have received a very dire Diagnosis often think about mountains. Those with vestiges of health and energy sometimes even clamber up the blighters, perhaps because (to paraphrase and expand upon something said by George Mallory) the mountains are there, and very shortly the climbers will no longer be so. Mountains make good launching pads-for rumination about mortality, speculation about the afterlife, vaulting into the unknown.
From The National Post, December 4, 2009. For the full article, go to http://www.nationalpost.com/news/story.html?id=2304208
Paul Quarrington: A Life in Music, Words, and on Screen
October 29, 2009
On Saturday October 24, the IFOA at Harbourfront was host to a sold out event honouring Paul Quarrington’s incredible and illustrious life and career. Seen here with director Lorne Frohman, a veritable list of a Canadian who’s who made appearances live on stage, and via video telegram to send their love and respect to Paul, including Jim Cuddy, Roddy Doyle, Margaret Atwood, Paul Gross, Joe Hall and Nino Ricci to name just a few.
About the event, the National Post said:
“Just a few minutes into the International Festival of Authors tribute to author Paul Quarrington, host and friend Dave Bidini said that “by the end of the event you won’t want to hear a damn thing about Paul.” He was wrong.”
The Star said:
“Yes, there were many heartfelt expressions of admiration. But there was an even greater abundance of irreverent humour.”
CBC: Quarrington Wins $20,000 Matt Cohen Award
October 29, 2009
Toronto writer and musician Paul Quarrington has won the Matt Cohen Award, a $20,000 prize awarded by the Writers’ Trust of Canada.
The Matt Cohen Award ? In Celebration of a Writing Life is presented to a Canadian for a body of distinguished work in poetry or prose. It is named for the late Canadian author Matt Cohen and has been awarded since 2000.
Quarrington, 56, is author of the novels Whale Music, King Leary and Galveston and his most recent, The Ravine, as well as screenplays for Whale Music and Perfectly Normal.
King Leary was awarded the Stephen Leacock Medal for Humour in 1987 and won CBC Radio’s Canada Reads competition in 2008. Galveston was nominated for the Giller Prize in 2004.
Quarrington revealed in June that he is suffering from Stage 4 lung cancer.
This summer, he put his writing on hold while he toured the East Coast with his band, the Porkbelly Futures. Quarrington is a singer-guitarist with the blues-country group and recently recorded a solo album.
From the CBC News, October 19, 2009. For the full article, go to the CBC Website.
IFOA Report From The Walrus Magazine Blog
October 29, 2009
IFOA Report: Paul Quarrington at the Brigantine Room
Over the past few decades, Paul Quarrington has forged an unparalleled career as a novelist, playwright, screenwriter, filmmaker, and musician. Earlier this year, he was diagnosed with terminal lung cancer. Saturday afternoon a sell-out crowd came to the Brigantine Room at Toronto?s Harbourfront Centre ? with some, including yours truly, relegated to the adjacent tent ? in order to celebrate the life and work of this remarkable artist.
Dave Bidini hosted the event, which saw an assortment of Quarrington?s friends and colleagues take to the stage in order to celebrate his work. Up first was Irish writer Roddy Doyle, who explained that he?d met Quarrington and grown to like him before ever reading his work. ?Which is just as well ? it?s shite!? From then on, despite Bidini?s claim to the contrary, the event took on the occasional air of a roast.
From the The Walrus Magazine Blog, October 27, 2009 by Nav Purewal. For the full article, go to The Walrus Blog.
Michael Ondaatje: Video Telegram for Paul Quarrington
October 27, 2009
A theatrical tribute to Paul Quarrington by Michael Ondaatje, shot and screened at the Toronto event October 24, 2009 – “Life in Music, Words, and on Screen” – produced by BookShorts on behalf of the International Festival of Authors and Humber College. For more about Paul’s music inspired by Ondaatje’s mastery of the literary arts, visit the Music section of this site paulquarrington.org.? To help support the next generation of multi-disciplinary artists like Michael and Paul, become a member of Quarrington Arts Society, www.quarringtonartsociety.ca.
Richard Lewis: Video Telegram for Paul Quarrington
October 27, 2009
A comedic tribute to Paul Quarrington by Canadian actor / director Richard Lewis, shot on the Montreal set of Lewis’ next feature film, “Barney’s Version.”? The clip was shot to be screened at the live event “Life in Music, Words, and on Screen” produced by BookShorts on behalf of Humber College and the International Festival of Authors, and took place in Toronto on Oct 24, 2009.? Richard was the director of Quarrington’s multi-award winning feature film WHALE MUSIC, adapted from the author’s own novel of the same name; Quarrington also penned the screenplay. In celebration of Quarrington’s life and work and as inspiration for more brave artists crossing genres, join the Quarrington Arts Society – info at www.quarringtonartsociety.ca .?
Robert Lantos: Video Telegram for Paul Quarrington
October 27, 2009
A tribute to Paul Quarrington by filmmaker extraordinaire Robert Lantos,? captured on the set of his next feature, “barney’s Version.” The clip was created expressly for screening as part of the live celebration “Life in Music, Words, and on Screen” produced by BookShorts? on behalf of Humber College and the International Festival of Authors (Toronto, Oct 24, 2009). Mr. Lantos has become a seminal member of the Quarrington Arts Society — for more about this initiative to further the careers of multi-talented artists of page, screen and stage, visit www.quarringtonartsociety.ca
