View source for James Motluk

'''James Motluk''' born in [[Brockville]], [[Ontario]], Canada, is a filmmaker of [[Ukrainian Canadian|Ukrainian]] descent.  After studying philosophy at [[Trent University]] he travelled to [[Toronto]] and worked for the [[Canadian Broadcasting Corporation]] as an assistant director on a television show called ''[[Seeing Things (TV series)|Seeing Things]]''. He wrote and directed his first feature film called ''Nasty Burgers'' which was released to cinemas in 1993. ''Nasty Burgers'' gained him entry into the [[Writers Guild of Canada]]. For much of the 1990s he worked as a writer for television. His credits included a season on the hit show ''[[Road to Avonlea]]''.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://playbackonline.ca/1994/12/05/3984-19941205/ |title = Ontario Scene » Playback}}</ref>

In 2000 he released a documentary funded by American film director [[Michael Moore]] called ''[[Life Under Mike]]'' which took a critical look at then [[Ontario Premier]] [[Mike Harris]].<ref>{{cite news| url = https://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/mike-michael-and-me/article18290973/| title = Mike, Michael and me - The Globe and Mail| newspaper = The Globe and Mail| date = 24 January 2001| last1 = Lypchuk| first1 = Donna}}</ref> In 2001 the film earned him a Media Human Rights Award.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://playbackonline.ca/2001/04/02/ont-20010402/|title = Sullivan extends Anne brand, greenlights more features}}</ref> He released a second documentary in 2003, co-directed with Mark Wright, called ''[[Whose University Is It?]]''.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0385338/ |title = Whose University Is It? (2003) - IMDb|website = [[IMDb]]}}</ref> This work used Trent University as a case study and argued that any corporate connections with higher learning are negative - though notably ignoring that the entire Trent University campus was donated by [[General Electric Canada]], and its library by the [[Bata Shoes]] Corporation.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://kawarthanow.com/2014/07/29/50-years-of-trent-university/ |title = 50 Years Of Trent University| date=29 July 2014 }}</ref>

In 2009 he released a documentary called [[Jajo's Secret]] which revealed the internment of Ukrainians by the Canadian government during World War One. This movie was broadcast on OMNI TV in Canada<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.omnitv.ca/ontario/info/press/p_20090604.shtml |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091225153158/http://www.omnitv.ca/ontario/info/press/p_20090604.shtml |archive-date=2009-12-25 |title= :: OMNITV.ca > Canadian Documentary Premiere on OMNI.2 :: }}</ref> and was invited to screen in New York at Columbia University in 2011<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.columbia.edu/cu/ufc/films/library_jajo.html|title=Ukrainian Film Club of Columbia University}}</ref> and at the Ukrainian Museum in Manhattan the following year.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ukrainianmuseum.org/programs/programs_film2011.html|title=Ukrainian Museum programs}}</ref>

In 2020 he developed an original one hour science fiction drama, Magpie, set in [[Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario|Sault Ste Marie]] and framed against the little-known but true history of Canada's internment operations during WW1.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.wgc.ca/node/284286 |title = MemberNews-Canadian Screenwriter Summer 21 {{!}} Writers Guild of Canada}}</ref>

His movies tend to sympathize with the left, encouraging grass roots social change.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://varsitystaging.com/2003/09/23/campus-camera/ |title=The Varsity » Campus Camera |access-date=2012-01-20 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120719173247/http://varsitystaging.com/2003/09/23/campus-camera/ |archive-date=2012-07-19 }}</ref> He produces independently through the Toronto-based production company [[Guerrilla Films]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.guerrillafilms.com |title = Guerrilla Films Inc.}}</ref>

==Filmography==
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Year !! Title !! Role 
|-
| 1994
| ''Nasty Burgers''
| Writer,Producer,Director
|-
| 2000
| ''[[Life Under Mike]]''
| Producer, Director
|-
| 2003
| ''[[Whose University Is It?]]''
| Writer, co-director, Producer
|-
| 2009
| ''[[Jajo's Secret]]''
| Producer, Director
|-
| 2011
| ''[[Living In The Shadow]]''
|Producer, Director
|-
| 2012
| ''[[Directions Home (film)|Directions Home]]''
| Writer, Director, Producer
|-
| 2015
| ''[[A Place Called Shandro]]''
|Executive Producer, Director
|-
| 2016
| ''[[Konowal: the man behind the medal]]''
| Director, Producer
|-
|}

==References==
* {{IMDb name | id=0609386 | name=James E Motluk}}
* [http://www.guerrillafilms.com Guerrilla Films website]
* ''[[The Globe and Mail]]''
* ''[[Eye Weekly]]''
* The Necrofiles
* [[Writers Guild of Canada]] members information
* ''Who's Who in Canadian Film and Television''
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Motluk, James}}
[[Category:1964 births]]
[[Category:Film directors from Ontario]]
[[Category:Canadian male screenwriters]]
[[Category:Canadian people of Ukrainian descent]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:People from Brockville]]
[[Category:Trent University alumni]]
[[Category:Canadian documentary film directors]]
[[Category:20th-century Canadian screenwriters]]
[[Category:20th-century Canadian male writers]]
[[Category:21st-century Canadian screenwriters]]
[[Category:21st-century Canadian male writers]]