We will always have water wind light Nothing passes after all but the passer-by"

-Louis Aragon, Les Yeux et la mémoire

Speech
NFB Film

Clémence DesRoschers - Clémence Among the Gods
Philippe Baylaucq, Director, René Chénier, Producer

Producer René Chénier has been the executive producer of the NFB's Animation and Youth Studio since 2006. His NFB credits include Michèle Cournoyer's animated short Robes of War and Jean François Pouliot's Facing Champlain, A Work in 3 Dimensions, created for the 400th anniversary of Quebec City. Before joining the NFB he headed Arico Film Communication, producing such acclaimed works as Philippe Baylaucq's Hugo and the Dragon, winner of the Telefilm Canada Prize for Best Independent Canadian Production in French at the Banff Television Festival, and Benoît Pilon's The Necessities of Life, awarded the Special Jury Grand Prize at the World Film Festival and Canada's submission for Best Foreign Language Film at the 81st Academy Awards.

Clémence DesRochers

2009 Lifetime Artistic Achievement (Broadcasting)

Writer, broadcaster, singer, actress and monologuist

Clémence DesRochers is a national treasure with a special place in the hearts of Quebecers. In a career spanning half a century she has made a profound mark on Quebec entertainment and paved the way for countless other artists and creators. A pioneer in many fields, this multitalented artist has shared the stories of her native province with audiences across the country.

Clémence DesRochers (or simply "Clémence," as she is affectionately known to her fans) was born in Sherbrooke, Quebec in 1933. She studied at Montreal's Conservatoire d'art dramatique and made her television debut in a Radio-Canada children's program, Rodolphe, followed by regular roles in several popular series, including La Famille Plouffe and La Côte de sable. From the late 1950s to the early 1970s she concentrated on her music career, performing in boîtes à chansons alongside such rising stars as Jean Pierre Ferland, Claude Léveillée, Raymond Lévesque and Yvon Deschamps. She wrote the libretto for Pierre Brault's Le Vol rose du flamant (1964, the first Quebec musical) and the lyrics for several revues, notably Les Girls (1969), the first show entirely produced by Quebec women to poke fun at women's issues. An informed and engaging broadcaster, she hosted the popular Radio-Canada TV shows Les trouvailles de Clémence (1976-79), Les p'tits bonheurs de Clémence (1995-98) and Le monde de Clémence (1999).

Clémence DesRochers has recorded ten albums, including a compilation of her greatest hits (2003), and two DVDs, most recently À cœur ouvert (2008). Her farewell tour concluded in Montreal in December 2008 with a benefit performance for Théâtre Espace Go. Now retired from the stage, Ms. DesRochers plans to devote more time to her favourite social cause: Les Impatients, an art therapy and self-taught art centre for people suffering from mental illness. Awards and honours include the Prix Denise-Pelletier (2005) for lifetime achievement; Jutra award (2004) for Best Supporting Actress in Jean François Pouliot's La Grande Séduction; Chevalier de l'Ordre national du Québec (2001); Prix Olivier Guimond (2000) for lifetime achievement; Prix Hommage, Bourse Rideau (1994); and an honorary degree from the University of Sherbrooke.

The annual Governor General's Performing Arts Awards Gala is the result of a dynamic creative partnership between the Awards Foundation; Canada's National Arts Centre, Gala fundraiser and producer; and the National Film Board of Canada, which produces short films of the recipients that premiere at the Gala.

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