The Directors Guild of Canada would like to extend its sincere condolences to the friends, family, colleagues and loved ones of DGC Director Peter Pearson, who passed away last week.

Peter came of age at a time when the limits on Canadian filmmakers were palpable. He spent his career working to change that. He helmed Telefilm Canada during its infancy in the 1980s, building it into a singular source of investment and opportunities for Canadian filmmakers. Peter was also an integral part of building the Directors Guild up from its foundation, serving as DGC National President from 1973 to 1976 and in 2014 he received the DGC Don Haldane Distinguished Service Award. He worked directly to bolster the development and growth of the burgeoning Canadian film industry, and support his fellow artists. 

Alongside his tremendous institutional contributions to our industry, he built his own incredible career in documentary, television and feature film, garnering a total of nineteen Canadian Film Awards. His contributions to the Canadian cinema canon include the NFB feature film The Best Damn Fiddler from Calabogie to Kaladar, launching the career of Margot Kidder, and Paperback Hero, a seminal film about Canadian fascination with and colonisation by American culture. He also contributed multiple installments to the drama series For the Record, offering an honest and critical look at pressing Canadian social issues and the failures of our civic institutions. 

Peter fought constantly for what he believed in, and his belief in Canadian cinema and Canadian filmmakers was monumental. His memory will be cherished.