Examining the life of apioneer who started his own film studio before the National Film Board, this account traces the history of Budge Crawley, a one-man industry who hated government handouts; a filmmaker who won Canada its first feature-film Academy Award in 1976; and a bigamist who loved two wives and travelled between Ottawa and Toronto every week to visit them. Revealing why he was recognized as Canada's movie maverick, the biography details how Crawley fought for quality films and often broke the rules. In the end, his story is as dramatic as his profession: Budge and the fortunes of film itself brought to a crashing climax his company, his relationships, and the one great Canadian movie he swore he intended to finish.
"Budge Crawley is a true pioneer. This book provides a detailed and affectionate portrait of an independent Canadian film legend." - Atom Egoyan, directorExamining the life of apioneer who started his own film studio before the National Film Board, this account traces the history of Budge Crawley, a one-man industry who hated government handouts; a filmmaker who won Canada its first feature-film Academy Award in 1976; and a bigamist who loved two wives and travelled between Ottawa and Toronto every week to visit them. Revealing why he was recognized as Canada's movie maverick, the biography details how Crawley fought for quality films and often broke the rules. In the end, his story is as dramatic as his profession: Budge and the fortunes of film itself brought to a crashing climax his company, his relationships, and the one great Canadian movie he swore he intended to finish.
"Budge Crawley is a true pioneer. This book provides a detailed and affectionate portrait of an independent Canadian film legend." - Atom Egoyan, director