Willie Dunn

Playwright, Film director

1942 – 2013

91

Who was Willie Dunn?

William "Willie" Dunn was a Canadian film maker, folk musician, playwright and politician. Born in Montreal, he is of mixed Mi'kmaq and Scottish/Irish background. Dunn often highlighted aboriginal issues in his work.

Born in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, Dunn was a singer and acoustic guitarist. He wrote a song entitled "The Ballad of Crowfoot" and directed a ten-minute National Film Board of Canada film of the same name in 1968. Both the song and video are about inhumane and unjust colonial treatment of aboriginal Canadians, as well as their taking charge of their destiny and becoming politically active. One of the first NFB films directed by an Aboriginal filmmaker, the film received several awards including a Gold Hugo for best short film at the 1969 Chicago International Film Festival.

Dunn released several full-length albums of recorded music including Willie Dunn, The Pacific and Metallic. Metallic, reprises material from both earlier releases. Dunn also composed the song, "Son of the Sun", which Kashtin recorded on their second album Innu. In 2004 Dunn released the album Son of the Sun with sixteen songs.

We need you!

Help us build the largest biographies collection on the web!

Born
Aug 14, 1942
Montreal
Also known as
  • William Dunn
Spouses
Nationality
  • Canada
Profession
Died
Aug 5, 2013
Ottawa

Submitted
on July 23, 2013

Citation

Use the citation below to add to a bibliography:

Style:MLAChicagoAPA

"Willie Dunn." Biographies.net. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 19 Apr. 2024. <https://www.biographies.net/people/en/willie_dunn>.

Discuss this Willie Dunn biography with the community:

0 Comments

    Browse Biographies.net