How David Cronenberg makes a movie

TIFF UNCUT

As Canada celebrates its 150th birthday this weekend, it's time to look back at this country's greatest cinematic achievements. A sizeable amount come from Toronto filmmaker David Cronenberg, who having made 21 features between 1969 and 2014, has received top honours at Cannes, the Berlin Film Festival, and TIFF. In 1999, Cronenberg was inducted into Canada’s Walk of Fame. He was made an Officer of the Order of Canada in 2002, and received Cannes’ Lifetime Achievement Award in 2006. In 2014, after a worldwide exhibit of his film’s artifacts titled David Cronenberg: Evolution was held at TIFF, he was made a Member of the Order of Canada for his contribution as “Canada’s most celebrated internationally acclaimed filmmaker.” He also has the uncanny ability to make car crashes sexy and heads literally explode (the moment in SCANNERS, which inspired Morgan Spurlock to become a filmmaker). In fact, Canadian film would be nothing without his signature Cronenbergian "body horror." To honour a living legend, still making movies at age 74, we've unearthed a 2014 onstage talk between David and his two key collaborators, producer Jeremy Thomas and makeup and special effects designer Stephan Dupuis. You can listen to the full TIFF Uncut podcast below and if you're feeling festive, watch a free screening of Cronenberg's 1983 film VIDEODROME, part of a free Canada on Screen marathon of movies screening July 1 at TIFF Bell Lightbox.