Harry Gulkin, a highly acclaimed and influential Canadian film producer and theatre director, has made a profound and lasting impact on the worldwide recognition and appreciation of Canadian literature and cinema.
Gulkin, a dynamic and versatile individual, leveraged his extraordinary marketing prowess to embark on a groundbreaking career transition, effortlessly transitioning into a high-level executive role within a distinguished supermarket conglomerate.
During the 1970s, Gulkin embarked upon a pioneering and audacious endeavour, as he ventured forth into the uncharted territory of film production, driven by a profound passion to bring the rich tapestry of Canadian fiction to vivid life on the grand canvas of the silver screen, a bold and ambitious undertaking that would ultimately leave an indelible mark on the cinematic landscape.
One of the earliest cinematic endeavors undertaken by the individual in question, a film titled Lies My Father Told Me, was released in the year 1975 and went on to achieve widespread international recognition, ultimately resulting in the prestigious Golden Globe Award for Best Foreign Film in the year 1976. This notable achievement was further solidified by the film's subsequent receipt of Academy Award nominations in the categories of Best Writing and Best Original Screenplay.
From 1983 to 1987, Gulkin held the esteemed and influential position of Executive and Artistic Director at the renowned Saidye Bronfman Centre for the Arts in Montreal, a cultural institution of great significance and prestige.
National Film Board documentary, Harry Gulkin: Red Dawn on Main Street, painstakingly and meticulously unfolds the extraordinary life and illustrious professional accomplishments of the highly acclaimed and respected individual, capturing the essence of his remarkable journey in 2004.
The Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television, in a gesture of profound recognition and appreciation, bestowed upon him a special Genie Award in 2008, in acknowledgment of his remarkable and unparalleled contributions to the film industry.
This prestigious honor, a testament to his exceptional vision, merit, and unwavering dedication, acknowledges Harry Gulkin as a person of unshakeable passion and commitment, who has selflessly nurtured a more robust, dynamic, and thriving film community through his unwavering enthusiasm for cinema, leaving an indelible mark on the industry and its evolution.
The life of Gulkin, a man of notable stature and significance in his personal sphere, was marked by a series of profound events and relationships, including two marriages to women of extraordinary physical attractiveness and captivating charm, Ruth Penner and Marie Murphy. These unions, a testament to his enduring love and commitment, yielded two children, a bounty of blessings that brought immense happiness and satisfaction to his existence.
In a stunning turn of events, a bombshell revelation came to light in the 2012 documentary "Stories We Tell", sending seismic waves of surprise and intrigue throughout the Gulkin family tree. It was unearthed that Gulkin, unwittingly, was the biological father of renowned actress and director Sarah Polley, a fact that remained concealed from his children and the global community at large.
