Life Times Nine

Life Times Nine
Directed byPaul Shapiro
Melissa Franklin
Robi Blumenstein
Jordon Hale
Ricky Clark
Celia Merkur
Kimmie Jensen
Andy File
Marilyn Becker
Produced byPen Densham
John Watson
CinematographyRobert C. New
Production
company
Distributed byHarry Smith & Sons[1]
Release date
  • October 1973 (1973-10) (US)
Running time
13 minutes
CountryCanada
LanguageEnglish

Life Times Nine is a Canadian short film, which was released in 1973.[2] Produced by Insight Productions in conjunction with a group of nine students from Toronto, Ontario's SEED Alternative School, the film's concept was for each student to produce and direct their own short film on the concept of life.[3] The filmmakers were Paul Shapiro, Melissa Franklin, Robi Blumenstein, Jordon Hale, Ricky Clark, Celia Merkur, Kimmie Jensen, Andy File and Marilyn Becker.[3]

The film received an Academy Award nomination for the Best Live Action Short Film in 1974.[4] The federal government of Canada provided the company with a $5,000 grant to ensure that all nine of the student directors were able to travel to Los Angeles to attend the ceremony.[5] Their trip included an invitation from Mel Brooks to visit the set of Young Frankenstein.[5] A journalist also mistook producer John Watson for Paul McCartney and begged him for an interview.[6]

  1. ^ https://recherche-collection-search.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/home/record?app=filvidandsou&IdNumber=36579&q=life%20times%20nine
  2. ^ "'Most exciting thing we've done': Film professionals help children 'sell' life". The Globe and Mail, October 2, 1973.
  3. ^ a b "13 minutes on theme of life: Film by 9 Toronto youngsters in Oscar race". The Globe and Mail, February 21, 1974.
  4. ^ "Young directors going to Oscar ceremony", The Globe and Mail, March 20, 1974.
  5. ^ a b "For Toronto youngsters it was still great fun". The Globe and Mail, April 3, 1974.
  6. ^ "Letdown, relief after it's over". The Globe and Mail, April 4, 1974.