{{Short description|Canadian film director and screenwriter}} {{Infobox person | name = Alison McAlpine | image = Alisonmcalpine2018.jpg | alt = | caption = McAlpine at SANFIC 2018 | birth_name = <!-- only use if different from name --> | birth_date = <!-- {{Birth date and age|YYYY|MM|DD}} or {{Birth-date and age|birth date†}} for living people - supply only the year unless the exact date is already widely published, as per WP:DOB. For people that have died, use {{Birth date|YYYY|MM|DD}}. --> | birth_place = | death_date = <!-- {{Death date and age|YYYY|MM|DD|YYYY|MM|DD}} or {{Death-date and age|death date†|birth date†}} --> | death_place = | other_names = | occupation = Film director<br />Screenwriter | years_active = 2000s-present | known_for = | notable_works = ''Cielo (film)''<br />''perfectly a strangeness'' }} '''Alison McAlpine''' is a Canadian filmmaker and writer living in Montreal, Quebec, best known for her films ''CIELO''<ref name=erbland>Kate Erbland, [https://www.indiewire.com/2017/09/cielo-trailer-nyff-documentary-1201878799/ "‘Cielo’ Trailer: Awe-Inspiring NYFF Documentary Premiere Reaches for the Heavens — Watch"]. ''IndieWire'', September 21, 2017.</ref> and ''perfectly a strangeness''.<ref>Rachel Ho, [https://povmagazine.com/alison-mcalpine-finds-the-humanity-in-donkeys-and-telescopes/ "Alison McAlpine Finds the Humanity in Donkeys and Telescopes"]. ''Point of View'', September 5, 2024.</ref>
== Career == Born in Vancouver, British Columbia, she began her career as a poet, playwright and theatre director.
She moved into filmmaking with her first film ''Second Sight'', a cinematic non-fiction ghost story. ''Second Sight'' was presented at more than 35 international film festivals, winning the Special Jury Mention at Slamdance 2009.<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Jones |first1=Michael |date=2009-01-24 |title=Slamdance winners announced |url=https://variety.com/2009/film/markets-festivals/slamdance-winners-announced-1117999025/ |access-date=2023-01-04 |website=Variety |language=en-US}}</ref> The BBC also commissioned her to make two versions of ''Second Sight'': ''An Da Shealladh'' for BBC Alba (2005)<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |date= |title=An Dà Shealladh |website=BBC Alba |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b007hwq8 |access-date=2026-01-10 }}</ref> and ''Ghostman of Skye'' (2009) for the series ''Wonderland'' on BBC2.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Sharp |first=Rob |date=2009-11-09 |title=The Weekend's Television: Wonderland, Sat, BBC2<br/>Garrow's Law: Tales from The Old Bailey, Sun, BBC1 |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/reviews/the-weekend-s-television-wonderland-sat-bbc2-garrow-s-law-tales-from-the-old-bailey-sun-bbc1-1813070.html |access-date=2024-09-15 |work=The Independent}}</ref>
''CIELO'', McAlpine's first feature documentary, premiered at the New York Film Festival in 2017.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Erbland |first=Kate |date=2017-09-21 |title='Cielo' Trailer: Awe-Inspiring NYFF Documentary Premiere Reaches for the Heavens — Watch |url=https://www.indiewire.com/features/general/cielo-trailer-nyff-documentary-1201878799/ |access-date=2024-09-15 |website=IndieWire |language=en-US}}</ref> The film is about the myths, stories, existential queries and beauty of the night sky as experienced in the Atacama Desert and was released in its final version in 2018. The film has been presented in over 400 international film festivals and cinemas, as well as winning several awards.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Astronomy Doc Wins AC Magazine Award at Salem Film Fest 2018 |url=https://theasc.com/articles/astronomy-doc-wins-ac-award-at-salem-film-fest-2018 |access-date=2024-09-15 |website=The American Society of Cinematographers |language=en}}</ref><sup>,</sup><ref>{{Cite web |title=Documental “Cielo” gana premio Kinema 2018 |url=https://www.cultura.gob.cl/actualidad/documental-cielo-gana-premio-kinema-2018/ |access-date=2024-09-15 |website=www.cultura.gob.cl |language=es}}</ref> Named as “One of the 10 best documentaries of 2018” by Esquire and “The best films of 2018…that you didn’t see” by The Guardian, ''Cielo'' has also been critically acclaimed by ''Variety'', The ''Village Voice'', ''The Globe and Mail'', and ''Le Devoir''.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Schager |first=Nick |date=2018-12-19 |title=The Best Documentaries of 2018 |url=https://www.esquire.com/entertainment/movies/g22692100/best-documentaries-2018/ |access-date=2023-01-04 |website=Esquire |language=en-US}}</ref><sup>,</sup><ref>{{Cite web |date=2018-12-27 |title=The best films of 2018 … that you didn't see |url=http://www.theguardian.com/film/2018/dec/27/best-films-2018-you-didnt-see-unsane-cielo |access-date=2023-01-04 |website=the Guardian |language=en}}</ref><sup>,</sup><ref>{{Cite web |last=Schager |first=Nick |date=2018-08-09 |title=Film Review: 'Cielo' |url=https://variety.com/2018/film/reviews/cielo-review-1202900489/ |access-date=2024-08-25 |website=Variety |language=en-US}}</ref><sup>,</sup><ref>{{Cite web |last=Hoffman |first=Jordan |date=2018-08-15 |title=The Eye-Popping "Cielo" Invites You to a Party in the Sky |url=https://www.villagevoice.com/the-eye-popping-cielo-invites-you-to-a-party-in-the-sky/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231208070553/https://www.villagevoice.com/the-eye-popping-cielo-invites-you-to-a-party-in-the-sky/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=December 8, 2023 |access-date=2024-08-25 |website=The Village Voice |language=en-US}}</ref><sup>,</sup><ref>{{Cite web |last=Lavoie |first=André |date=2018-08-10 |title="Cielo": le murmure des étoiles |url=https://www.ledevoir.com/culture/cinema/534236/critique-le-murmure-des-etoiles |access-date=2024-09-15 |website=Le Devoir |language=fr}}</ref>
''perfectly a strangeness'', McAlpine's first short film, had its World Premiere at the Cannes Film Festival, Official Competition 2024,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Howell |first=Peter |date=2024-05-16 |title=Cronenberg's latest and a buzzy new film about a young Trump: Canadians are in the conversation at the Cannes Film Festival |url=https://www.thestar.com/entertainment/movies/cronenbergs-latest-and-a-buzzy-new-film-about-a-young-trump-canadians-are-in-the/article_d9c52822-1132-11ef-ba8e-db08291b065a.html |access-date=2024-09-15 |website=Toronto Star |language=en}}</ref><sup>,</sup><ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-05-24 |title=Little earthquakes abound in the Cannes Short Film Competition |url=https://cineuropa.org/en/newsdetail/462699/ |access-date=2024-09-15 |website=Cineuropa - the best of european cinema |language=en}}</ref> its North American Premiere at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival<ref>{{Cite web |last=Prince |first=C. J. |date=2024-09-02 |title=11 Must-See Short Films at TIFF 2024 |url=https://thefilmstage.com/11-must-see-short-films-at-tiff-2024/ |access-date=2024-09-15 |language=en-US}}</ref><sup>,</sup><ref>{{Cite web |last=Pond |first=Steve |date=2024-08-09 |title=TIFF 2024 to Spotlight TV Shows From Alfonso Cuarón, Thomas Vinterberg and Janicza Bravo |url=https://www.thewrap.com/tiff-2024-tv-series-lineup-alfonso-cuaron-janicza-bravo/ |access-date=2024-09-15 |website=TheWrap |language=en-US}}</ref> and has since travelled to over 70 international film festivals, playing in 27 countries and winning 19 awards. Notably, it was named to TIFF's annual Canada's Top Ten list for 2024 and received a Canadian Screen Award nomination for Best Short Documentary at the 13th Canadian Screen Awards in 2025.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Diaz |first=Carlos |date=2025-01-08 |title=TIFF’s Canada’s Top Ten: Celebrating the Best in Cinema for 2024 |url=https://thatshelf.com/tiff-canadas-top-ten-2024/ |access-date=2025-04-03 |website=That Shelf |language=en-US}}</ref><sup>,</sup><ref>{{Cite web |last=Mullen |first=Pat |date=2025-03-26 |title=The Tragically Hip, Okurimono Lead Canadian Screen Award Documentary Nominees |url=https://povmagazine.com/the-tragically-hip-okurimono-lead-canadian-screen-award-documentary-nominees/ |access-date=2025-04-03 |website=POV Magazine |language=en-US}}</ref> “One of the most cinematic documentaries of the year”, according to Deadline Hollywood writer Matthew Carey,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Carey |first=Matthew |date=2025-12-11 |title=Oscar-Contending Short 'Perfectly A Strangeness' Takes Audience To Desert Terrain Of Donkeys And Cosmic Observatories |url=https://deadline.com/2025/12/perfectly-a-strangeness-interivew-director-alison-mcalpine-1236646640/ |access-date=2026-01-10 |website=Deadline.com }}</ref> ''perfectly a strangeness'' has been nominated by the 2026 Academy Awards for Best Short Documentary Film,<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2025-12-16 |title=98TH OSCARS® SHORTLISTS IN 12 AWARD CATEGORIES ANNOUNCED |url=https://press.oscars.org/news/98th-oscarsr-shortlists-12-award-categories-announced |access-date=2026-01-10 |website=Oscars.com }}</ref> and also by the 2026 Cinema Eye Honors for Best Nonfiction Short Film of 2026.
A 2021 Guggenheim Fellow, McAlpine has taught filmmaking at several universities. She was the Mordecai Richler Writer/Filmmaker in Residence at McGill University<ref>{{Cite web |title=Past Writers-in-Residence |url=https://www.mcgill.ca/english/visiting-speakers/richler-writer-residence/past-writers-residence/ |access-date=2025-01-10 |website=McGill.com }}</ref> and has offered masterclasses at the Scottish Documentary Institute in Edinburgh,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Documentary Masterclass – Alison McAlpine |url=https://www.scottishdocinstitute.com/events/documentary-masterclass-alison-mcalpine/ |date=2019-09-30 |access-date=2025-01-10 |website=McGill.com }}</ref> among other institutions. She is currently working on several new films and writings.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Alison McAlpine |url=https://www.gf.org/fellows/all-fellows/alison-mcalpine/ |access-date=2023-01-04 |website=John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation |language=en-US}}</ref>
==Filmography== * 2005: ''An Da Shealladh'' * 2008: ''Second Sight'' * 2009: ''Ghostman of Skye'' * 2018: ''CIELO'' * 2024: ''perfectly a strangeness''
==Awards and nominations== {| class=wikitable |- ! scope="col" style="width:5em;" | Year ! scope="col" style="width:26em;"| Organization ! scope="col" style="width:26em;"| Category ! scope="col" style="width:25em;"| Nominated work ! scope="col" style="width:5em;" | Result ! | Ref. |- | style="text-align:center;" rowspan="7" |2018 | Karlovy Vary International Film Festival | Best Documentary | rowspan="14" |''Cielo'' | {{nom}} | style="text-align:center;" rowspan="14" | <ref>{{Cite web |title=Cielo (2017) - Awards |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7488654/awards/?ref_=tt_awd |access-date=2025-01-11 |website=IMDb |language=en}}</ref> |- | style="text-align:left;" rowspan="3" | Byron Bay International Film Festival | Best Cinematography | {{won}} |- | Best Documentary | {{nom}} |- | Best Film | {{nom}} |- | Salem Film Fest | Award for Cinematography | {{won}} |- | Banff Mountain Film Competition | Award for Creative Excellence | {{won}} |- | Santiago International Film Festival | Kinêma Award | {{won}} |- | style="text-align:center;" rowspan="7" |2019 | Trento Film Festival | Audience Award | {{won}} |- | Bilbao Mendi Film Festival | Best Cinematography | {{won}} |- | style="text-align:left;" rowspan="4" | Rendez-vous Québec Cinéma | Most Successful Film Outside Quebec | {{nom}} |- | Best Cinematography in a Documentary | {{nom}} |- | Best Documentary | {{nom}} |- | Best Sound in a Documentary | {{nom}} |- | Ulju Mountain Film Festival | Grand Prize | {{nom}} |-
|- | style="text-align:center;" rowspan="5" |2024 | Chicago International Film Festival | Silver Hugo Documentary Short Film 2024 | rowspan="22" |''perfectly a strangeness'' | {{won}} | style="text-align:center;" rowspan="1" | <ref name=Awards>{{Cite web |title=Awards |url=https://perfectlyastrangeness.com/awards/ |date= |access-date=2025-01-10 | website=perfectlyastrangeness.com }}</ref> |- | Festival du nouveau cinéma | National Competition Grand Prize | {{won}} | style="text-align:center;" rowspan="1" | <ref name="Le FNC dévoile son palmarès">[https://ctvm.info/le-fnc-devoile-son-palmares/ "Le FNC dévoile son palmarès"]. ''CTVM'', October 21, 2024.</ref> |- | Science New Wave Festival | Theme-Sensitive Award | {{won}} | style="text-align:center;" rowspan="3" | <ref name="Awards" /> |- | Thess International Short Film Festival | Cinematic Achievement Award | {{won}} |- | FIEV | Best Quebec Short Film-Jury Prize | {{won}} |- | style="text-align:center;" rowspan="14" |2025 | Full Frame Jury | Award for Best Short Oscar Qualifying | {{won}} | style="text-align:center;" rowspan="1" | <ref name="Le FNC dévoile son palmarès"/> |- | Cinema Eye Honors | Nonfiction Short Film | {{nom}} | style="text-align:center;" rowspan="3" | <ref name="Awards" /> |- | IDA Documentary Awards | Best Short Documentary Special Mention | {{won}} |- | Full Frame Documentary Film Festival | The John Franklin Humanities Institute Award | {{won}} |- | Toronto International Film Festival | Canada's Top Ten | {{won}} | style="text-align:center;" rowspan="1" | <ref name=diaz>Carlos Diaz, [https://thatshelf.com/tiff-canadas-top-ten-2024/ "Canada’s Top Ten: TIFF Celebrates the Best in Cinema for 2024"]. ''That Shelf'', January 8, 2025.</ref> |- | Trento Film Festival | Silver Gentian, Best Artistic Technical Contribution | {{won}} | style="text-align:center;" rowspan="9" | <ref name="Awards" /> |- | i-Fest International Film Festival | Best Direction Short | {{won}} |- | Rendez-vous Québec Cinéma | Best Short Film | {{won}} |- | Nevada City Film Festival | Best Cinematography | {{won}} |- | Tramway Film Festival | Best Film, Cine Sinn Fine | {{won}} |- | Athens International Film + Video Festival | From the Booth Award | {{won}} |- | Festival Internacional de Cine de Medio Ambiente de Canarias | Best Short Documentary Film | {{won}} |- | Planet in Focus | Best Canadian Short Award | {{won}} |- | Miami Short Film Festival | Best Experimental Film | {{won}} |- | style="text-align:center;" rowspan="2" |2026 | Academy Awards | Best Documentary Short Film | {{nom}} | style="text-align:center;" rowspan="1" | <ref>{{cite web |title=The 98th Academy Awards {{!}} 2026 |url=https://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/2026 |website=Oscars |access-date=22 January 2026}}</ref> |- | Canadian Screen Awards | Best Short Documentary Film | {{nom}} | style="text-align:center;" rowspan="1" | <ref>Pat Mullen, [https://povmagazine.com/the-tragically-hip-okurimono-lead-canadian-screen-award-documentary-nominees/ "The Tragically Hip, Okurimono Lead Canadian Screen Award Documentary Nominees"]. ''Point of View'', March 26, 2025.</ref> |- |}
==References== {{reflist|2}}
==External links== *{{official website|https://alisonmcalpine.com/en/}} *[https://www.perfectlyastrangeness.com ''perfectly a strangeness'' website] *[https://www.cielo-thefilm.com ''Cielo'' website] *{{IMDb name|3226817}} *{{IMDb title|7488654|perfectly a strangeness}} *{{IMDb title|32205767|Cielo}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:McAlpine, Alison}} Category:Canadian documentary film directors Category:Canadian women film directors Category:Canadian women documentary filmmakers Category:Film directors from Montreal Category:Film directors from Vancouver Category:Living people Category:Year of birth missing (living people)