{{Short description|Canadian film director}} {{Infobox person | name = Connor Gaston | image = Connor Gaston at the 2017 Cineplex Entertainment Film Program Showcase (38122330535).jpg | alt = Connor Gaston at the 2017 Cineplex Entertainment Film Program Showcase | caption = Connor Gaston at the 2017 Cineplex Entertainment Film Program Showcase | birth_date = <!-- {{Birth year and age|YYYY}} --> | birth_place = Halifax, Nova Scotia | death_date = <!-- {{Death date and age|YYYY|MM|DD|YYYY|MM|DD}} (death date then birth date) --> | death_place = | other_names = | known_for = | occupation = Film director }} '''Connor Gaston''' is a Canadian film director based in British Columbia, known for making films with religious themes.
==Early life== Gaston was born in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and grew up in Fredericton. His parents are both authors, Bill Gaston and Dede Crane. He moved to Victoria, British Columbia at the age of 10.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://vancouversun.com/life/viff+connor+gaston+describes+himself+agnostic+buddhist/11391409/story.html |title=VIFF: B.C.'s Connor Gaston describes himself as an 'agnostic Buddhist' |first=Douglas |last=Todd |accessdate=2015-10-24 |date=2015-09-25 |newspaper=The Vancouver Sun}}</ref>
==Career== Connor's short film "Bardo" (originally titled "Bardo Light") played at the 2012 Toronto International Film Festival.<ref>{{cite web |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121009011726/http://tiff.net/filmsandschedules/tiff/2012/bardolight |url=http://tiff.net/filmsandschedules/tiff/2012/bardolight|archive-date=2012-10-09 |accessdate=2015-10-24 |title=Bardo Light (programme note) |publisher=TIFF.net}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cbc.ca/allpointswest/2012/09/12/connor-gaston/ |work=All Points West |publisher=CBC |title=Connor Gaston (streaming audio) |quote=A young Victoria director saw his film premier at the Toronto International Film Festival last week. We check in with Connor Gaston. |date=2012-09-12 |accessdate=2015-10-24}}</ref> Connor's short films "Godhead" and "'Til Death" played at various film festivals.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.tiff.net/festivals/thefestival/programmes/short-cuts-canada/short-cuts-canada-programme-6/godhead |title=Godhead (programme note) |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141125151419/http://www.tiff.net/festivals/thefestival/programmes/short-cuts-canada/short-cuts-canada-programme-6/godhead |archive-date=2014-11-25 |publisher=TIFF }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.victoriafilmfestival.com/component/content/article/45-films/722-love-danger |title=Love & Danger |publisher=Victoria Film Festival |accessdate=2015-10-24 |year=2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140114065402/http://www.victoriafilmfestival.com/component/content/article/45-films/722-love-danger |archive-date=2014-01-14}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/sudbury/cin%C3%A9fest-sudbury-features-short-films-on-shortest-day-of-the-year-1.2873281 |title=Cinéfest Sudbury features short films on shortest day of the year |date=2014-12-15 |access-date=2015-10-24 |publisher=CBC News}}</ref>
Gaston's feature debut, ''The Devout'', premiered on 2015-10-02 at the Vancouver International Film Festival and the Busan International Film Festival (where it was selected as one of ten films in competition for the Busan Bank Award).<ref>{{cite web |url=https://edmontonjournal.com/VIFF+Vancouver+starred+many+Hollywood+movies+rarely+itself/11391406/story.html |title=VIFF: Vancouver has starred in many Hollywood movies, but rarely as itself |first=Denise |last=Ryan |date=2015-09-24 |accessdate=2015-10-24 }}</ref>
==Awards== Gaston's short films "Bardo Light", "'Til Death", and "Godhead" were all nominated for Leo Awards in the Student Production category.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://leoawards.com/2013/nominees_by_name_2013.html#Student_Production |publisher=Leo Awards |title=2013 Nominees by Name |accessdate=2015-10-29 |archive-date=2019-04-19 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190419161504/http://www.leoawards.com/2013/nominees_by_name_2013.html#Student_Production |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.leoawards.com/2014/nominees/by_name.php#Student_Production |publisher=Leo Awards |title=2014 Leo Awards Nominees by Name |accessdate=2015-10-29 |archive-date=2014-04-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140426214711/http://www.leoawards.com/2014/nominees/by_name.php#Student_Production |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=2015 Leo Awards Nominees by Name |publisher=Leo Awards |url=http://www.leoawards.com/2015/nominees/by_name.php#Student_Production |accessdate=2015-10-29 |archive-date=2016-03-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304190329/http://www.leoawards.com/2015/nominees/by_name.php#Student_Production |url-status=dead }}</ref>
At the 2014 Student Film Festival (organized within the framework of the Montreal World Film Festival), Gaston's short film "'Til Death" won the Norman McLaren Award for the Overall Winner.<ref>{{cite press release |publisher=Montreal World Film Festival |date=2014-08-28 |url=http://www.ffm-montreal.org/en/press-releases/86-the-45th-student-film-festival-august-23-to-27.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150628033348/http://www.ffm-montreal.org/en/press-releases/86-the-45th-student-film-festival-august-23-to-27.html |url-status=usurped |archive-date=June 28, 2015 |title=2014 Awards for the student film festival - National competition and International Competition |accessdate=2015-10-24 }}</ref>
At the 2014 Whistler Film Festival, Gaston's short film "Godhead" won the Student ShortWork award.<ref>{{cite press release |publisher=Whistler Film Festival |title=Whistler Film Festival Announces 2014 Winners |date=2014-12-07 |accessdate=2015-10-24 |url=http://www.whistlerfilmfestival.com/images/pdfs/WFF14_Winners_Release.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150704051525/http://whistlerfilmfestival.com/images/pdfs/WFF14_Winners_Release.pdf |archive-date=2015-07-04 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |publisher=ET Canada |first=Brent |last=Furdyk |url=http://www.etcanada.com/blogs/etc_121445/2014-whistler-film-festival-announces-winners/film/ |archive-url=https://archive.today/20230929010136/http://www.etcanada.com/blogs/etc_121445/2014-whistler-film-festival-announces-winners/film/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=September 29, 2023 |title=2014 Whistler Film Festival Announces Winners |date=2014-12-07 |accessdate=2015-10-24 }}</ref>
At the 2015 Vancouver International Film Festival, Gaston won the B.C. Emerging Filmmaker award for ''The Devout''.<ref>{{cite press release |url=http://www.wireservice.ca/index.php?module=News&func=display&sid=17205 |title=Media Release: VIFF Announces BC Spotlight and Canadian Images Awards |publisher=Jive Communications |accessdate=2015-10-24 |date=2015-10-03 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |work=The Georgia Straight |url=https://www.straight.com/movies/548186/viff-2015-fractured-land-takes-best-bc-film-prize |first=Adrian |last=Mack |date=2015-10-04 |accessdate=2015-10-24 |title=VIFF 2015: Fractured Land takes best B.C. film prize}}</ref>
At the 2016 Leo Awards, Gaston's film ''The Devout'' won the top prize (Best Motion Picture) and various other awards including Best Screenwriting for Gaston himself.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.leoawards.com/2016/winners/by_name.php |title=Leo Awards, Winners by Name |accessdate=2017-03-31 |archive-date=2016-10-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161012070201/http://www.leoawards.com/2016/winners/by_name.php |url-status=dead }}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * {{IMDb name | 4497477}} * [https://twitter.com/connorgaston Connor Gaston on Twitter] * {{cite web|url=https://vimeo.com/user8727413 |title=Connor Gaston|publisher=Vimeo|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20190320232846/https://vimeo.com/connorgaston|archive-date=March 20, 2019}} * {{cite interview |url=http://www.filmfestivals.com/blog/the_montreal_world_film_festival/interview_with_connor_gaston_norman_mclaren_award_winner_for_best_short_film|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20230419000304/http://www.filmfestivals.com/blog/the_montreal_world_film_festival/interview_with_connor_gaston_norman_mclaren_award_winner_for_best_short_film |archive-date=April 19, 2023 |title=Interview with Connor Gaston Norman McLaren Award Winner for Best short film|work=Montreal Film Festival|first=Connor|last=Gaston|interviewer-first=Leopoldo |interviewer-last=Soto|via=filmfestivals.com|date=19 August 2014}}
{{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Gaston, Connor}} Category:Film directors from New Brunswick Category:Film directors from Halifax, Nova Scotia Category:People from Fredericton Category:University of Victoria alumni Category:Living people Category:Canadian Film Centre alumni Category:Film producers from Nova Scotia Category:Film producers from New Brunswick Category:Year of birth missing (living people)
{{Canada-film-director-stub}}