Darrell Wasyk

{{Short description|Canadian film director (born 1958)}} {{Use Canadian English|date=July 2014}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2026}} {{Infobox person | image =  | name = Darrell Wasyk | birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1958|5|18}} | birth_place = [[Edmonton]], [[Alberta]] | occupation = [[Film Director]], [[Screenwriter]], [[Film Producer|Producer]], [[Artist]], [[Theatre Director]], [[Playwright]] }}

'''Darrell Wasyk''' (born 18 May 1958 in [[Edmonton]], [[Alberta]]) is a Canadian film director.

==Biography== Darrell Wasyk was born in [[Edmonton]], [[Alberta]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0913764/ |title=Darrell Wasyk at the IMDb |website=[[IMDb]] |access-date=30 November 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170216230924/http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0913764/ |archive-date=16 February 2017 |url-status=live }}</ref> He worked extensively in both theatre and opera before making the transition to film.

==Film== Making his feature film debut with ''[[H (1990 film)|H]]'',<ref>[http://www.filmreferencelibrary.ca/index.asp?layid=44&csid1=489&navid=46 H at the Film Reference Library] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090226212750/http://www.filmreferencelibrary.ca/index.asp?layid=44 |date=26 February 2009 }}</ref> it won the Toronto-City Award for Best Canadian Feature Film at the [[Toronto International Film Festival]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://tiff08.ca/aboutthefestival/festivalinfo/awards/archive/default.aspx |title=The Toronto International Film Festival Awards Archives |access-date=17 February 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081001002222/http://tiff08.ca/aboutthefestival/festivalinfo/awards/archive/default.aspx |archive-date=1 October 2008 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The film was presented at several Festivals that year including the [[Berlin International Film Festival]], the [[Hong Kong International Film Festival]], the [[Vienna International Film Festival]], the [[Palm Springs International Film Festival]], the Birmingham International Film and Television Festival, and the [[Locarno International Film Festival]], where it picked up two major awards, making it the first Canadian feature film to win an official prize in the festival’s 47-year history. In Canada, ''H'' was presented at the [[Montreal World Film Festival]], the Toronto International Film Festival, the Festival International du Film de Québec, and the [[Vancouver International Film Festival]], where it won the Best Canadian Screenplay Award.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.viff.org/08awards/awardshistory.htm#1990 |title=The Vancouver International Film Festival Awards History |access-date=17 February 2009 |archive-date=22 December 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081222020433/http://www.viff.org/08awards/awardshistory.htm#1990 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

At the [[12th Genie Awards]] the film won a Best Actress Award for [[Pascale Montpetit]],<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0600270 |title=Pascale Montpetit at the IMDb |website=[[IMDb]] |access-date=30 November 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170215182504/http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0600270/ |archive-date=15 February 2017 |url-status=live }}</ref> and also received two nominations one for Best Direction and the other for Best Original Screenplay.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.imdb.com/Sections/Awards/Genie_Awards/1991 |title=The IMDb Genie Award Section |website=[[IMDb]] |access-date=30 November 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100211025719/http://www.imdb.com/Sections/Awards/Genie_Awards/1991 |archive-date=11 February 2010 |url-status=live }}</ref>

''[[Mustard Bath (film)|Mustard Bath]]'', Wasyk’s second feature film, made its world premiere at the 1993 Berlin International Film Festival, and then made its North American premiere at the WorldFest-Houston International Film Festival, where it won a Gold Prize<ref>[http://www.worldfest.org/PAGES/winners.htm The Houston Worldfest winners page] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070225000000/http://www.worldfest.org/PAGES/winners.htm |date=25 February 2007 }}</ref> for the Best Dramatic Feature Film. Back in Canada, ''Mustard Bath'' screened at the [[Montreal World Film Festival]], the [[Toronto International Film Festival]], the Festival International du Film de Québec, and at the Vancouver International Film Festival.

At the [[15th Genie Awards]] the film won a Best Supporting Actress Award for [[Martha Henry]].

[[The Girl in the White Coat]] is Wasyk's third feature inspired by Gogol's [[The Overcoat]], starring Pascale Montpetit where she picked up another Genie nomination for Best Actress performance in a Leading role in yet another Wasyk feature film, at the [[32nd Genie Awards]], as well as a Best Supporting Actor nomination for Joey Klein at the 2013 [[Jutra Award]]s.

==Television==

In television, Wasyk directed five episodes of [[Ridley Scott|Ridley]] and [[Tony Scott]]’s Scottfree/Telescene Film Group’s [[Showtime (TV network)|Showtime]] original series ''[[The Hunger (TV series)|The Hunger]]'', starring [[David Bowie]] and [[Terence Stamp]]. Episodes include: ''Sloan Men'', ''Anais'', and ''The Lighthouse'' (1998), and ''The Suction Method'' and ''The Perfect Couple'' (1999).<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0118346/ |title=''The Hunger'' (T.V. series) at the IMDb |website=[[IMDb]] |access-date=30 November 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190921025221/https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0118346/ |archive-date=21 September 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref>

==Art== Wasyk’s art installations include ''Intermission'', ''List'', ''Intermezzo'', ''Middle'', and ''Liszt, Franz'' at the [[Wynick/Tuck Gallery]],<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.wynicktuckgallery.ca/ |title=The Wynick/Tuck Official Website |access-date=17 February 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191002235818/http://wynicktuckgallery.ca/ |archive-date=2 October 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref> as well as ''On Going'' at the YYZ Artists' Outlet<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.yyzartistsoutlet.org/ |title=The YYZ Artists' Outlet Official Website |access-date=17 February 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090226220203/http://www.yyzartistsoutlet.org/ |archive-date=26 February 2009 |url-status=live }}</ref> both in [[Toronto]], [[Ontario]].

==Theatre== A student of the [[National Theatre School of Canada]] in [[Montreal]], [[Quebec]], Wasyk went on to apprentice with [[Peter Hall (director)|Sir Peter Hall]] at the [[Glyndebourne Festival Opera]] on Hall's productions of [[Mozart]]’s ''[[Don Giovanni]]'' and [[Dame Janet Baker]]’s farewell performance of [[Gluck]]’s ''[[Orfeo ed Euridice]]''. His apprenticeship with Sir Peter Hall continued on to the [[National Theatre of Great Britain]], where he worked with [[Harold Pinter]] on ''[[Other Places (play)|Other Places]]'', and on [[Oscar Wilde]]’s ''[[The Importance of Being Earnest]]'', both starring [[Judi Dench]].

In New York, Wasyk worked with [[Tennessee Williams]], directing the off-Broadway production of ''[[Out Cry]]''. He continued studying at the [[Actors Studio]], and later worked with [[Marshall W. Mason]] at the [[Circle Repertory Company]].

Wasyk became the Associate Artistic Director of the [[Toronto Free Theatre]] from 1984 to 1986, as well as becoming the founding Artistic Director of his own theatre company 45.3, where he wrote and directed the [[Floyd S. Chalmers Canadian Play Award|Chalmers]]-nominated play ''In the Wee Hours''. Other productions included [[Bertolt Brecht]]’s ''[[Baal (play)|Baal]]'', [[Alfred Jarry]]’s ''[[Ubu Roi|Ubu the King]]'', [[Béla Bartók]]’s, ''[[Bluebeard’s Castle]]'', and [[Sam Shepard]]’s ''[[Killer’s Head]]''. During the [[Shaw Festival]]’s 1984 season, Wasyk directed the first play reading series, ''New Works''.

==Filmography== ===Feature films=== {| class="wikitable" |- ! Year !! Film !! Notes |- | [[1990 in film|1990]] || ''[[H (1990 film)|H]]'' || |- | [[1994 in film|1994]] || ''[[Mustard Bath (film)|Mustard Bath]]'' || |- | [[2011 in film|2011]] || ''[[The Girl in the White Coat]]'' || |- |}

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== * {{IMDb name|id=0913764|name=Darrell Wasyk}} * {{facebook|dwasyk}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Wasyk, Darrell}} [[Category:1958 births]] [[Category:Film directors from Edmonton]] [[Category:20th-century Canadian screenwriters]] [[Category:20th-century Canadian male writers]] [[Category:21st-century Canadian screenwriters]] [[Category:21st-century Canadian male writers]] [[Category:Writers from Edmonton]] [[Category:Canadian television directors]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:Screenwriters from Alberta]]