# Donald Winkler

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Canadian documentary filmmaker and literary translator (born 1940)

Donald Winkler Donald Winkler in 2018 Born Donald Winkler 1940 (age 85–86) Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada Alma mater University of Manitoba Yale School of Drama Occupations Filmmaker, Translator Spouse Sheila Fischman Awards Governor General's Award Website www.donaldwinkler.com

**Donald Winkler** (born 1940) is a Canadian documentary filmmaker and French-to-English literary translator.[1][2] He lives in Montreal with his wife [Sheila Fischman](/source/Sheila_Fischman).[3]

## Life and career

### Early life

Winkler was born in [Winnipeg](/source/Winnipeg), Manitoba and grew up loving theatre.[4] He was introduced to French through his mother who studied the language in [Romania](/source/Romania) before coming to Canada when she was fifteen years old.[1] As a student, he took French courses alongside his literary studies at the [University of Manitoba](/source/University_of_Manitoba) where he graduated in 1961.[1] He also went on to do graduate studies at the [Yale School of Drama](/source/Yale_School_of_Drama).[2] In his early twenties, he spent a year and a half in Paris teaching English where he enjoyed watching films at the [Cinématheque](/source/Cin%C3%A9matheque_Fran%C3%A7aise) and the little [Latin Quarter](/source/Latin_Quarter) art houses.[4] When he returned to Canada, he was drawn to Montreal because, for him, it was "the only city in the country at that time cosmopolitan enough".[4] The city was also the headquarters for the [National Film Board of Canada](/source/National_Film_Board_of_Canada), where Winkler first began making films.[4] He applied for an apprenticeship position that did not require film experience and was hired in 1967 when one of the three initial applicants declined the offer.[4] He learned the trade on the job and within a couple of years, began working on his first film.[4]

### Film career

Winkler has been an independent filmmaker since leaving the National Film Board where he worked as a documentary film director and writer from 1967 to 1995.[1] His films primarily deal with the arts and culture in Canada.[1] He wrote and directed a number of films that look into the lives of Canadian playwrights, writers and musicians such as [Irving Layton](/source/Irving_Layton), [F. R. Scott](/source/F._R._Scott), [P. K. Page](/source/P._K._Page), [Al Purdy](/source/Al_Purdy), [Earle Birney](/source/Earle_Birney), [Ralph Gustafson](/source/Ralph_Gustafson) and [Tomson Highway](/source/Tomson_Highway).[1] In the year 2005, he entered his three films: *Moshe Safdie: The Power of Architecture*, *The Pines of Emily Carr* and *The Colour of Memory: Conversations with Guido Molinari* into the International Festival of Films on Art in Montreal.[5]

In 1993, his documentary film *[Breaking a Leg: Robert Lepage and the Echo Project](/source/Breaking_a_Leg%3A_Robert_Lepage_and_the_Echo_Project)* was a [Genie Award](/source/Genie_Award) nominee for [Best Short Documentary](/source/Canadian_Screen_Award_for_Best_Short_Documentary) at the [14th Genie Awards](/source/14th_Genie_Awards).[6]

### Translation

Winkler first began translating [Quebec literature](/source/Quebec_literature) in the late 1980s.[2] Although he never studied translation, he has since translated over 25 works including novels, poetry and essays.[7][8] He is a member of the [Literary Translators' Association of Canada](/source/Literary_Translators'_Association_of_Canada).[9] [Carmine Starnino](/source/Carmine_Starnino) describes Winkler as "one of [Canada's] most gifted and highly decorated practitioners."[10] Winkler describes the process of translation as "a constant quest for perfect pitch" and a "sophisticated word game".[3][7] A successful translation, in his words, gives readers "some sense of what it's like to be in another culture's skin".[7] His translations have been described as "seamless" and "wonderful".[11][12] [Sheila Fischman](/source/Sheila_Fischman), his spouse, is also an award-winning translator. He describes her as the "doyenne of Canadian literary translation".[3]

#### Awards and nominations

Donald Winker has won the [Governor General's Award](/source/Governor_General's_Award) for Translation three times:

- in 1994, for *The Lyric Generation: The Life and Times of the Baby-Boomers* by [François Ricard](/source/Fran%C3%A7ois_Ricard)*,*

- in 2011, for *Partitia for Glenn Gould* by Georges Leroux,

- and in 2013, for *The Major Verbs* by [Pierre Nepveu](/source/Pierre_Nepveu).

His work was also nominated for the Governor General's Award on three separate occasions.[13][14]

Donald Winkler was nominated for the [Giller Prize](/source/Scotiabank_Giller_Prize) twice:

- in 2007, for *A Secret Between Us* by [Daniel Poliquin](/source/Daniel_Poliquin),[15]

- and in 2015, for *Arvida* by [Samuel Archibald](/source/Samuel_Archibald_(writer))[16]

In addition, he won the [Quebec Writers' Federation's Cole Foundation Translation Prize](/source/Quebec_Writers'_Federation_Awards) for his translation of *The Major Verbs* by [Pierre Nepveu](/source/Pierre_Nepveu),[2] and in 1987, he received an honorable mention at the [Literary Translators' Association of Canada](/source/Literary_Translators'_Association_of_Canada)'s John Glassco Prize for Literary Translation for his translation entitled *Rose and Thorn*: *The Selected Poetry by Roland Giguère*.[17] Winkler's translation of *Arvida* by [Samuel Archibald](/source/Samuel_Archibald_(writer)) was also [short-listed](/source/Short_list) for the 2016 [Best Translated Book Awards](/source/Best_Translated_Book_Award).[18]

#### List of Translations

Title[19] Author Year And God Created the French Louis-Bernard Robitaille 1997 Are You Married to a Psychopath? Nadine Bismuth 2010 Arvida Samuel Archibald 2015 A Secret Between Us Daniel Poliquin 2007 Conversations with Jean-Paul Riopelle Gilbert Erouart and Jean-Paul Riopelle 1995 Crac Paul Savoie 2016 Eucalyptus Mauricio Segura 2013 Exile Gilles Vigneault 2010 Forty-Seven Stations for a Ravaged Town Jacques Rancourt 2015 In the Name of the Father Daniel Poliquin 2001 Jeanniot: Taking Aviation to New Heights Jacqueline Cardinal and Laurent Lapierre 2013 Latest News from the Cosmos Hubert Reeves 1997 Malicorne Hubert Reeves 1993 Montcalm & Wolfe: Two Men Who Forever Changed the Course of Canadian History Roch Carrier 2014 Of Jesuits and Bohemians Jean-Claude Germain 2014 Partitia for Glenn Gould Georges Leroux 2010 Pluriel: An Anthology of Diverse Voices Various authors 2008 Romans Fleuves Pierre Nepveu 1998 Rose and Thorn: The Selected Poetry by Roland Giguère Roland Giguère 1988 Rue Fabre: Centre of the Universe Jean-Claude Germain 2012 Terracide Hubert Reeves 2009 The Bad Mother Marguerite Andersen 2016 The Lyric Generation: The Life and Times of the Baby-Boomers François Ricard 1994 The Major Verbs Pierre Nepveu 2012 The Storm Léon Courville 1995 The Universe Explained to my Grandchildren Hubert Reeves 2012 The World of the Gift Jacques T. Godbout 1998 To the Spring, by Night Seyhmus Dagtekin 2013 You Will Love What You Have Killed Kevin Lambert 2020

## Further reading

1. [nationalpost.com](https://nationalpost.com/entertainment/books/swearing-in-translation)

1. [http://www.cbc.ca/books/2016/04/giller-finalist-samuel-archibald-nominated-for-20k-international-book-prize.html](http://www.cbc.ca/books/2016/04/giller-finalist-samuel-archibald-nominated-for-20k-international-book-prize.html)

1. [http://www.asymptotejournal.com/blog/2015/11/30/oh-canada-a-new-translation-by-donald-winkler-of-samuel-archibalds-arvida/](http://www.asymptotejournal.com/blog/2015/11/30/oh-canada-a-new-translation-by-donald-winkler-of-samuel-archibalds-arvida/)

1. [https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/samuel-archibald/arvida/](https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/samuel-archibald/arvida/)

1. [http://books2.scholarsportal.info/viewdoc.html?id=/ebooks/ebooks3/upress/2014-01-23/1/9780773589858](http://books2.scholarsportal.info/viewdoc.html?id=/ebooks/ebooks3/upress/2014-01-23/1/9780773589858)

1. [http://books1.scholarsportal.info/viewdoc.html?id=/ebooks/ebooks0/gibson_crkn/2009-12-01/3/405763&page=176](http://books1.scholarsportal.info/viewdoc.html?id=/ebooks/ebooks0/gibson_crkn/2009-12-01/3/405763&page=176)

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-KING_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-KING_1-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-KING_1-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-KING_1-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-KING_1-4) [***f***](#cite_ref-KING_1-5) ["Donald Winkler"](https://www.kingstonwritersfest.ca/). *Kingston WritersFest*. 2015. Retrieved November 21, 2015.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-BIO_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-BIO_2-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-BIO_2-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-BIO_2-3) ["Biography"](http://donaldwinkler.com/?page_id=129). *Donald Winkler*. Retrieved November 21, 2015.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-WALRUS_3-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-WALRUS_3-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-WALRUS_3-2) Russell Brunet, Julien (December 5, 2013). ["Donald Winkler: An interview with the winner of the Governor General's Literary Award for Translation"](http://thewalrus.ca/donald-winkler/). *The Walrus*. Retrieved November 21, 2015.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-AFA_4-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-AFA_4-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-AFA_4-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-AFA_4-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-AFA_4-4) [***f***](#cite_ref-AFA_4-5) Alexander, Geoff. ["Donald Winkler"](http://www.afana.org/winkler.htm). *AFA*. Academic Film Archive of North America. Retrieved November 21, 2015.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** Griffin, John (March 5, 2005). "And Winkler Makes Three". The Gazette.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** "And Genie nominations ...". *[Hamilton Spectator](/source/Hamilton_Spectator)*, October 20, 1993.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-MALAHAT_7-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-MALAHAT_7-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-MALAHAT_7-2) Willems, Benjamin (2014). ["A Shadow on Plato's Wall: Benjamin Willems in Conversation with Donald Winkler"](http://www.malahatreview.ca/interviews/winkler_interview.html). *The Malahat Review*. University of Victoria. Retrieved November 21, 2015.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-TRAN_8-0)** ["Translations"](http://donaldwinkler.com/?page_id=86). *Donald Winkler*. Retrieved November 21, 2015.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** ["Directory of Members"](https://web.archive.org/web/20151222083742/http://www.attlc-ltac.org/directory_members). *ATTLC*. Literary Translator's Association of Canada. Archived from [the original](http://www.attlc-ltac.org/directory_members) on December 22, 2015. Retrieved November 21, 2015.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** Starnino, Carmine (June 9, 2015). ["Why the book I'm about to publish will be ignored"](http://www.partisanmagazine.com/blog/2015/6/8/why-the-book-im-about-to-publish-will-be-ignored). Partisan Magazine. Retrieved December 5, 2015.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-11)** Q&Q Staff (December 2015). ["2015: Books of the Year"](https://www.quillandquire.com/omni/2015-books-of-the-year/). *Quill and Quire*. Retrieved December 5, 2016.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-12)** Siemens, Gnaomi (November 30, 2015). ["Oh Canada: Donald Winkler's New Translation of Samuel Archibald's Arvida"](http://www.asymptotejournal.com/blog/2015/11/30/oh-canada-a-new-translation-by-donald-winkler-of-samuel-archibalds-arvida/). *Asymptote Journal*. Retrieved December 5, 2015.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-13)** ["English-Language Winners of the Governor General's Literary Awards 1936-2014"](https://ggbooks.canadacouncil.ca/~/media/ggbooks/2015/documents/ggla_en_2015.pdf) (PDF). *Governor General's Literary Awards*. Canada Council for the Arts. Retrieved November 21, 2015.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-14)** ["Cumulative List of Winners of the Governor General's Literary Awards"](https://web.archive.org/web/20161220074910/http://ggbooks.ca/~/media/ggbooks/2016/lists/cumulative%20winners%202016.pdf) (PDF). *ggbooks.ca*. Canada Council for the Arts. 2016. Archived from [the original](http://ggbooks.ca/~/media/ggbooks/2016/lists/cumulative%20winners%202016.pdf) (PDF) on December 20, 2016. Retrieved November 16, 2016.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-15)** Donnelly, Pat (November 4, 2007). ["Newspaper Story Sparked Novel Idea for York; Polygamy Piece Led Giller Nominee to Mountain Meadows Massacre"](https://www.proquest.com/docview/245586952/). *Calgary Herald*. [ProQuest](/source/ProQuest) [245586952](https://www.proquest.com/docview/245586952). Retrieved November 16, 2016.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-16)** Medley, Mark (October 6, 2015). ["Giller Prize Announces Shortlist, which Includes Short Fiction and a Work-in-Translation"](https://www.proquest.com/docview/1719189704/). *The Globe and Mail*. [ProQuest](/source/ProQuest) [1719189704](https://www.proquest.com/docview/1719189704). Retrieved November 16, 2016.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-17)** ["John Glassco Translation Prize | attlc-ltac.org"](https://web.archive.org/web/20161111143406/http://attlc-ltac.org/john-glassco-translation-prize). *www.attlc-ltac.org*. Archived from [the original](http://www.attlc-ltac.org/john-glassco-translation-prize) on 2016-11-11. Retrieved 2016-11-16.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-18)** Post, Chad (April 19, 2016). ["2016 Best Translated Book Award Finalists!"](http://www.rochester.edu/College/translation/threepercent/index.php?id=17442). Three Percent. Retrieved December 5, 2016.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-19)** ["Translations | Donald Winkler"](http://donaldwinkler.com/?page_id=86). *donaldwinkler.com*. Retrieved 2016-11-16.

v t e Winners of the Governor General's Award for French to English translation 1980s Patricia Claxton, Enchantment and Sorrow: The Autobiography of Gabrielle Roy (1987) Philip Stratford, Second Chance (1988) Wayne Grady, On the Eighth Day (1989) 1990s Jane Brierley, Yellow-Wolf and Other Tales of the Saint Lawrence (1990) Albert W. Halsall, A Dictionary of Literary Devices: Gradus, A-Z (1991) Fred A. Reed, Imagining the Middle East (1992) D. G. Jones, Categorics One, Two and Three (1993) Donald Winkler, The Lyric Generation: The Life and Times of the Baby Boomers (1994) David Homel, Why Must a Black Writer Write About Sex? (1995) Linda Gaboriau, Stone and Ashes (1996) Howard Scott, The Euguelion (1997) Sheila Fischman, Bambi and Me (1998) Patricia Claxton, Gabrielle Roy: A Life (1999) 2000s Robert Majzels, Just Fine (2000) Fred A. Reed and David Homel, Fairy Ring (2001) Nigel Spencer, Thunder and Light (2002) Jane Brierley, Memoirs of a Less Travelled Road: A Historian’s Life (2003) Judith Cowan, Mirabel (2004) Fred A. Reed, Truth or Death: The Quest for Immortality in the Western Narrative Tradition (2005) Hugh Hazelton, Vetiver (2006) Nigel Spencer, Augustino and the Choir of Destruction (2007) Lazer Lederhendler, Nikolski (2008) Susan Ouriou, Pieces of Me (2009) 2010s Linda Gaboriau, Forests (2010) Donald Winkler, Partita for Glenn Gould (2011) Nigel Spencer, Mai at the Predators’ Ball (2012) Donald Winkler, The Major Verbs (2013) Peter Feldstein, Paul-Émile Borduas: A Critical Biography (2014) Rhonda Mullins, Twenty-One Cardinals (2015) Lazer Lederhendler, The Party Wall (2016) Oana Avasilichioaei, Readopolis (2017) Phyllis Aronoff and Howard Scott, Descent Into Night (2018) Linda Gaboriau, Birds of a Kind (2019) 2020s Lazer Lederhendler, If You Hear Me (2020) Erín Moure, This Radiant Life (2021) Judith Weisz Woodsworth, History of the Jews in Quebec (2022) Peter McCambridge, Rosa's Very Own Personal Revolution (2023) Katia Grubisic, Nights Too Short to Dance (2024) Jessica Moore, Uiesh/Somewhere (2025)

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Donald Winkler](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donald_Winkler) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donald_Winkler?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.