François Balcaen

French Canadian François Balcaen's first exposure to film production came in the form of video workshops he attended while still in high school. In 1992 he produced and directed his first independent film, an interpretive short, inspired by the Richard Séguin song "Par delà l'océan". A relocation to Toronto in 1994 would lead to other "dramatic" opportunities... Only 21 years of age, yet sporting an uncanny level of maturity and experience, he was offered the Key Grip position on John Fawcett's feature film "The Boys Club". This opportunity was the catalyst that would lead, over the next 14 years, to over 50 television and motion picture credits as a department head, including "The Lookout", "The Haunting in Connecticut" and the Oscar winning "Capote". Always drawn in by the narrative, and now more than ever feeling the tug of creative strings pulling him toward new horizons, 2008 proved to be the year François returned to his first true passion, directing. 2017 witnessed the release of the French language docu-drama series "La Grande Traversée". Highly anticipated and critically acclaimed, it chronicles the historic North Atlantic crossing by sail of 10 ordinary Canadians. Bravely retracing their ancestor's footsteps, their personal journeys unfold as they face high seas and low morale and attempt to travel from La Rochelle, France to reach the "New World"... François' career in the motion picture film industry has given him an in-depth knowledge of storytelling as a visual art. His attention to detail and strong cinematic style evoke his fundamental principal that above all, the emotions that lie within the narrative must rule...