Julien Élie is a Canadian documentary filmmaker from Quebec, most noted for his films Dark Suns (Soleils noirs)Jean-Baptiste Hervé, "Soleils noirs aux RIDM : Des restes humains". Voir, November 9, 2018. and The White Guard (La Guardia blanca).Megan Durnford, "Julien Elie Captures Stories of Courageous Land Defenders in La Guardia Blanca". Point of View, November 21, 2023.
He began his career with a supporting role as Pierre in the 1984 film The Dog Who Stopped the War (La Guerre des tuques),Charles-Henri Ramond, "Guerre des tuques, La – Film d’André Melançon". Films du Québec, January 9, 2009. but later worked as a boom operator on films rather than continuing an acting career.
He released his first documentary film, The One Who Knew (Celui qui savait), in 2001. The film centred on the investigation into the assassination of Rwandan politician Seth Sendashonga.Éric Fourlanty, "Rencontres internationales du documentaire de Montréal : La guerre oubliée". Voir, November 15, 2001. He followed up with The Last Meal (Le Dernier repas), about prisoners on death row in Texas, in 2003.Juliette Ruer, "Le Dernier Repas : L’ordre des choses". Voir, February 20, 2003.
Dark Suns and The White Guard both focused on the issue of violent crime in Mexico.
His newest film, Shifting Baselines, premiered at the 2025 edition of the Visions du Réel documentary film festival.Nicholas Sokic, "Two Canadian docs set for Visions du Réel world premieres". Playback, March 13, 2025.
Filmography The One Who Knew (Celui qui savait) - 2001 The Last Meal (Le Dernier repas) - 2003 Dark Suns (Soleils noirs) - 2018 The White Guard (La Guardia blanca) - 2023 Shifting Baselines - 2025
Awards
Award Date Category Recipient Result DOXA Documentary Film Festival 2019 Colin Low Award Dark Suns (Soleils noirs) Lauren Malyk, "In Brief: Hubbard wins DOXA’s Canadian doc prize". Playback, May 16, 2019. Filmfest Hamburg 2019 Sichtwechsel Film Award "Mehr Zuschauer und Preis für Nina Hoss: Filmfest Hamburg geht zu Ende". RedaktionsNetzwerk Deutschland, October 5, 2019. Montreal International Documentary Festival 2018 Grand Prize, National Feature Lauren Malyk, "Dark Suns wins at RIDM". Playback, November 19, 2018. 2023 Magnus Isacsson Award The White Guard (La Guardia blanca) "Palmarès de la 26e édition des Rencontres internationales du documentaire de Montréal (RIDM)". CTVM, November 27, 2023. Student Jury Award Prix Iris 2020 Best Documentary Film Dark Suns (Soleils noirs) "Le film Antigone, grand gagnant du Gala Québec Cinéma avec six prix". Ici Radio-Canada, June 10, 2020.
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