Michael McNamara (born December 6, 1953) is a Canadian film and television director and producer from Windsor, Ontario,[1] who was cofounder with Judy Holm of the Markham Street Films studio.[2]
The son of poet Eugene McNamara,[3] McNamara directed episodes of children's television series such as The Elephant Show, Eric's World and Polka Dot Shorts, as well as music videos and television specials for Holly Cole Trio, Jane Siberry and Prairie Oyster,[4] in his early career, before releasing his debut feature film The Cockroach that Ate Cincinnati, an adaptation of theatrical plays by Alan Williams, in 1996.[5] In 1998 he directed In Thru the Out Door, a television special billed as "network television's first-ever all-queer, all-star sketch comedy show".[6]
With his wife, Judy Holm, he launched Markham Street Films in the early 2000s.[7] With that firm, he has directed documentary films rather than narrative features, although he has been a producer of narrative features by other filmmakers.[8]
His credits as a documentary director have included Radio Revolution: The Rise and Fall of the Big 8 (2004),[9] 100 Films and a Funeral (2007),[10] Acquainted with the Night (2010),[11] and episodes of the television documentary series The Nature of Things[12] and CBC Docs POV.[13]
His credits as a producer have included Victoria Day and Big News from Grand Rock.
| Award | Date of ceremony | Category | Work | Result | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gemini Awards | 1988 | Best Picture Editing in a Comedy, Variety or Performing Arts Program or Series | Jane Siberry: I Muse Aloud | [14] | |
| 1994 | Best Direction in a Variety or Performing Arts Program or Series | The Holly Cole Trio: My Foolish Heart | |||
| Best Picture Editing in a Comedy, Variety or Performing Arts Program or Series | |||||
| 1999 | Best Direction in a Variety, or Performing Arts Program or Series | In Thru the Out Door | [15] | ||
| 2001 | Best Direction in a Documentary Program | Wrinkle | [16] | ||
| 2004 | Best History Documentary Program | Radio Revolution: The Rise and Fall of the Big 8 | [17] | ||
| Best Writing in a Documentary Program or Series | [18] | ||||
| 2006 | Best Direction in a Documentary Series | Shrines and Homemade Holy Places: "Highways to Heaven" | [19] | ||
| 2008 | Best History Documentary Program | 100 Films and a Funeral | [20] | ||
| 2009 | Best Direction in a Documentary Series | Driven by Vision: "Of Castles, Kings and Jesters" | [21] | ||
| 2011 | Best Science, Technology, Nature, Environment or Adventure Documentary Program | Acquainted with the Night | [22] | ||
| Best Direction in a Documentary Program | [23] | ||||
| Canadian Screen Awards | 2014 | Rob Stewart Award | The Nature of Things "Lights Out!" | ||
| Best Documentary Program | Ice, Sweat and Tears | ||||
| 2016 | Rob Stewart Award | The Nature of Things "The Cholesterol Question" | |||
| 2021 | The Nature of Things "Pass the Salt" | [24] | |||
| Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival | 2014 | Don Haig Award | [25] | ||
| Writers Guild of Canada | 2015 | WGC Screenwriting Awards Documentary | The Nature of Things: "The Cholesterol Question" | [26] | |
| 2019 | CBC Docs POV "Catwalk: Tales from the Cat Show Circuit" | [27] | |||
| 2020 | CBC Docs POV "Pugly: A Pug's Life" | [28] |