Paul Cowan is a Canadian filmmaker who spent the bulk of his career with the National Film Board of Canada.

Cowan brings a strong narrative sense to formally inventive documentaries, addressing such diverse subjects as Dr. Henry Morgentaler's battle to provide safe legal abortions and the contested WWI history of pilot Billy Bishop. In a 30-year career as resident filmmaker at the National Film Board of Canada, he has worked as cinematographer or director on over 30 productions, carefully tailoring his approach to his subject matter. "We're just storytellers using pictures," says Cowan. "Ultimately you have to be taking people on an emotional journey and it has to lead somewhere. It has to make sense to them." Westray, his moving account of a Nova Scotian mining disaster, won a Gemini for Best Documentary, and The Peacekeepers charts a fascinating journey into the universe of United Nations peacekeeping forces. He has also directed drama, including Justice Denied, based on the true story of a young Micmac wrongly convicted of murder.

Selected Filmography

Les 18 fugitives / The 18 Wanted (2014)
(co-directed with Amer Shomali
Tanit d'Or / Golden Tanit | JCC 2014, Tunis
Best documentary 2014 | 8th Abu Dhabi FilmFest
Rockie Award - BANFF 2016

Paris 1919 (2008)

The Peacekeepers (2005)
Columbus International Film and Video Festival - Honorable Mention
One World International Human Rights Film Festival - Vaclav Havel Award

Westray (2001)
Genie Award - Best Documentary

Give Me Your Soul (2000)

Lessons (1995)

Double or Nothing: The Rise and Fall of Robert Campeau (1992)

Justice Denied (1989)
Columbus International Film and Video Festival - Honorable Mention

Democracy on Trial: The Morgantaler Affair (1984)
Futura Berlin Award


Read more:
* http://films.nfb.ca/art-du-reel/director.php?id=29
* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Cowan_(filmmaker)