Jennifer Baichwal (born September 9, 1960) is a Canadian documentary filmmaker. She has been involved in a number of high-profile films, including Manufactured Landscapes, The True Meaning of Pictures: Shelby Lee Adams’ Appalachia, and Act of God.
Baichwal was born in Toronto, Ontario and grew up in a family of filmmakers. Her father was a television producer and her mother was a documentary filmmaker. Baichwal attended the University of Toronto, where she received a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy and Literature. She went on to attend the University of British Columbia, where she earned her Master of Arts in Cinema Studies.
Baichwal began her career working in television production. She worked for several years as a producer and director for the arts and culture series, Imprint. Baichwal also directed a number of short films including, The Holier it Gets (1994) and The True Meaning of Pictures: Shelby Lee Adams’ Appalachia (2002).
In 2006, Baichwal released her first feature-length documentary, Manufactured Landscapes. The film was well-received and it earned Baichwal several awards, including a Genie Award for Best Documentary.
In 2010, Baichwal released her second feature-length documentary, Act of God. The film explored the idea of natural disasters and the human response to them. The film received critical acclaim and won a number of awards, including a Genie Award for Best Documentary.
In 2011, Baichwal directed the documentary Payback, which examined the concept of debt and its impact on society. The film was well-received and it earned Baichwal a Genie Award for Best Documentary.
Baichwal has recently directed the documentary Watermark (2013), which explores the complex relationship between humans and water. The film received critical acclaim and won a number of awards, including a Canadian Screen Award for Best Documentary.
Baichwal is currently working on a number of projects, including directing a feature-length documentary about the life and work of renowned Canadian artist, Edward Burtynsky.
Baichwal has been praised for her ability to bring complex and difficult subjects to life in her films. She is an accomplished and highly sought after documentary filmmaker, and her work has been recognized with numerous awards and accolades.
