Mar 16, 2023
The Winnipeg Film Group is deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Leon Johnson. Leon passed away on March 10, 2023. We are sending our deepest condolences to Leon’s family and friends during this difficult time.
Leon Johnson was a founding member of the Winnipeg Film Group, and the first Coordinator at the organization, who encouraged young filmmakers to create and hold steadfast to their artistic vision. Leon was a member of the production crew on the WFG’s first completed production, Rabbit Pie (1976, b&w, 16mm, sound).
Leon worked on an array of Canadian and American film and TV productions as a sound recordist, mixer and editor and was involved in many film projects with credits on 200+ feature, documentary and IMAX films including recording audio for Canadian segments of the children’s television program “Sesame Street”.
Leon won two Gemini awards for his sound work on Heads (1994) and The Arrow (1997). He was nominated for two Genie Awards – for his audio work on the feature film High Life (2009) and Seven Times Lucky (2004) and was production sound mixer on the Academy Award winning Capote (2005).
In a profile by Winnipeg journalist, Randall King said, Leon Johnson “is one of the most outspoken advocates for local film production. Pressed to reflect on his career thus far, Johnson says he has always been motivated by the notion that film could be done anywhere, that Hollywood wasn’t the only place that makes film, and what we see in theatres is not the only cinema.”
Leon was recently in-person at the 2022 Gimme Some Truth 13th Annual Documentary Festival, presenting a new cut of his film Yardmen (1977/2022). A portrait of the CP Rail yard workers of central Winnipeg. A documentary that Leon and members of the Winnipeg Film Group shot in the 1970s but never finished, until 2022 with the help of local documentarian Kevin Nikkel.
Leon’s enthusiasm and independent spirit will be forever missed.
