Arnie Gelbart

Arnie Gelbart is a Belgian-Canadian film and television producer, who founded the Galafilm studio in 1990.

Born in Brussels and raised in Montreal, Quebec, he began his career in film as an assistant director on Luis Buñuel's 1972 film The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie. He was a co-founder of Cleo 24 in the 1980s, before launching Galafilm in 1990.

He has produced both narrative and documentary film and television. His most noted productions have included the Gemini Award-winning documentary series The Valour and the Horror, and the film Lilies, a Genie Award winner for Best Motion Picture. He has also been a screenwriter, most notably on the films Bayo and The Gunrunner, and has directed a number of short documentary films.

He was inducted as a member of the Order of Canada in 2024.

Awards Award Year Category Work Result Ref Canadian Screen Awards 2014 Best Documentary Series The Beatwith Daniel Morin 2022 Donald Brittain Award Ghosts of Afghanistanwith Julian Sher, Natalie Dubois Gemini Awards 1993 Best Documentary Series The Valour and the Horrorwith André Lamy 1995 Donald Brittain Award The Voyage of the St. Louis 1999 Best Short Drama The Tale of Teekawith Anna Stratton 2000 Best Science, Technology, Nature, Environment or Adventure Documentary Program After Darwin Best History/Biography Documentary Program The Viking Saga: The Era of the Long Shipswith Bo G. Ericson, Lars Rengfelt 2002 Best Drama Series Blisswith Janis Lundman, Adrienne Mitchell, Ian Whitehead Best Biography Documentary Program Ted Allan: Minstrel Boy of the 20th Centurywith Adam Symansky, Sally Bochner, Elizabeth Klinck 2003 Best Reality Program or Series Cirque du Soleil: Fire Withinwith Marie Côté, Vincent Gagné Best History Documentary Program Chiefs: The Trial of Poundmakerwith Richard Elson 2004 Best Drama Series Blisswith Janis Lundman, Ian Whitehead, Adrienne Mitchell 2005 Best TV Movie Tripping the Wire: A Stephen Tree Mysterywith Francine Allaire, Anne Marie La Traverse Best Science, Technology, Nature, Environment or Adventure Documentary Program The Origins of AIDSwith Michel Crepon, Christine Le Goff, Christine Pereaux Best Children's or Youth Fiction Program or Series 15/Lovewith Jesse Fawcett, Derek Schreyer, Olivier Brémond, Karen Troubetzkoy, Pascal Breton, Leanna Crouch Fungus the BogeymanIan Whitehead, Dan Maddicott, Michael Haggiag Best Writing in a Documentary Program or Series The Origins of AIDSwith Peter Chappell, Stéphane Horel 2006 Best TV Movie Hunt for Justicewith Francine Allaire, Randy Holleschau, Anne Marie La Traverse, Christine Ruppert Donald Brittain Award Big Sugarwith Sylvia Wilson, Stephen Phizicky Best Children’s or Youth Fiction Program or Series 15/Lovewith Derek Schreyer, Olivier Brémond, Karen Troubetzkoy, Pascal Breton 2007 Best Performing Arts Program or Series, or Arts Documentary Program or Series Cirque du Soleil: Lovesickwith Valérie Beaugrand-Champagne, Vincent Gagné, Martin Bolduc Best History Documentary Program The Great War: The Complete History of WWIwith Natalie Dubois, Stephen Phizicky, Janet Torge, Brian McKenna 2010 Paris 1919with Gerry Flahive, Silva Basmajian, Paul Saadoun Genie Awards 1996 Best Motion Picture Lilieswith Robin Cass, Anna Stratton Emmy Awards 2003 Outstanding Nonfiction Program (Alternative) Cirque du Soleil: Fire Withinwith Christian Barcellos, Martin Bolduc, Marie Côté, Vincent Gagné, Amy Introcaso-Davis, Sylvia Wilson