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Gil Cardinal

1950 – 2015

Canadian filmmaker

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About Gil Cardinal

Lived 1950 – 2015 (aged 65). Gil Cardinal was a Canadian film director, screenwriter, documentary filmmaker, producer, director and filmmaker.

Gilbert Joseph "Gil" Cardinal (July 19, 1950 – November 21, 2015) was a Canadian filmmaker of Métis descent. Born in Edmonton in 1950, and placed in a foster home at the age of two, Cardinal only discovered his Métis roots while making his documentary Foster Child. This 1987 National Film Board of Canada (NFB) film received over 10 international film awards, including a Gemini Award for best direction for a documentary program, following its broadcast on CBC's Man Alive series. He also Shadow Puppets: Indian Myths and Legends, a series on Cree and Blackfoot legends. His 2003 film Totem: The Return of the G’psgolox Pole, premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival.

Death and legacy In 1997, Cardinal was recognized with a National Aboriginal Achievement Award, now the Indspire Awards, for Film and Television. Cardinal died of cirrhosis on November 21, 2015, in Edmonton at the age of 65. He had been hospitalized in his final months as he experienced a serious health decline complicated by diabetes.

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Important facts

Birth century
Nationality
Education
Northern Alberta Institute of Technology
Also known as
Gilbert Joseph Cardinal

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Gil Cardinal's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Gil Cardinal?

Canadian filmmaker (1950-2015)

When was Gil Cardinal born?

Gil Cardinal was born on 19 July 1950 in Edmonton.

When did Gil Cardinal die?

Gil Cardinal died on 21 November 2015 in Edmonton.

What was Gil Cardinal's occupation?

Gil Cardinal was a film director, screenwriter, documentary filmmaker, producer, director and filmmaker.

What nationality was Gil Cardinal?

Gil Cardinal was Canadian.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Gil Cardinal

· Wikidata: Q96577213

· DBpedia: Gil Cardinal

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Gil Cardinal. https://biography.guide/gil-cardinal/

MLA: "Gil Cardinal." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/gil-cardinal/.

Chicago: "Gil Cardinal." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/gil-cardinal/.

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