Monique Fortier

Monique Fortier (July 6, 1928 – August 18, 2025) was a Canadian film editor. She was most noted for her work on the film The Decline of the American Empire (Le Déclin de l'empire américain), for which she won the Genie Award for Best Editing at the 8th Genie Awards in 1987.

Life and career Fortier was born in Montreal on July 6, 1928. She began her career with the National Film Board of Canada in the 1950s, becoming one of the first women to work for the organization. Although she worked principally as an editor, she was also director of the short documentary film The Hour of Independence (À l’heure de la décolonisation) in 1963, making her the first French Canadian woman to direct an NFB film. She also subsequently directed La beauté mème in 1964, but devoted her career primarily to editing thereafter.

Her other credits include the films September Five at Saint-Henri (À St-Henri le cinq septembre), The River Schooners (Les Voitures d'eau), Acadia, Acadia (L'Acadie, L'Acadie?!?), The Crime of Ovide Plouffe (Le Crime d'Ovide Plouffe), Au chic resto pop and The Big Snake of the World (Le Grand serpent du monde). She received a Genie Award nomination for Best Editing at the 6th Genie Awards in 1985, for her work on The Crime of Ovide Plouffe. She received a second Genie Award nomination for Best Editing at the 8th Genie Awards two years later in 1987, for her work on The Decline of the American Empire, which she won this time.

Fortier died in Saint-Donat, Lanaudière on August 18, 2025, at the age of 97.

Filmography Year Title Notes Reference1961 Courtship (Le Temps des amours) Editor 1962 Strangers for the Day (Pour quelques arpents de neige) Co-editor (with Jacques Godbout and Georges Dufaux) 1962 September Five at Saint-Henri (À St-Henri le cinq septembre) Editor 1964 Villeneuve, peintre-barbier Editor 1965 Ville-Marie (Les Montréalistes) Editor 1974 Participant 1975 Jean Carignan, Fiddler (Jean Carignan, violoneux) Editor 1977 Editor 1980 Land Without Trees, or the Mouchouânipi (Le pays de la terre sans arbre ou Le mouchouânipi) Editor 1982 Plenty of Nothing (Madame, vous avez rien) Editor 1983 Les voiles bas et en travers Editor 1984 The Crime of Ovide Plouffe (Le Crime d'Ovide Plouffe) Editor 1985 La grande allure Two part documentary, editor for both parts 1986 Bam Pay A!: Rends-moi mon pays! Editor 1988 Liberty Street Blues Editor 1989 The Studio (L'Atelier) Editor 1990 Au chic resto pop Editor 1991 The Norman William Affair (L'affaire Norman William) Editor 1992 Papa Editor 1992 The Black Sheep (Le Mouton noir) Editor 1997 (Le sort de l'Amérique) Editor 1997 Tu as crié: Let Me Go Co-editor (with Yves Dion) 1999 The Big Snake of the World (Le Grand serpent du monde) Final credit as editor 2011 (La vie privée du cinéma) Self 2014 Making Movie History: Monique Fortier Self

Awards and nominations Year Association Category Work Result Reference1985 Genie Awards Best Editing The Crime of Ovide Plouffe (Le Crime d'Ovide Plouffe) 1987 The Decline of the American Empire (Le Déclin de l'empire américain)