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Daniel Grou

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Daniel Grou
Born (1967-08-19) 19 August 1967 (age 57)
Montreal, Canada
Occupation(s)Film director, film producer, screenwriter
Years active2003–present

Daniel Grou (born August 19, 1967), frequently credited as Podz, is a Canadian film and television director, director of six feature films as well as episodes in dozen TV series.

Biography

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Daniel Grou was born in Montreal, Canada.[1] He has a bachelor's degree in film studies.[2]

He took the nickname "Podz" from the fact that his surname differs in spelling, but not in pronunciation, from the far more common French Canadian surname Groulx, meaning that he was frequently forced to state his surname to people as "Grou, pas d'lx".[3]

Career

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Grou started his career directing rock videos and English-language TV shows, Drop the Beat was one of his first projects.[1] He made more than 60 videoclips for various artists, including Laymen Twaist [fr] and René Dupéré.[2]

His credits include six feature films as well as episodes in dozen TV series.[4][5]

He directed all three seasons of Canadian French-language 19-2, and later was invited to direct the first episode of season two of the English version.[6]

Grou directed the first and the third seasons of Cardinal, missing the second one due to a scheduling conflict.[7][8][9] The series were adapted from Giles Blunt’s book Forty Words for Sorrow.[10]

Grou feature film 7 days, a story about a father's revenge,[11] was screened at Sundance festival and well-received by its audience[12] that appreciated ‘reimagining of the horrors of torture porn’ and praised Grou for bringing moral complexity to the genre and balancing the violence with impeccable direction.[2] However, some critics were sceptical and called the movie a ‘pseudo-artistic veneer’ that lacked catharsis and showed forgettable characters.[13]

Released in 2013, Vikings became one of Grou's most popular projects.[3] The showrunner Michael Hirst called Grou ‘a very gifted director’ and confessed that he was the only one to tackle the most challenging episodes.[14] For Vikings he was nominated for DGC's award for outstanding directorial achievement in a dramatic series.[15]

In 2021, he released Mafia Inc., a drama about the Canadian mafia based on a nonfiction book written by a former mob.[5][16]

Grou's film received high acclaim and he was complimented for a bold move into a genre completely dominated by Coppola's The Godfather.[2] The film was premiered at São Paulo International Film Festival before having its Canadian premiere in February 2020.[17][18]

In April 2023, Grou's upcoming project Kill Me Now was selected by Telefilm Canada for its Production Program.[19]

Awards

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Jean-Louis Foulquier and Podz in 2010

Grou is a four-time Gémeaux Award winner for Best Direction in a Dramatic Television Series or Program, winning in 2003 for the television film Exils, in 2006 and 2007 for Minuit, le soir, and in 2011 for the French version of 19-2. He was a Jutra Award nominee for Best Director in 2011 for 10½ and in 2013 for L'Affaire Dumont, a Genie Award nominee for Best Director at the 31st Genie Awards in 2010 for 10½, and a Canadian Screen Award nominee for Best Direction in a Dramatic Television Series at the 4th Canadian Screen Awards in 2016 for the 19-2 episode "School".

Filmography

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Cinema

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TV

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References

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  1. ^ a b Yeo, Debra (2019-01-23). "Director Daniel Grou found 'dream cast' in Cardinal's Billy Campbell and Karine Vanasse". Toronto Star. Retrieved 2023-05-23.
  2. ^ a b c d "Daniel Grou - Podz". Cinema Quebec. Retrieved 2023-05-23.
  3. ^ a b "La saga télé du roi Podz". Le Devoir. 2015-11-10.
  4. ^ Kelly, Brendan (11 July 2016). "Podz's King Dave: One-shot film premières at Fantasia". The Montreal Gazette. Retrieved 4 June 2017.
  5. ^ a b Rose, Alex, Mafia Inc. digs into the rich criminal history of Montreal, Cult MTL, February 13th, 2020, consulted online on February 14th, 2020.
  6. ^ Brandon, Kelly (2020-07-12). "School shooting sets the tone of 19-2's second English season". Montreal Gazette. Retrieved 2023-05-23.
  7. ^ "CTV and Super Écran Partner on New Serialized Drama". Broadcaster. February 11, 2016. Archived from the original on 2016-02-15. Retrieved February 11, 2016.
  8. ^ "Fantasia Film Festival: Quebec director Podz talks about his work, Friday afternoon". Montreal Gazette. 2013-07-26. Retrieved 2023-05-23.
  9. ^ Pinto, Jordan (2019-01-24). "Daniel Grou on how Cardinal boosted his career". Playback. Retrieved 2023-05-23.
  10. ^ Pinto, Jordan (2016-02-12). "Production underway on CTV's Cardinal". Playback. Retrieved 2023-05-23.
  11. ^ Brown, Todd (2009-12-04). "Sundance 2010: Revenge Is A Grim Affair In SEVEN DAYS". Screen Anarchy. Retrieved 2023-05-23.
  12. ^ ""7 DAYS"". Filmmaker magazine. 2010-01-22. Retrieved 2023-05-23.
  13. ^ Koehler, Robert (2010-01-24). "7 Days". Variety. Retrieved 2023-05-23.
  14. ^ Dowling, Amber (2020-02-05). "'Vikings' Creator Breaks Down the Midseason Finale's Bloody Battle". Variety. Retrieved 2023-05-23.
  15. ^ Vlessing, Etan (2018-09-19). "'The Handmaid's Tale,' 'Alias Grace' Among Directors Guild of Canada Awards Nominees". Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2023-05-23.
  16. ^ Kenigsberg, Ben (2021-02-18). "'Mafia Inc' Review: The Business They Have Chosen". The New York Times. Retrieved 2023-05-23.
  17. ^ "Le grand jour approche pour "Mafia Inc"". Le Journal de Montréal. February 12, 2020.
  18. ^ Harvey, Dennis (2021-02-19). "'Mafia Inc' Review: Mob Mayhem Among the Maple Leaves". Variety. Retrieved 2023-05-23.
  19. ^ "Telefilm Canada selects 12 feature-length films in the English market under the Production Program". Telefilm Canada. 2023-04-18. Retrieved 2023-05-23.
  20. ^ Bell, Robert (2013-03-30). "L'Affaire Dumont". Exclaim. Retrieved 2023-05-23.
  21. ^ "Miraculum – Film de Podz". Films du Québec. Retrieved 2023-05-23.
  22. ^ Kelly, Brendan (2016-07-11). "Podz's King Dave: One-shot film premières at Fantasia". Montreal Gazette. Retrieved 2023-05-23.
  23. ^ "Podz débute le tournage de Mafia Inc". CTVM. Retrieved 2023-05-23.
  24. ^ Billington, Alex (2021-01-22). "New Trailer for Quebecois Crime Drama 'Mafia Inc' from Daniel Grou". First showing Net. Retrieved 2023-05-23.
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