François Girard stunned English Canada in 1994 with his brilliant feature Thirty Two Short Films about Glenn Gould, which won four Genies including best director and best picture. His career as a filmmaker started in Montreal a decade earlier when he founded Zone Productions. His third feature, The Red Violin (1998) was another immense triumph, winning eight Genies (including best picture and best director) and an Oscar for best original soundtrack. His work in commercials has been rewarded with many prizes, and the Montreal Publicity Club named him director of the year in 1997.