Based in London, Ontario, with his Patrick Barfoot is a documentary filmmaker and media technology instructor. He is drawn to showcasing stories of unique and compelling individuals, and exploring Canadian regional history, visual arts, and experimental film. Patrick is a member of the Documentary Organization of Canada.
Patrick’s work has been broadcasted on Bell Fibe TV and TVO, and nationally on CBC. His 2020 short documentary, Jaan Poldaas: New Work, has been screened at film festivals throughout Canada, and internationally in the US, Italy, and Spain. His 2016 film The Constant Refugee won Achievement in Documentary from the Enroute Film Festival and was showcased at Jayu Human Rights Film Festival, REELWorld Film Festival, Forest City Film Festival, and many others. In addition, his work as a documentary editor has had international acclaim, with works premiering at Hot Docs and the Sheffield Doc/Fest.
As an instructor, Patrick developed Humber College’s first documentary post-production course using Adobe Premiere Pro for their Bachelor of Film and Media program. He taught a lecture series on documentary post-production at Wilfrid Laurier University, and has been a guest lecturer at Western University.
Outside his filmmaking, Patrick lives with his librarian wife Kathryn Anne and enjoys gardening, cycling, and cooking.
Latest Documentary
Jaan Poldaas: New Work (2019)
Synopsis: Why would an artist choose to disappear at the height of their career? This is the question posed by director Patrick Barfoot. In Canada in 1998, minimalist and conceptual artist Jaan Poldaas enjoyed a reputation that rested on three decades of work. One year later, the artist vanished from the art world. In this short film rich in archival material, the director attempts to find answers from lessons on contemporary art and personal accounts from art professionals. A portrait of an enigmatic artist, Jaan Poldaas: New Work is also a shining homage.
Previous Projects
Bomb Girls: Scarboro’s Best Keep Secret (2017)
The Constant Refugee (2016)
Happy Excited Wonder (2016)
Babel Collective: Toronto Experimental Film Collective (2015)
Music Lessons (2015)
Building a Dream: First Mosque in Ontario (2013)
Education
Bachelor of Arts, Psychology and Creative Writing, Western University
Master of Arts, Media Production, RTA School of Media, Toronto Metropolitan University
DOC Institute: Documentary Producing Bootcamp
Certificate in Professional Project Management, Western University