---
name: "Denys Arcand"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/denys-arcand"
fi1m_id: "denys-arcand"
imdb_id: "nm0000780"
tmdb_id: 38516
wikidata_id: "Q363231"
roles: ["Director","Writer"]
born: "25 June 1941"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 1
average_as: "director"
average_over: 1
updated: "2026-09-26T01:24:50.390991+00:00"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Denys Arcand

## Identity

Denys Arcand

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/denys-arcand
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** denys-arcand
- **IMDb ID:** nm0000780
- **TMDB ID:** 38516
- **Wikidata ID:** Q363231
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Denys_Arcand, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q363231, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000780/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/38516

Director and writer. Born 25 June 1941 in Deschambault, Quebec, Canada.

## Details

- **Work:** Director, Writer
- **Born:** 25 June 1941, Deschambault, Quebec, Canada
- **Active:** 1986–2003
- **Also known as:** Denys Arcand, OC
- **Frequently works with:** [Dorothée Berryman](https://film.one/person/dorothee-berryman.md), [Louise Portal](https://film.one/person/louise-portal.md), [Rémy Girard](https://film.one/person/remy-girard.md)
- **Academy Awards:** 1 Oscar nomination
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Denys_Arcand, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q363231, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000780/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/38516

## Streaming the US now

- **Tubi:** [*The Decline of the American Empire*](https://film.one/film/the-decline-of-the-american-empire.md) (72)

For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country.

## Biography

Denys Arcand is a French-Canadian film director, screenwriter and producer. Born on 25 June 1941 in Deschambault, Quebec, he studied history at the Université de Montréal before joining the National Film Board of Canada, where he made documentaries.

He achieved international recognition with *The Decline of the American Empire* (1986), which he wrote and directed, and its sequel *The Barbarian Invasions* (2003). The latter won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film, as well as awards at Cannes and multiple Genie Awards. Other notable films include *Jesus of Montreal* (1989).

Arcand has received numerous honours, including appointment as an Officer of the Order of Canada. He is married to producer Denise Robert.

*Sources: en.wikipedia.org, imdb.com, britannica.com.*

## On Fi1m (1)

- *The Decline of the American Empire* (1986), Fi1m 72, Screenplay, Director — [page](https://film.one/film/the-decline-of-the-american-empire.md)

## Complete filmography (59)

Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page.

- *Testament* (2023), Director, Screenplay
- *La plus belle province* (2022), series, as Narrator (voice)
- *Forgotten Flowers* (2019), as Captain
- *The Fall of the American Empire* (2018), Director, Writer
- *Le prix du paradis* (2017), as Narrator
- *Kiss Me With All Your Love* (2016), as Édouard Montpetit
- *Stealing Alice* (2016), Actor
- *Burghers of Vancouver* (2016), Director, Writer
- *An Eye for Beauty* (2014), Director, Writer
- *Les bobos* (2012), series, as Denys Arcand
- *Barney's Version* (2010), as Maitre'D at Ritz
- *En audition avec Simon* (2010), series, as Denys Arcand
- *From Office to Box-Office* (2009), as Denys Arcand
- *Days of Darkness* (2007), Director, Screenplay
- *Shooting Star* (2005), as Propriétaire du bar
- *Lost & Profound* (2005), Producer
- *The Barbarian Invasions* (2003), as Unionist (uncredited) · Director, Screenplay
- *Les héritiers du mouton noir* (2003), Actor
- *Stardom* (2000), Director, Writer
- *Poverty and Other Delights* (1996), Director
- *Love & Human Remains* (1994), Director
- *Ma soeur, mon amour* (1992), Screenplay
- *Léolo* (1992), as Director
- *Montreal Stories* (1991), as Denys Arcand · Director, Writer
- *Letters of a Portuguese Nun* (1991), Director, Screenplay
- *Jesus of Montreal* (1989), as Juge · Director, Writer
- *Night Zoo* (1987), as Man at peep-show
- *The Decline of the American Empire* (1986), Director, Screenplay — Fi1m 72, [page](https://film.one/film/the-decline-of-the-american-empire.md)
- *The Crime of Ovide Plouffe* (1984), Director, Scenario Writer
- *The Crime of Ovide Plouffe* (1984), series, Director, Screenplay, Creator
- *Empire, Inc.* (1983), series, Director, Creator
- *Comfort and Indifference* (1982), Writer, Director
- *Duplessis* (1978), series, Writer
- *The Struggle of Hospital Workers* (1976), Director
- *La Tête de Normande St-Onge* (1975), as Jean-Paul
- *Gina* (1975), Director, Editor
- *Pigs Are Seldom Clean* (1973), as Rocket
- *Réjeanne Padovani* (1973), as Sam Tannebaum's Bodyguard (uncredited) · Director, Writer, Editor
- *Quebec: Duplessis and After...* (1972), Narrator, Director, Writer, Editor
- *Dirty Money* (1972), as Un détective · Director
- *Mon oeil* (1971), Actor
- *Cotton Mill, Treadmill* (1970), Director
- *C'est pas la faute à Jacques Cartier* (1968), as (uncredited)
- *Between Sweet and Salt Water* (1967), Writer
- *Atlantic Parks* (1967), Director, Editor
- *Nominingue... depuis qu'il existe* (1967), Actor
- *Volleyball* (1966), Director, Editor
- *Montréal un jour d'été* (1965), Director, Producer
- *The Road to the West* (1965), Director, Writer
- *Ville-Marie* (1965), Director
- *Jusqu'au cou* (1964), Writer
- *Supports and Suspensions* (1964), Writer
- *Parallels and the Great Sun* (1964), Writer
- *Champlain* (1964), Director, Writer
- *Québec 1603 - Samuel de Champlain* (1964), Director, Writer
- *Springboard to the Sun* (1964), Writer
- *Alone or with Others* (1962), Director, Writer
- *East of Eaton* (1959), Director
- *Le documentaire selon Denys Arcand*, Actor

## Awards

### Academy Awards — 0 won, 1 nominated

- 2004: Best Writing, Original Screenplay (nominated), for *The Barbarian Invasions*

### Other awards — 9 won

- Companion of the Ordre des arts et des lettres du Québec 2015: Companion of the Ordre des arts et des lettres du Québec (won)
- Grand Officer of the National Order of Quebec 2015: Grand Officer of the National Order of Quebec (won)
- Canada's Walk of Fame 2004: Canada's Walk of Fame (won)
- César Award for Best Director 2004: César Award for Best Director (won), for *The Barbarian Invasions*
- Best Screenplay Award 2003: Best Screenplay Award (won)
- European Film Award for Best Non-European Film 2003: European Film Award for Best Non-European Film (won), for *The Barbarian Invasions*
- Molson Prize 1991: Molson Prize (won)
- Knight of the National Order of Quebec 1990: Knight of the National Order of Quebec (won)
- Prix Albert-Tessier 1989: Prix Albert-Tessier (won)

*From Wikidata, which records wins more completely than nominations.*

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/denys-arcand