John Houston(XV)
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
- Executive
John Houston's childhood in the Canadian Arctic, immersed in Inuit culture, gave him a deep appreciation for the themes he explores in his work. With 25 years as a 1st Assistant Director for his apprenticeship, John started filming his own stories in 1998 with Songs in Stone, a one-hour documentary about the collaboration between his parents, James and Alma Houston, and the Inuit of Cape Dorset. His Arctic trilogy continued with a quest for the ancient Inuit deity, Nuliajuk: Mother of the Sea Beasts, and was capped by Diet of Souls, a look inside the mind of the Inuit hunter. Kiviuq, a performing arts special, revived the ancient Inuit shaman/hero whose story missionaries strove to eradicate. Next, he made James Houston: The Most Interesting Group of People you'll ever Meet, a celebration of his father's life. Most recently he adapted his father's children's book, The White Archer into a movie for television.
All of John's films have won multiple domestic and international awards. For outstanding service to the membership of the Directors Guild of Canada, John was the 2012 recipient of the Don Haldane Distinguished Service Award.