Queen's alumnus Peter Raymont, Arts'71, recently received the news that the documentary film he produced and co-directed has been shortlisted for an Academy Award.

A film produced and co-directed by Queen’s alumnus Peter Raymont, Arts’71, has been shortlisted for an Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature. Genius Within: The Inner Life of Glenn Gould is one of 15 films from a pool of 101 documentaries to make the semi-final list for an “Oscar”. It is the only Canadian film in the shortlist. Earlier this month, the film received a Gemini award for Best Biography Documentary.

Genius Within: The Inner Life of Glenn Gould explores the personal side of the famous pianist. The documentary features never-before seen footage of Gould, photographs and excerpts from his private home recordings and diaries, plus personal memories from Gould’s most intimate friends and lovers, some who had never spoken about him publicly before. Genius Within was a collaborative effort between Mr. Raymont and Michèle Hozer, the film’s co-director and editor.

“I heard the news when I received an email from oscars.org on my Blackberry last Thursday,” says Mr. Raymont. “I always immediately answer emails that are from oscars.org (The Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Science). No matter how many years I‘ve been in this business, I still get unnerved when it comes to the chance that I might be honoured for my work. So an email from the Oscars – it doesn’t get much better than that!”

This is the second time in Mr. Raymont’s 40-year film career that his work has been shortlisted for an Oscar for best documentary. The first time was two years ago, for his film A Promise to the Dead:The Exile Journey of Ariel Dorfman.

The final five nominees for Best Documentary Feature will be announced January 25.