The Dusty Owl Reading Series Presents Robert Fontaine, Sunday 28 October

[SteveThe Owl]

Movies Ate My Brain with Robert Fontaine

"Put aside your preconceptions and get ready to re-evaluate every movie you've ever seen." — Ken Rockburn

Born into a French-Canadian family of musicians and film buffs, Robert Fontaine demonstrated an early aptitude for drumming. Eventually tiring of the sounds of pots and pans, his parents gave him a real drum set for his eighth birthday.

Playing in bands through his high-school years, Robert became a professional musician in 1980 after a brief career in the public service. During the next three years, he toured Eastern Canada and the Maritimes in various jazz, rock, and blues groups. Back in school by the mid-eighties, he graduated magna cum laude in 1986, obtaining a degree in communication from the University of Ottawa. It was during his years at Ottawa U that he developed a love of radio, hosting various music and public affairs programs on university radio. It was also during this time that he began to obtain work as a freelance writer-broadcaster, reviewing records, writing articles for French daily Le Droit, and covering the Ottawa International Jazz festival for CBC Radio as well as for the French-language network, Radio-Canada.

A guest appearance on the popular CBC drive-home program, All In a Day, in 1992 led to his being offered a regular slot as a movie critic on the show. Over the years, his insightful and often cheeky film reviews have become a weekly highlight for many CBC Radio listeners.

As well as being passionate about movies and music, Robert is a devoted baseball fan. Married, he lives in Gatineau with his wife, Sylvie, and their teenaged son, David. "Annie," their very large (but gentle) dog, has been known on occasion to dine on remote-control units.

As always, the feature will be followed by our always-surprising open mike, and there will be competition for the Object of Desire to round off the night. Come on out, bring your own work to share or write it on the spot! The event is at Swizzles Bar & Grill, 246B Queen St. in downtown Ottawa, below the Green Papaya Restaurant.

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