Atom Egoyan is the Genie Award-winning and Academy Award-nominated director of Exotica, The Sweet Hereafter, Ararat and the forthcoming Where the Truth Lies.

I’m a little surprised that I’m writing in honor of David’s 30th anniversary. Surprised, because this milestone doesn’t accurately reflect the nature of my intimate relationship to David’s work. While it is true that his first ‘commercial’ movie, Shivers, was released 30 years ago, I trace the real beginning of his career to two key experimental features made five and six years before. These two works, Stereo and Crimes of the Future, were written, directed, produced, shot and edited by the young auteur, and were truly extraordinary in their ambition and formal daring.

It’s also true that almost nobody saw them.

I encountered these films at a retrospective of David’s work at the Toronto film festival many years ago, and that was when I first approached my hero. He won’t remember this incident. I was one of many film geeks crowding around him after the screening, asking him dumb questions and hoping that some of the genius might rub off.

‘Mr. Cronenberg, why did you stop making these kinds of films?’ I asked.

David looked at me for a second. His expression said it all. I expected him to say, ‘So I wouldn’t have to spend all my time being fawned by pretentious twits like you,’ but instead he answered – with his customary kindness and sincerity – ‘Because I wanted to keep making films.’

I didn’t understand this statement at the time, but I really understand it now. David has had a truly model career, and has been a true survivor in a system that can devour its young, nibble on its middle-aged, and regurgitate its seniors.

I warmly congratulate David on his 30th (or 36th) anniversary!