As the Montreal International Documentary Festival continues, the documentary world is grieving the loss of Canadian filmmaker Peter Wintonick (pictured), who passed away this morning (Nov. 18).

Wintonick, whose films include China Heavyweight and Manufacturing Consent: Noam Chomsky and the Media, was recently diagnosed with Cholangio Carcinoma, a rare form of liver cancer.

He was hospitalized on Friday (Nov. 15) and was in palliative care.

Canadian filmmakers such as Kat Sizek, Ron Mann, Daniel Cross, Yung Chang, John Walker and Robin McKenna, along with Sheffield Doc/Fest director Heather Croall, were among the many industry figures closely supporting Wintonick and spending time with him and his family in hospital in Montreal.

Meanwhile, industry figures such as Morgan Spurlock, Margaret Atwood, Debra Zimmerman and Lucy Walker were also Tweeting their support for the filmmaker, in a bid to help raise funds to help pay for Wintonick’s medical costs and support his efforts to make a final film.

A fundraising page has been set up here: https://registration.cgi-pco.com/ei/getdemo.ei?id=370104&s=_D140MF70Y

After Wintonick’s cancer diagnosis earlier this fall, the filmmaker announced his intention to make a final film, entitled Be Here Now. EyeSteelFilm said over the weekend that it will be completing the film for Wintonick.

RIDM yesterday (Nov. 18) held a special screening of Wintonick’s film PilgrIMAGE, after which the filmmaker’s daughter, Mira Burt-Wintonick, held a Skype talk with a packed room full of festival attendees (pictured below).

The chat, a celebration of Wintonick’s life and work, saw a number of industry figures sharing stories and paying tribute to the filmmaker. It also saw Burt-Wintonick announce that her father had married his long-term partner, Christine, the day prior – to widespread applause from the room.

From realscreen