His novel Skud, (Groundwood Books, 2003) received the Sheila A. Egoff Book Award, and The Dirt Eaters (Annick, 2003) the first book in Longlight Legacy, was a Red Maple Honor Book and is published in Dutch, French and German. The Keeper’s Shadow, the final book of the trilogy, was released in Fall 06.

Labeled as “unquestionably Canada’s best young people’s playwright” by the Children’s Literature Journal, Dennis was Artistic Director of Vancouver’s acclaimed Green Thumb Theatre for 12 years, where he produced a body of plays that continue to be produced internationally in numerous languages and for which he has received the British Theatre Award, two Chalmers awards, the Jesse Richardson Career Achievement Award, the International Arts for Young Audiences Award, and in 2007 was made a lifetime member of the Playwrights Guild of Canada for his outstanding contribution to Canadian Playwriting and Theatre.  His latest play, Kindness, premiered at Manitoba Theatre for Young People in 2007 and will be seen in theatres across North America in 2008. 

He received a Gemini Award, a Writers Guild of Canada Top Ten Award, and a B.C. Leo Award for his screenplay of the CBC movie Little Criminals, which also garnered a Critics’ Prize at the Monte Carlo Film Festival and a Grand Prize at the Geneva Film Festival. White Lies, starring Sarah Polley and Lynn Redgrave, received an International Emmy nomination for Best Production, and earned Best Screenplay at the Columbus International Film Festival.

Foon scripted Torso: The Evelyn Dick Story for CTV (Gemini winner for Best Movie, WGC Top Ten Award) and Society’s Child for CBC (Blizzard Award, Best Movie, Gemini nominee, Best Movie).  He also co-wrote Mina Shum’s feature Long Life, Happiness and Prosperity (starring Sandra Oh), which played at the Toronto, Vancouver, and Sundance Film Festivals, garnered seven Leo nominations and was released by Film Movement.  He was story editor of Mina’s acclaimed first feature Double Happiness and was recently story editor on In God’s Country for Shaftesbury/CTV/Lifetime. His adaptation of Michael Ignatieff’s Booker Prize finalist novel Scar Tissue was a Gemini nominee for Best Screenplay.  His most recent Shaftesbury/CTV film, about Terry Fox, Terry, is being distributed worldwide by Granada.

An award winning director for the theatre, Dennis has staged plays in Canada (Arts Club, Tarragon, Green Thumb, Lorraine Kisma, among others), and in Australia, London, England and Denmark.

For more information go to www.dennisfoon.com.

Events featuring Dennis Foon:

1. 1.Workshop (Directing a Play – The Nuts and Bolts) 2:30 – 5:30 pm Thursday, July 17 at the Community School Resource Room.
   

2. 2.Themed Reading (Growing Up Male, also featuring Calvin Sandborn) 1:30 – 3:00 Saturday, July 19 at the Back Hall
   

3. 3.Literary Cabaret (Gender, Place and Process with host Sheryl MacKay, also featuring bill bissett, Shaena Lambert and Brian Payton.) 7:30 pm Saturday, July 19 at the Community Hall.