Brian Painchaud

Brian Painchaud was just 10-years-old and had absolutely no acting experience when he was chosen for the lead role as Brian O’Connal in the Allan King feature Who Has Seen The Wind. He was selected from some 3000 other students. His scenes with US actor Jose Ferrer, who played the part of the town drunk, were shot over five days. In addition to winning the Grand Prix at Cannes, it won the Golden Reel Award as the highest grossing film of 1977 and picked up 10 nominations at the Canadian Film Awards. It was shot in Arcola, Saskatchewan, about 100 miles from Painchaud’s home in Regina. Interviewed by the Spokesman-Review newspaper in December of 1979 when he was 14 and prior to the film’s screening in Spokane, Washington, Painchaud reflected on the seven weeks he spent on location. “I felt a little loneliness sometimes. But the part made me grow up some. I changed some.” He went on to say, “I’m not a glitter, Hollywood type person… I’ll just let things happen and see what comes.” Who Has Seen The Wind was the only film he ever made and he died shortly after turning 20. We have been unable to learn the cause of his death.