1929 — 2021

“‘What have I done playing with all these children? Children and dogs steal scenes,’ Plummer recounted to CBC in a documentary two years after the release of the movie he often jokingly called The Sound of Mucus, or S and M. Plummer, however, also said that he had ‘terrific memories’ of making the movie, and forged a lifelong friendship with Andrews; he once said that working with her was like ‘getting hit over the head with a valentine’… Plummer was nominated for a Best ing Actor Academy Award for playing Leo Tolstoy in The Last Station in 2010, and would win two years later in the role of Hal Fields, who, after the death of his wife, comes out as a gay man in Beginners. He stared at the golden statue onstage in Los Angeles and quipped, ‘You’re only two years older than me, darling, where you have been all my life?’” —Chris Iorfida

1953 — 2021

My father Gulpilil was the bright star from Marwuyu, shining from the heart of Arnhem land. He came out of the bush. He was the first. He inspired all First Nations people from this land to rise up and shine brightly, right across the universe. He didn’t know how to read or write but he was wise and picked up everything from the mainstream world, using his Knowledge. He was a natural, a brilliant actor, dancer, singer, painter, Dalkarra and Djirrikay—he was the five-star man in all he did. Because of him, others can stand up, look upon the light, and rise up high. —Witiyana Marika, son to David Gulpilil Ridjimiraril Dalaithngu (whose family give their permission for his image and name to be used posthumously)

1932 — 2021

“Van Peebles was one of those figures in cinematic history who serves as a demarcation: movies were one way before him and totally different after him. He was raw and uncompromising, an icon. Some might describe him as radical, but Van Peebles never saw Blackness or Black art as radical. Liberation, empowerment, and artistic freedom were the deserved ethos of an artist who never wasted a single frame, a single word, or a single second… Everyone knew his impact on cinema. No one would or could forget him. He witnessed the generations who would follow and pay homage to him, and saw his movies return to prominence. That was the great gift of his life and career, the flowers rarely proffered to men who are ahead of their time. And in 2021, Melvin Van Peebles was still a man ahead of his time.” —Robert Daniels

1930 — 2021

Always a competent-or-better craftsman, Donner’s work rose and fell relative to the material he worked with. Which varied widely, even wildly. Was he the actual opposite of what’s sometimes called an auteur, always on the lookout for films from which he can put across a personal point of view? It’s more likely that Donner, who was by all s a kind and personable man—Gene Hackman’s performance as what the actor called “a director of integrity” in Postcards from the Edge was the actor’s personal tribute to Donner—was someone whose desire to entertain was uppermost in his mind and heart. —Glenn Kenny

1928 — 2021

“Wertmüller was born into an aristocratic Swiss family as Arcangela Felice Assunta Wertmueller von Elgg Spanol von Braueichjob. As a child, she would go to the movies with her grandmother and brother Enrico often during the week, fascinated by stories on the big screen and knowing that she wanted to be involved in that kind of entertainment… ‘It always depends on the story, but in general I try to entertain my audience and to capture their attention from the very beginning,’ she told Criterion. ‘I love grotesque poetry, and I think my films have that style, which combines humor and drama, irony and cynicism, comedy and tragedy. It allows you to play with different narrative tones and rhythms. It’s more than a style—grotesque narrative reflects my own personality.’” —Nardine Saad

1963 — 2021

“Jean-Marc was a singular poet. A man of high contrasts. He was charismatic, magnetic, of strong leadership, modest and shy all at the same time. He was flamboyant, mysterious and discreet. He was at the epicenter of all attention but highly protective of his privacy. He was gentle, lovely, warm but could be tempestuous. He was ionate and mindful. He hated squirrels and bad drivers. He was honest, authentic, truthful and incredibly generous. He was a nostalgic man and an ultra-modern artist. He was solid like a mountain but hyper-sensitive. He was a complex figure, to say the least.” —Denis Villeneuve