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Phil Cousineau

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Phil Cousineau
Born
Philip Robert Cousineau

(1952-11-26) November 26, 1952 (age 72)
Alma materUniversity of Detroit
Occupations
  • Writer
  • lecturer
  • scholar
  • screenwriter
  • filmmaker
SpouseJo Beaton
Children1
Websitewww.philcousineau.net

Philip Robert Cousineau (born 1952)[1] is an American author, lecturer, independent scholar, screenwriter, and documentary filmmaker.[2] He lives in San Francisco, California.[3]

Early life and education

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Phil Cousineau was born on 26 November 1952 in Columbia, South Carolina.[1] He grew up Catholic just outside Detroit, with French Canadian roots.[4] He studied journalism at the University of Detroit.[1][5]

Career

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Before turning to writing books and films full-time, Cousineau’s peripatetic career also included playing semi-professional basketball in Europe, harvesting date trees on an Israeli kibbutz, painting 44 Victorian houses (also known as Painted Ladies in San Francisco), teaching, and leading art and literary tours to Europe. He has worked as a sportswriter and taught screenwriting at the American Film Institute (AFI).

American mythologist Joseph Campbell was a mentor and major influence; Cousineau wrote the documentary film and companion book about Campbell's life, The Hero's Journey.[5] The author of more than 25 nonfiction books, and contributed to magazine publications including Parabola, and Paris magazine.[5] Cousineau has more than 15 documentary screenwriting credits to his name, including the 1991 Academy Award-nominated Forever Activists.[citation needed]

His best known works include Soul: An Archaeology, Readings from Socrates to Ray Charles, which Los Angeles Times columnist Jonathan Kirsch reviewed as "Inspiring, often mind-blowing, sometimes even a little scary," [6] and the best-selling book, The Art of Pilgrimage: The Seeker's Guide the Making Travel Sacred.[7][8]

Cousineau worked with religion scholar Huston Smith on three books as well as four documentary films on contemporary Native American issues. His books have been translated into nine languages.[2]

Cousineau is the host and co-writer of the Link TV television series, Global Spirit, interviewing guests such as Robert Thurman, Karen Armstrong, Andrew Harvey, Deepak Chopra, and Joanne Shenandoah.[9] The first season of Global Spirit was presented by John Cleese and broadcast on PBS-TV stations nationwide in the United States in 2012 and 2013.[10][11]

A self-avowed night owl, Cousineau published Burning the Midnight Oil, a book of essays and poems about finding inspiration in the night, in 2013.

Filmography

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Filmography of Cousineau
Date Title Role Production Notes
1987 The Hero's Journey: The World of Joseph Campbell screenwriter Narrated by Peter Donat[3]
1990 Forever Activists: Stories from the Abraham Lincoln Brigade screenwriter film by Connie Field and Judith Montell. Narrated by Ronnie Gilbert, nominated for an Academy Award Best Documentary, Features. (1990).
1992 Wiping the Tears of Seven Generations screenwriter Kifaru Production [12]
1993 The Presence of the Goddess screenwriter film by Christy Baldwin. Narrated by Isabel Allende
1995 The Red Road to Sobriety screenwriter Kifaru Production Narrated by Benjamin Bratt, about the Native American Sobriety Movement.[13]
1995 Ecological Design: Inventing the Future screenwriter Ecological Design Project production Narrated by Linda Hunt, competed at Sundance Film Festival in 1995.[14]
1996 The Peyote Road: Ancient Religion in Contemporary Crisis screenwriter Kifaru Production Narrated by Peter Coyote.[15]
1996 Your Humble Serpent: The Life of Reuben Snake screenwriter Kifaru Production Awarded "Best Documentary", at Red Earth Film Festival[16]
1999 Wayfinders: A Pacific Odyssey screenwriter Maiden Voyage Productions PBS documentary, directed by Gail Evenari. Narrated by Napuanalani Cassidy and Patrick Stewart
2005 A Seat at the Table: Struggling for American Religious Freedom screenwriter Kifaru Production Screened at the American Indian Film Festival, San Francisco in 2003.[17]
2006 The Roots of Fundamentalism: A Conversation with Huston Smith and Phil Cousineau self GemsTone Production

Bibliography

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d International Who's Who of Authors and Writers. Europa biographical reference series. Europa Publications, Taylor & Francis Group. 2008. p. 157. ISBN 9781857434286.
  2. ^ a b Nicosia, Gerald (2005-05-08). "Fear not, Ferlinghetti / Poets and poetry are thriving in the Bay Area, as three practitioners' new collections show". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 2022-01-28.
  3. ^ a b c Karp, Evan (2014-08-14). "The Write Stuff: Phil Cousineau on the Making of Something the World's Never Seen". SF Weekly. Retrieved 2022-03-01.
  4. ^ "An Interview with Phil Cousineau | Film Feature | Spirituality & Practice". www.spiritualityandpractice.com. Retrieved 2024-03-14.
  5. ^ a b c d e f International Who's Who of Authors and Writers 2004. Psychology Press, Europa Publications. 2003. ISBN 978-1-85743-179-7.
  6. ^ Los Angeles Times, March 2, 1994
  7. ^ Salaz, Susan (2020-06-09). "10 Catholic pilgrimages that don't require a passport". Retrieved 2022-01-28.
  8. ^ Schweitzer, Delores (February 7, 2022). "Between the Stacks: Longing for Pilgrimages". Post and Courier. Retrieved 2022-02-28.
  9. ^ Genzlinger, Neil (2009-04-11). "Spiritual Themes, Explored From Many Angles". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2022-01-28.
  10. ^ "KQED-TV". Archived from the original on 2015-04-19. Retrieved 2014-09-28.
  11. ^ "KQED-TV". Archived from the original on 2015-04-19. Retrieved 2014-09-28.
  12. ^ "Wiping the Tears of Seven Generations". Berkeley Media. Retrieved 2022-02-28.
  13. ^ "The Red Road to Sobriety". Berkeley Media. Retrieved 2022-03-01.
  14. ^ Levy, Emanuel (1995-02-13). "Ecological Design: Inventing the Future". Variety. Retrieved 2022-02-28.
  15. ^ "The Peyote Road: Ancient Religion in Contemporary Crisis". Berkeley Media. Retrieved 2022-03-01.
  16. ^ "Your Humble Serpent: The Wisdom of Reuben Snake". Berkeley Media. Retrieved 2022-03-01.
  17. ^ Harvey, Dennis (2003-12-07). "A Seat at the Table: Struggling for American Indian Religious Freedom". Variety. Retrieved 2022-03-01.
  18. ^ Stamberg, Susan (December 10, 2010). "Fresh Delivery: Indie Booksellers Pick 2010 Favorites". NPR.org. Retrieved 2022-02-28.
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