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Thirty-Two Short Films About Glenn Gould

Play trailer Poster for Thirty-Two Short Films About Glenn Gould 1993,  1h 33m,  Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
Stream Now Watchlist 93% 28 Reviews Tomatometer 87% 2,500+ Ratings Popcornmeter
93% Tomatometer 28 Reviews 87% Popcornmeter 2,500+ Ratings
In this episodic fusion of documentary and biographical drama, director François Girard explores the life of 20th-century pianist Glenn Gould through a series of brief fictional reenactments and real interviews with those who knew the musician. After distinguishing himself as a prodigy at a very young age, the enigmatic Gould (Colm Feore) grows up to dissect the accepted rules of musical theory, and eventually refuses to perform before an audience. He also becomes addicted to prescription pills.
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Critics Consensus

Befitting its singularly brilliant subject, Thirty Two Short Films About Glenn Gould captures the essence of a life and legacy while flouting biopic conventions.

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Critics Reviews

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Derek Smith Slant Magazine Jun 26, 2025
From its rigorous and deliberately distancing structural gambit to its restless stylistic experimentations, Thirty Two Short Films proves that biopics needn’t color within the lines to effectively portray their subjects. Go to Full Review
Anthony Lane The New Yorker Aug 17, 2020
Instead of a laborious bio-pic, we get a sly, quick-witted meditation on a character always likely to elude our grasp. Go to Full Review
Mike D'Angelo AV Club Dec 12, 2018
If only more filmmakers would take the fragmented, kaleidoscopic approach of Thirty Two Short Films About Glenn Gould, which captures the essence of the famed pianist (and radio broadcaster) by honoring his unruliness. Go to Full Review
Sarah Boslaugh TheArtsStl Mar 14, 2026
8/10
...Feore has you pulling for Gould even at his most self-centered. Go to Full Review
Ellie Lucas From the Front Row Jul 7, 2025
3.5/4
Like Gould himself, Thirty Two Short Films About Glenn Gould is imbued with a touch of madness, an essential element for any film trying to capture the heart of the creative impulse. Go to Full Review
Jeffrey M. Anderson Combustible Celluloid Jun 21, 2025
4/4
It shows a clear example of how those kinds of movies can be made, not only how they can break out of their rut, but how they can be drastically improved upon. Go to Full Review
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Thirty-Two Short Films About Glenn Gould

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Cast & Crew

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François Girard

Director

Colm Feore

Glenn Gould

Gale Garnett

Journalist

Katya Ladan

Gould's Mother

David Hughes

Stagehand

Gerry Quigley

Music Critic

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Thirty-Two Short Films About Glenn Gould

Thirty-Two Short Films About Glenn Gould (1993) Thirty-Two Short Films About Glenn Gould (1993) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis In this episodic fusion of documentary and biographical drama, director François Girard explores the life of 20th-century pianist Glenn Gould through a series of brief fictional reenactments and real interviews with those who knew the musician. After distinguishing himself as a prodigy at a very young age, the enigmatic Gould (Colm Feore) grows up to dissect the accepted rules of musical theory, and eventually refuses to perform before an audience. He also becomes addicted to prescription pills.
Director
François Girard
Producer
Michael Allder, Niv Fichman, Barbara Willis Sweete, Larry Weinstein
Screenwriter
François Girard, Don McKellar
Distributor
Columbia TriStar Home Video
Production Co
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
Genre
Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Nov 26, 1993, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
Jan 20, 2017
Box Office (Gross USA)
$1.3M
Runtime
1h 33m
Sound Mix
Surround, Stereo
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