BIO BRIEF

    Peter Smoczynski was born and raised in Montreal, Canada and attended Loyola University. In the 1970's Peter was in search of the Canadian experience. Peter took jobs as a CNR freight train brakeman (Jasper, Alberta); Alaska pipeline land surveyor in the Rocky Mountain foothills and a hired hand on Saskatchewan cattle ranches. 

  Peter produced, wrote and directed his first documentary short titled “Being Old” for CBC’s Montreal’s Critical Path (exec. producer David Waters) and followed up with a series of CFL films modelled on NFL FILMS entitled "Moments In Motion".    

    Peter continued as an independent documentary filmmaker while contracted to CBC TV as a researcher/writer where he evolved into a field producer with CBC TV sports, entertainment and lifestyle (Edmonton, Winnipeg, Charlottetown, Regina and Vancouver. )   

       Peter's groundbreaking documentary style as a field producer for CBC TV Vancouver sports series "The Score"  (executive producer Rae Hull)  earned Peter and the program numerous awards. 

   During the 1990’s Peter penned screenplays under representation by Los Angeles Preferred Artists Agency (Sylvia Hirsch/Lew Weitzman).    As a screenplay writer Peter was commissioned by established Hollywood producers William Wilson III (Santa Clause, George Of The Jungle) and Gerry Abrams (Black and Blue) .  

   Peter is one of a few Canadian writer/directors' whose drama short was released nationwide on 600 screens. "Gambit" was a cautionary tale about the dangers of being an international drug mule (shot in Trinidad & Tobago/Ottawa) that won acclaim at the Ottawa Reel Awards and  with a Gold Sheaf Award at the 1994 Saskatchewan Yorkton Film Festival.

    In 2010 Peter, afflicted with severe hearing loss and debilitating tinnitus, withdrew from filmmaking.  

    Almost a decade later Peter returned with a feature length documentary “E-Day Canada: When Voter Suppression Came Calling” , a cautionary tale of voter suppression during Canada's 2011 General Election. "E-Day Canada" debuted at the 2020 Salt Spring Film Festival.  

    The filmmaker's photographic essays and literary work  often released under the pseudonym or nom de plume F.W. Samms.