Brock Poulin, the inaugural editor of Cinephile, has passed away. All Cinephile staff, past and present, mourn this huge loss of a wonderful and talented colleague. Brock was a vibrant, genuine, and wholly unpretentious scholar, critic, and journalist whose passion for cinema inspired everyone he met. His wit, talent for sparkling wordplay, and propensity to spontaneously burst into song will always be fondly remembered by the people who were lucky enough to know him.

Brock held an MA in Film Studies from the University of British Columbia (2005), an MA in Journalism from Ryerson University (2002), and a BA in Film Studies from the University of Regina (2000). After graduation he lived in Korea for several years teaching English, and taught international students at St. George International College in Vancouver from 2013 until his death.

As Cinephile‘s first editor, he was responsible for naming the journal (although it was titled UBCinephile for its first two volumes), assembling its first editorial board, and starting its trajectory and building its philosophy. He also served in an advisory capacity for the journal for several years after his graduation. Simply put, there would be no Cinephile without Brock, as his original vision for the journal has carried over through the years, passed from editor to editor.

Some of Brock’s friends have created a memorial scholarship in his name to support students from Yorkton Regional High School in Saskatchewan, including students intending to start a career or pursue further study in the arts, students from the school’s Rainbow Club, or students entering a care profession. They are also accepting donations for Heads Up Guys, a mental health initiative through UBC that focuses on the wellbeing of our male friends, brothers, coworkers, partners, and family members.

Thank you, Brock. We’ll miss you.