The NFB has done a fine thing with their latest DVD compilation. The box set Michel Brault: 1958-1974 showcases many of the pioneering Quebec auteur’s most fascinating films, including Les Racquetteurs (1958) and Les Ordres (1974), his bruising, Cannes-award-winning feature about the effects of the War Measures Act that Trudeau declared in 1970.

This is an extensive look back at crucial years in the development of Brault’s art and craftsmanship as a filmmaker. In particular, as you watch the films you can see him morphing from a documentary filmmaker to a fiction filmmaker, doc techniques intact. The compilation, which came as a result of the lifetime achievement award Brault received at last year’s Jutras, also includes two documentaries about the filmmaker himself.

This is a fantastic addition to any film buff’s library, especially those who love documentary. Another bonus is the included 104-page book, which features reprints of reviews of many of Brault’s films, including high praise from The New York Times. All of the films are subtitled in English. —Matthew Hays