In Loving Memory
Diane Dufault
1954 - 2018
Filmmaker, Photographer, Artist
Diane Dufault, an acclaimed artist, photographer and documentary filmmaker who worked
on the award-winning PBS American Masters series, passed away at her home in Arlington,
MA on Friday, August 24 after a brief illness. She was 63.
A New York City resident for more than 30 years, Diane’s career spans from her tenure
producing the PBS American Masters series, to multimedia film projects for museums, film
archives and performance art. A scrupulous historical researcher and powerful storyteller,
Diane’s work earned her numerous industry accolades for films that captured major
generational events, like Steven Spielberg’s Shoah Foundation Visual History Archive of
Holocaust survivors; The Vietnam Years, a multimedia exploration; documentary shorts,
Made in America, for the Henry Ford Museum; and numerous films on the lives of historic
and famous subjects such as Al Capone and Eliot Ness (A&E); Waldo Salt: A Screenwriters
Journey, which was nominated for an Academy Award in 1990; and American record
producer John Hammond: From Bessie Smith to Bruce Springsteen (American Masters), for
which she received a Peabody Award.
Although Diane’s creative works evolved to include textile design and mixed media, she is
best known for her filmography and photography of iconic celebrities, many of which have
been included in film projects, as well as national and international publications. Diane was
born on October 22, 1954 in Athol, MA and grew up in Worcester, MA. She graduated from
Notre Dame Academy in 1972 and Regis College in 1976. She later studied at New York’s
International Center of photography in the early 1980s.
In 2010, Diane returned to Massachusetts. At the time of her passing, she was assembling
an online collection of her original abstract art and photography. She was also working on
an independent film about the underrepresented work of women in the visual arts. Diane
was most recently employed as a multimedia consultant in the healthcare sector.
Diane was preceded in death by her parents, Claude B. and Norma (Fagan) Dufault. She is
survived by her brothers, Dr. Paul Dufault and his wife MaryAnne of Shrewsbury, MA and
Ron Dufault and his wife Ana of Lake Forest, CA. She will be deeply missed by her nieces
and nephews, Paul and wife Caitlin, Jennifer, Christopher and fiancée Iris Mansour, Briana,
Kevin and Danielle. She leaves two grandnieces, Julia and Caroline Dufault. She is also
survived by two aunts, Lucille Dufault of Holden and Christine Dufault of Evian-les-Bains,
France along with many cousins and close friends.
Her laughter, wit, optimism, and passion for art and advocacy for women’s rights will be
remembered by her extended family of friends throughout the Boston area and New York
City.
The services will be private and a celebration of Diane’s life will be held at a future date