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Jacques Bobet
Jacques Bobet
Jacques Bobet
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Jacques Bobet OC (June 29, 1919, in Saumur, France – March 7, 1996, in Montreal, Canada) was a French filmmaker who played a key role in the National Film Board of Canada's move into French language filmmaking.

Following a brief stint teaching literature and philosophy in France, Jacques Bobet immigrated to Canada and joined the NFB in 1947 as a writer at a time when 90 percent of the staff was English-speaking and its French Unit found it hard to retain French Canadian filmmakers. Bobet worked to strengthen the French Unit and retain French talent, and was appointed producer of French versions in 1951. By 1956, when he was named executive producer of the newly created Versions Unit, he had been involved in versioning approximately 500 films. That same year, the NFB's headquarters was relocated from Ottawa to Montreal, improving the NFB's reputation in French Canada and making the NFB more attractive to French-speaking filmmakers. In 1959, Bobet assumed responsibility for producing more original French-language films. In 1964, a separate French production branch was finally established, with Bobet as one of the four executive producers.[1][2]

He oversaw the production of some of the most important films made in Quebec during the 1960s: La lutte', The Cat in the Bag (Le Chat dans le sac), Pour la suite du monde, The Times That Are (Le Règne du jour) and The River Schooners (Les Voitures d'eau). His personal favourite was the mammoth project (more than 100 kilometres of film was shot,[3]) Games of the XXI Olympiad, the official film of the 1976 Montreal Olympics.

In 1982 Bobet was appointed head of NFB/private-industry co-productions, and in 1983 became executive producer of Studio C (French-language feature production). He retired from the board in 1984 but continued to teach and he co-wrote the script for The Tadpole and the Whale. Bobet once said the job of a producer was 'to do all those little things that you don't see in bringing a movie to the screen.'[4]

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Jacques Bobet

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''Jacques Bobet'' is a French-born Canadian filmmaker and producer known for his pivotal contributions to French-language cinematography in Canada, particularly through his long career at the National Film Board of Canada where he served as Head of French-language production and significantly developed the French unit, overseeing the production of hundreds of documentaries, short films, and their French versions. Born on June 29, 1919, in Saumur, France, Bobet joined the National Film Board of Canada early in his career and served in multiple capacities as editor, scriptwriter, and producer for over three decades, fostering the growth of French-language filmmaking and collaborating closely with prominent Quebec directors such as Pierre Perrault, Jacques Godbout, and Jean-Claude Labrecque on influential works. His efforts helped strengthen the French unit at the NFB and supported the production of notable films including ''La bête lumineuse'' (The Light Beast). In recognition of his remarkable contributions to Canadian cinema, Bobet was appointed a Member of the Order of Canada in 1992. He died on March 7, 1996, in Montréal.

Early life

Birth and background in France

Jacques Bobet was born on June 29, 1919, in Saumur, Maine-et-Loire, France. He studied philosophy and literature at the École Normale Supérieure in Paris and obtained an advanced piano diploma from the École Marguerite Long, where he developed into a classical musician of some distinction. Bobet taught literature and philosophy for several years in France before going to New York, where he completed a Master's degree in audio-visual education at Columbia University.

Career

Immigration to Canada and joining the NFB

Jacques Bobet immigrated to Canada in 1947 following a brief period teaching literature and philosophy in France. While pursuing a fellowship in New York at Columbia University to study audio-visual methods in education, he was advised to visit the National Film Board of Canada due to its reputation for innovative documentary filmmaking. He first arrived at the NFB in Ottawa during Easter 1947, received an invitation to return after completing his work in New York, and came back six weeks later, deciding to remain permanently. He later reflected that he married and had his children in Canada, establishing his life there. Bobet joined the National Film Board in 1947 at the age of 28, initially taking charge of French versioning for NFB films. As a representative of French culture amid a disintegrating French unit dominated by English-speaking staff, his European academic background and language skills positioned him to help maintain continuity in French-language efforts. He worked on versioning over 500 films during his early years, directing some versions himself while building a small operational base with limited resources. In 1951, he was appointed producer of French versions, revisions, and adaptations.

Leadership in French-language production at the NFB

Jacques Bobet played a pivotal role in the evolution of French-language production at the National Film Board of Canada (NFB) throughout his 37-year tenure from 1947 to 1984. Joining initially as a writer, he was appointed producer of French versions, revisions, and adaptations in 1951, a position that positioned him as a key figure in addressing the needs of French-speaking audiences within an institution where English-language content dominated. By 1956, he had advanced to executive producer of the newly established Version Unit, where he supervised the adaptation of more than 500 films into French during the 1950s, efforts that helped strengthen the French Unit and retain French-Canadian talent amid challenges in maintaining bilingual balance. In 1959, Bobet began producing original French-language films, marking a significant shift from versioning toward the creation of authentic French content at the NFB. The establishment of a separate French production branch in 1964 led to his appointment as one of four executive producers, enabling broader oversight of French-language filmmaking. He was named head of French production in 1968, consolidating his influence during a formative period for Quebec cinema. In later years, he headed NFB/private-industry co-productions in 1982 before becoming executive producer of Studio C, focused on French-language feature production, in 1983. Bobet's successive leadership positions facilitated the NFB's transition toward a more autonomous and expansive French-language production program, with his oversight contributing to the production of 233 titles as producer overall. His approach emphasized enlightened decision-making on subjects, creative teams, and production directions, while his nurturing mentorship supported the emergence of a generation of Québécois filmmakers, leaving a lasting impact on the development of Canadian French-language cinema.

Notable productions and collaborations

Jacques Bobet executive produced several notable documentaries during his time at the National Film Board of Canada, collaborating closely with directors on projects that highlighted Canadian and international events. He served as executive producer on Going the Distance (1979), directed by Paul Cowan, which follows eight athletes from their home countries as they prepare for and compete in the 1978 Commonwealth Games in Edmonton. The film received an Academy Award nomination for Best Documentary Feature at the 52nd Academy Awards. Bobet shared executive producer duties on the project with Robert Verrall. Bobet also executive produced Games of the XXI Olympiad (1977), the official film of the 1976 Montreal Summer Olympics, directed by Jean-Claude Labrecque, Jean Beaudin, Marcel Carrière, and Georges Dufaux. This feature documentary drew from extensive footage to portray the individuality of athletes across various events. After retiring from the NFB in 1984, Bobet continued his involvement in cinema through collaboration on the screenplay for the family feature La Grenouille et la baleine (The Tadpole and the Whale, 1988), directed by Jean-Claude Lord. He co-wrote the script alongside Lord, Lise Thouin, and André Melançon.

Creative credits

Directing credits

Jacques Bobet directed the short documentary En octobre in 1967 for the National Film Board of Canada. Produced for the Department of Manpower and Immigration, the 18-minute film examines the immigrant experience by focusing on two sisters, Martine and Annik, born in Quebec to French parents, and demonstrates how varying educational approaches can harmoniously coexist within the same family. He also directed the 1968 short documentary Game in 21 Points (Étude en 21 points in French), an 11-minute film capturing an exhibition table tennis match between Great Britain's Denis Neale and Czechoslovakia's Jaroslav Stanek. The documentary stands out for its innovative cinematography, using techniques that present simultaneous front-face views of both players to highlight their virtuosity and key shots without interruption, making it instructive for both experienced players and beginners. It received recognition at international sports film festivals, including a Silver Medal and Special Jury Award at the International Sports Film Festival, as well as the Golden Trical at the International Festival of Sports and Tourist Films. Although Bobet's primary contributions at the NFB were in producing and executive roles, these directing projects reflect his occasional work behind the camera on short documentary subjects.

Writing and other creative roles

Jacques Bobet began his career at the National Film Board of Canada in 1947 as a writer, contributing scripts to numerous short films throughout his tenure. His early writing credits include co-writing the scripts for Saguenay (1948) with Roger Blais, Robert Lafrance, and Tommy Tweed, and Double Heritage (1948) with Tim Wilson. In the 1950s, he wrote or co-wrote additional shorts such as Une mesure pour rien (1952), Le Voleur de rêves (1953), Chantons maintenant (1956), and Pour ou contre les étrangers (1955). Bobet continued to write for NFB productions in later decades, co-writing Un enfant… Un pays (A Child in His Country, 1967), Pris au collet (1974), and L'Âge de la machine (The Machine Age, 1978) with Gilles Carle. He also wrote for the television series Minute, papillon! (1966–1967). Notably, Bobet co-wrote the screenplay for the feature film La Grenouille et la baleine (Tadpole and the Whale, 1988) with director André Melançon. In addition to his writing work, Bobet served as co-editor on the short film Ottawa, Today and Tomorrow (1951) with Betty Brunke. He also acted as production advisor for Tadpole and the Whale in Montréal.

Awards and recognition

Legacy

Influence on Canadian French-language cinema

Jacques Bobet made a remarkable contribution to French-language cinematography in Canada through his extensive work at the National Film Board of Canada (NFB). At the beginning of his career at the NFB, he created the first French production team, creating a dedicated structure that enabled the expansion of French-language film production within the institution. For more than three decades as an editor, scriptwriter, and producer, he collaborated in the production of hundreds of documentaries and films and of their French versions. These efforts strengthened French-language production at the NFB and helped foster the institutional conditions for original French-language filmmaking, contributing to the broader development of Canadian French-language cinema. His contributions were formally recognized in 1992 with his appointment as a Member of the Order of Canada.

Death

Later years and death

Jacques Bobet was appointed a Member of the Order of Canada in 1992 in recognition of his contributions to Canadian cinema. He died on March 7, 1996, in Montréal, Québec, Canada.
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