Gilles Carle

Gilles Carle, director, screenwriter (born at Maniwaki, Qué in 1929). A prolific filmmaker, Carle is regarded as one of the most important talents in the Canadian film industry. During the 1940s and 1950s he was a graphic artist, but joined the NFB in 1960 when the French production unit was expanding. His first feature film, « La Vie heureuse de Léopold Z » (1965), a comedy, was made for the NFB, but when that organization rejected several projects, Carle began working independently. Supporting himself by producing TV commercials, he directed 3 feature films in 3 years: « Le Viol d’une jeune fille douce » (1968), « Red » (1969) and « Les Mâles » (1970). These films, combining Carle’s commentary on Québec society with scenes of sex and violence, generated a large popular following. In 1972 Carle produced his greatest commercial success, « La Vraie Nature de Bernadette », a film that earned him recognition in Europe. Following on this success he planned 2 films with his new star Carole Laure, « La Mort d’un bûcheron » (1973) and « Les Corps célestes » (1973). A skilled director, Carle has made films with varying budgets and designed for various outlets. In 1975 he blended eroticism, romanticism and fantasy to create the fresh and original « La Tête de Normande St-Onge ».