Gilles Carle facts for kids

Gilles Carle (July 31, 1928 – November 28, 2009) was a famous French Canadian director, screenwriter, and painter. He was a very important person in making movies in Quebec. He helped create a unique style of cinema there.

Who Was Gilles Carle?

Gilles Carle was born in Maniwaki, Quebec. Before he started making movies, he worked as a graphic artist and a writer. In 1960, he joined the National Film Board of Canada. This was a big step in his career.

Early Films and Independent Work

His first major film was The Merry World of Leopold Z (La Vie heureuse de Léopold Z). It came out in 1965. This movie was about a snowplow operator's funny adventures on Christmas Eve. It was a new and fresh kind of film.

After some of his ideas were not chosen by the National Film Board, Gilles Carle decided to work on his own. In 1971, he teamed up with Pierre Lamy. They started their own company called Les Productions Carle-Lamy. This company made many important films. They produced movies by other famous directors like Claude Jutra and Denys Arcand.

Famous Movies and Unique Style

Gilles Carle made many well-known films. The True Nature of Bernadette (La Vraie Nature de Bernadette) from 1972 is often seen as his best work. It was a unique film that explored women's roles. Another important film was The Death of a Lumberjack (Le Mort d’un bûcheron).

Later, he directed more popular movies. These included Les Plouffe (1981) and Maria Chapdelaine (1983). Both of these films became classics in Quebec cinema. They told stories that were important to the people of Quebec.

Awards and Special Honors

Gilles Carle received many awards for his amazing work. In 1972, he won the Canadian Film Award for Best Director for The True Nature of Bernadette. His short film 50 ans, which celebrated 50 years of the National Film Board of Canada, won a special award. It received the Short Film Palme d'Or at the 1989 Cannes Film Festival.

In 1990, he was given the Prix Albert-Tessier by the Government of Quebec. This is a very high honor for people in the arts. In 1997, he received the Governor General's Performing Arts Award. This is Canada's top award for artists. He was also made an Officer of the Order of Canada in 1998. In 2007, he became a Grand Officer of the Ordre National du Quebec.

Later Life and Legacy

Gilles Carle passed away on November 28, 2009, at the age of 81. He had been dealing with Parkinson's disease. His long-time partner was the actress and singer Chloé Sainte-Marie. After his death, Quebec Premier Jean Charest said that Carle was one of Quebec's most important filmmakers. He was buried at the Notre Dame des Neiges Cemetery in Montreal.

Gilles Carle's Films

Gilles Carle directed many different types of films. Here are some of his works.

Feature Films

• Solange dans nos campagnes - 1964, short film (later part of Trois Femmes)
• The Merry World of Leopold Z (La vie heureuse de Léopold Z) - 1965
• Red - 1970
• The Men (Les mâles) - 1971
• The True Nature of Bernadette (La vraie nature de Bernadette) - 1972
• The Heavenly Bodies (Les Corps célestes) - 1973
• The Death of a Lumberjack (La mort d'un bûcheron) - 1973
• Normande (La tête de Normande St-Onge) - 1975
• The Angel and the Woman (L'Ange et la femme) - 1977
• The Machine Age (L'âge de la machine) - 1977, short film
• Fantastica - 1980
• The Plouffe Family (Les Plouffe) - 1981
• Maria Chapdelaine - 1983
• La guêpe (also known as Scalp) - 1986
• The Postmistress (La postière) - 1992
• The Other Side of the Law - 1994
• Poor Man's Pudding (Pudding chômeur) - 1996

Documentaries

• Dimanche d'Amérique (Short film, 1961)
• Manger (Short film Co-Directed with Louis Portugais, 1961)
• Patinoire (Short film, 1962)
• Un air de famille (Short film, 1963)
• Natation (Short film, 1963)
• Patte mouillée (Short film, 1963)
• Percé on the Rocks (Short film, 1964)
• Place à Olivier Guimond (TV documentary, 1967)
• Place aux Jérolas (TV documentary, 1967)
• Le Québec à l'heure de l'Expo (Short film, 1967)
• Stéréo (Short film, 1970)
• Les chevaliers (1971)
• Les chevaux ont-ils des ailes? (Short film, 1975)
• Les masques (TV documentary also known as Carle – masques, 1978)
• Jouer sa vie (Co-Directed with Camille Coudari, 1982)
• Cinéma, cinéma (Co-Directed with Werner Nold, 1985)
• Ô Picasso (Co-Directed with Camille Coudari, 1985)
• Vive Québec, cité française... ville francophone (1987)
• 50 ans (Short film, 1989)
• Le diable d'amérique (1990)
• Montréal off (Short film, 1991)
• Moi, j'me fais mon cinéma (1999)

Television Work

• Un hiver brûlant (TV episode of the series La feuille d'érable, 1971)
• A Thousand Moons (TV movie, 1976) (Created for TV series For the Record)
• Homecoming (TV movie also known as Lonesome Riders, 1979)
• Le Crime d'Ovide Plouffe (TV miniseries Parts 1–4, 1983) (Parts 5–6 directed by Denys Arcand)
• Miss Moscou (TV movie, 1991)
• L'honneur des grandes neiges (TV movie, 1994) (Created for TV series Aventures dans le Grand Nord)
• Le sang du chasseur (TV movie, 1995) (Created for TV series Aventures dans le Grand Nord)
• Épopée en Amérique: une histoire populaire du Québec (TV series, 1997)