Gilles Groulx facts for kids

Gilles Groulx (born August 30, 1931, in Montreal, Quebec – died August 22, 1994) was a Canadian film director. He grew up in a large family with 14 children. After studying business, he worked in an office. However, he found this office work boring.

He decided to explore other paths and studied at the École du meuble de Montréal [fr] for a while. He also supported the automatiste movement, an art group. Groulx started making his own short films using an 8 mm camera. These films helped him get a job as a film editor at the CBC. After making three successful short films, he joined the National Film Board (NFB) in 1956. This was when the "candid eye" style of filmmaking was just beginning.

Working at the National Film Board

Gilles Groulx's first film with the NFB was Les Raquetteurs (1958). He co-directed it with Michel Brault. This film was special because it showed filmmakers right in the middle of the action. It also captured sound live, making the film feel very real.

Early Documentaries and Poetic Films

Les Raquetteurs showed a snowshoe convention, which might seem like a small event. But the film captured parts of Quebec culture that people often overlooked. It was an important step in how films could study people and their customs.

In 1961, Groulx made a short film called Golden Gloves. This film focused on one person instead of a crowd.

His film Voir Miami (1962) showed a different side of Groulx. It looked at modern America in a poetic way.

Making Social and Political Films

In 1964, Groulx started making films that focused on social and political issues. This style became a key part of his work. His first full-length drama, The Cat in the Bag (Le Chat dans le sac), was about growing up and making tough choices. It also explored changes happening in Quebec. Groulx wrote, directed, and edited this film himself. He often used non-professional actors who were similar to the characters in his stories.

Before making another long film, Groulx created the short documentary Un jeu si simple (1965). This film looked at the sport of hockey in Quebec, especially the Montreal Canadiens teams from the 1950s and 1960s.

In 1967, he made Où êtes-vous donc ? [fr]. This film used many different images to show the daily lives of people in Quebec. Groulx questioned their choices and used sound in a new way. The film mixed voices, songs, and advertisements. It was a protest against consumer society and how people can be treated unfairly.

Groulx continued to make films that spoke out. He made 24 heures ou plus, which was a strong call for change. The NFB did not release this film until 1977.

In 1977, he directed Première question sur le bonheur. This documentary was made with Mexico. It again explored how people can be taken advantage of, but this time in rural Mexico.

Later Career and Final Film

In 1980, Gilles Groulx was in a serious car accident. This accident ended his filmmaking career for a time. However, he returned in 1982 to finish a film he had been working on.

His last film was Au Pays de Zom. It was a funny musical that made fun of business people. An opera singer named Joseph Rouleau played a financier in the film.

Gilles Groulx's Legacy

Gilles Groulx's films show a person who was always thinking deeply about life and the world. He explored many parts of Quebec society. He also changed his filmmaking style to fit each topic.

He was one of the first filmmakers in Quebec to make "auteur films." This means he had a strong personal vision for his movies, whether they were documentaries or dramas. His films often shared ideas about social justice.

The Cat in the Bag (Le Chat dans le sac) (1964) is his most famous film. It was very important for the growth of cinema in Quebec. In 1985, the Government of Quebec honored Groulx with the Prix Albert-Tessier. This award recognized his achievements throughout his life.

Filmography

Fiction Films

• The Cat in the Bag (Le Chat dans le sac) (1964)
• Où êtes-vous donc? (1970)
• Entre tu et vous [fr] (1970)
• Au pays de Zom [fr] (1982)

Documentary Films

• Les héritiers (Short, 1954)
• Les raquetteurs (Short Co-Directed with Michel Brault, 1958)
• Normétal (Short, 1959)
• La France sur un caillou (Short Co-Directed with Claude Fournier, 1960)
• Golden Gloves (Short, 1961)
• Voir Miami (Short, 1962)
• Un jeu si simple (Short, 1966)
• Québec...? (Short, 1967)
• Place de l'équation (1973)
• 24 heures ou plus (1976)
• Première question sur le bonheur (1977)

See also

• Direct Cinema
• Cinema of Quebec