Jean-Yves Bigras (May 19, 1919 – August 17, 1966) was a Canadian

film director A film director controls a film's artistic and dramatic aspects and visualizes the screenplay (or script) while guiding the film crew and actors in the fulfilment of that vision. The director has a key role in choosing the cast members, p ...

and

film editor Film editing is both a creative and a technical part of the post-production process of filmmaking. The term is derived from the traditional process of working with film which increasingly involves the use of digital technology. The film edit ...

, considered a pioneer in

Quebec cinema The history of cinema in Quebec started on June 27, 1896 when the Frenchman Louis Minier inaugurated the first movie projection in North America in a Montreal theatre room. However, it would have to wait until the 1960s before a genuine Quebec ...

. Bigras studied first at the

University of Ottawa The University of Ottawa (french: Université d'Ottawa), often referred to as uOttawa or U of O, is a bilingual public research university in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. The main campus is located on directly to the northeast of Downtown Ottawa ...

and then at Queen's University. From 1939 to 1942, he served in

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

as part of the

RCAF The Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF; french: Aviation royale canadienne, ARC) is the air and space force of Canada. Its role is to "provide the Canadian Forces with relevant, responsive and effective airpower". The RCAF is one of three environme ...

. When he returned to Canada, he became one of the first French Canadians to be hired by the NFB and worked there as an editor until 1948. He was then hired to work in Renaissance Éducationnel, the children's education film section of Renaissance Films Distribution. It was here that he got to work on his first feature film, ''Le gros Bill'' (1949), co-directing with

René Delacroix René Delacroix (August 27, 1900 - June 11, 1976) was a French film director and screenwriter. He was most noted for a mid-career period from 1949 to 1954 when he was based in Montreal, during which he directed or co-directed several of the most im ...

. Bigras moved on to direct three feature films himself, including ''La petite Aurore l’enfant martyre'' (1951), a big hit with audiences and a staple of Quebec Cinema. In 1953, he began working for

Radio-Canada The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (french: Société Radio-Canada), branded as CBC/Radio-Canada, is a Canadian public broadcaster for both radio and television. It is a federal Crown corporation that receives funding from the government. ...

where he became one of its principal directors until his death in 1966.

Selected filmography

*'' The Grand Bill (Le gros Bill)'' - 1949, co-directed with René Delacroix *'' Lights of My City (Les lumières de ma ville)'' - 1950 *''

Little Aurore's Tragedy ''Little Aurore's Tragedy'' (french: La petite Aurore: l'enfant martyre "little Aurore, the child Martyr") is a Canadian 1952 Quebec biographical drama movie that was directed by Jean-Yves Bigras, produced by L'Alliance Cinematographique Canadienn ...

(La petite Aurore, l’enfant martyre)'' - 1951 *'' The Spirit of Evil (L'esprit du mal)'' - 1954

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Bigras, Jean-Yves 1919 births 1966 deaths Canadian screenwriters in French Canadian television directors Film directors from Ottawa French Quebecers National Film Board of Canada people Writers from Ottawa 20th-century Canadian screenwriters