|
Claude Jutra, director (b at Montréal 11 March 1930; d at Cap-Santé, Que 5 Nov 1986). This doctor who never practised medicine is especially known for having produced in 1984 MON ONCLE ANTOINE (1971), classified as the best Canadian film of all time. After an amateur debut with his friend Michel BRAULT, he joined the NATIONAL FILM BOARD (NFB) in 1956, and there directed several short films, including some for television. He also collaborated with Norman MCLAREN on A Chairy Tale (1957). His first feature film, Les Mains nettes, dates from 1958. In 1959, he left for Europe, striking up friendships with François Truffaut, who helped in the production of Anna la bonne (1959), and Jean Rouch, who encouraged him to shoot Le Niger, jeune république (1961), in Africa. Once back, he returned to his job with the NFB's French crew and participated in the first steps of direct cinema notably with La Lutte (co-directed with M. Brault, Marcel Carrière, Claude Fournier, 1961) and Québec U.S.A. ou l'invasion pacifique (co-dir. M. Brault, 1962).
Jutra then left the NFB to tackle his first independent full-length feature À TOUT PRENDRE (1963). This autobiography in fictional guise broached such subjects as interracial love, homosexuality, and bohemian life, and launched the new Quebec cinema. After shooting several shorts and a full-length feature, Wow (1969), all at the NFB, he directed Mon oncle Antoine, which takes place in a small mining town in the late 1950s, on Christmas Eve, and sensitively presents a young man approaching adulthood. The film was the recipient of numerous prizes that earned Jutra a solid reputation as a filmmaker. He then tackled a far-reaching co-production, Kamouraska (1973), based on Anne HÉBERT's novel, but it failed to meet expectations, and did not satisfy the director. In 1983, Jutra would remake a long version that conformed to his wishes. Following this disappointment, Jutra shot Pour le meilleur et pour le pire (1975), a comedy about marriage. His plans did not materialize, and Jutra left to work for the English network of Radio-Canada. His films Ada (1977), Dreamspeaker (1977), Seer Was Here (1978) and The Wordsmith (1979) rank among the best Canadian films for TV. He returned to cinema with Surfacing (1980), from the novel by Margaret ATWOOD, and By Design (1981), shot in Vancouver. In this humorous portrayal of two lesbians, his enthusiasm, sensitivity and irony showed through. He returned to Québec to direct La Dame en couleurs (1984), which took place in a 1940s orphanage. That year he won the prix Albert-tessier. Likely suffering from the Alzheimer's disease that had undermined him for several years, he took his own life in 1986, and his body was found in the St Lawrence River at Cap-Santé (Québec) on 19 April 1987. Jutra occupies a major place in Québec cinema, as much for the originality of his work as for his fate, and several locations in Québec and Canada, as well as prizes and scholarships bear his name.
 Jutra, ClaudeClaude Jutra with Marie Theberge (scripter) filming "La Dame en coleurs" 1984. His "Mon oncle Antoine" was one of the first internationally acclaimed feature films (courtesy Alain Gauthier, Cinematique québecoise).
Author
PIERRE VÉRONNEAU
Links to Other Sites
Jutra Tribute Award
The Jutra Awards were established in 1999 to honour the talent in and behind Quebec films. At this annual event, the industry’s professional associations present the Jutra Tribute Award to an individual who has made an outstanding contribution to Quebec cinema.
Screen Legends: Behind the Scenes
Click on their images on the right side of the page to see a video vignette devoted to each filmmaker. Part of the Screen Legends series from Historica.
|
|
|
|
 |
|
| David Thompson was an outsider, struggling to find a foothold in the empire that had consumed his country... |
|
| Pierre Elliott Trudeau, politician, writer, constitutional lawyer, prime minister of Canada 1968-79 and 1980-84 (b at ... |
|
|
| Few countries were affected as severely as Canada by the worldwide Depression of the 1930s. It is estimated that ... |
|
|
| Louis Riel, Métis leader, founder of Manitoba, central figure in the NORTH-WEST REBELLION (b at Red River ... |
|
|
| Few countries were affected as severely as Canada by the worldwide Depression of the 1930s. It is estimated that ... |
|
|
| Evangelical Christian Church, often called the Christian Church (Christian Disciples), is a denomination stemming from ... |
|
|
| The Group of Seven was founded in 1920 as an organization of self-proclaimed modern artists. The original members - ... |
|
|
| Sears Canada Inc, headquartered in Toronto, is a Canadian retailer incorporated in 1952. In 1953 operating under the ... |
|
|
| John Ware, "Nigger John," horseman, rancher (b near Georgetown, SC 1845; d near Brooks, Alta 11 Sept 1905). ... |
|
|
| Land claims are dealt with by a process established by the federal government to enable INDIANS, INUIT and ... |
|
Browse the rich visual resources of The Canadian Encyclopedia through thematic galleries of Canadian Art, History, Nature, People, and Science and Technology.
Illustrations, lively text, animations, sounds and games help make learning about Canadian history, art, geography, architecture and other topics entertaining as well as informative.
The ultimate test of your knowledge of Canada, trivial and otherwise. You can choose from more than 60 dynamic quizzes with visual or text clues. Your scores depend on the speed with which you answer and the number of clues you need. Results are sent to you by email and high scores are posted on the site.
This unique resource includes more than 6000 events from Canadian and world history. It can be searched by era, subject, keyword or date. To find out what happened on your birthday, select the month and day of your birth.
This selection of the 100 "greatest" events in Canadian history was made by editor in chief James H. Marsh to draw attention to events that have left an indelible memory in the minds of later generations.
| THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF MUSIC IN CANADA |
|
| Alberta Culture and Multiculturalism (Alberta Culture until 1987). Department established in 1975 by the government of the province of Alberta. Prior to that date the development of the arts in the province had been the ... |
|
|
