RIP Michel Brault

Michel Brault a Quebec cinematographer, cameraman, film director, screenwriter and film producer died of a heart attack in Toronto, Onataio, Canada today September 21, 2013. Born June 25, 1928 Montréal, Québec, Canada, he was a leading figure of Direct Cinema, characteristic of the French branch of the National Film Board of Canada in the 1960s. Brault was a pioneer of the hand-held camera aesthetic.

 
In the 1960s, Brault collaborated with the French Nouvelle Vague, notably with Jean Rouch, and introduced the cinéma vérité techniques in Europe. He directed his first documentary short film for the National Film Board, the influential Les Raquetteurs in 1958. He was also the cinematographer for a number of key Canadian films of the 1970s such as Claude Jutra's “Kamouraska” and “Mon Oncle Antoine” and Francis Mankiewicz's “Les Bons débarras”.
 
In 1974, Brault directed “Les Ordres”, about the 1970 October crisis and won the 1975 Cannes Film Festival award for best director and the 1975 Canadian Film Award for best direction. His 1989 film “The Paper Wedding” was entered into the 40th Berlin International Film Festival.
 
Brault was the cinematographer on the 1984 TV Euro-western “Louisiana”.