Jacques Bensimon
Encyclopedia
Jacques Bensimon was born in Morocco
, grew up in Montreal
, and completed his film studies in New York City
. He is currently the president of the Cinémathèque québécoise
in Montreal
, a post he has held since June 2006.
He was named Government Film Commissioner and Chairperson of the National Film Board of Canada
on April 26, 2001 for a five-year term, which was extended for six months and ended on December 17, 2006.
From 2000 to 2001, Jacques Bensimon was the Executive Vice-President of the Banff Television Foundation (BTVF) and its Chief Operating Officer
. The Foundation is a charitable organization that organizes a variety of broadcasting
, television
and new media events. The flagship event is the Banff TV Festival which is held every year in June and welcomes 2000 participants from the Canadian and international audio visual industry.
The BTVF also manages other events all over the world such as "The World Congress of Science Producers" and the "The World Congress of History Producers", and twice yearly training sessions, through the Alliance-Atlantis Executive Program for upcoming leaders of the broadcasting and production industry.
From 1986 to 2000 he was managing director of TFO
, the French-language network of TVOntario
, where he helped establish partnership and co-production agreements with major distributors all over the world such as the BBC
, Arte
and France Télévisions
. He started as Program Director of the Adult sector, and in 1989 became its Managing Director. Among other responsibilities, he was in charge of acquiring feature films, and acted as the on-air host for all film presentations on the network. In 1994, La Chaîne was awarded the prestigious Prix du 3-juillet-1608 by the Government of Quebec
, for its unique contribution to the North American French-speaking communities.
In 1967 he began working at the National Film Board of Canada
(NFB), as a scriptwriter
, editor
, director
and producer
. He has credits on over thirty NFB films either as screenwriter, editor, director or producer. He was, inter alia
, responsible for an NFB production unit in Africa
for the United Nations
and . He later made several trips to Africa, making documentaries for the Carnets du Maroc series. Between 1981 and 1986 he was Director of the French Program's programming committee and subsequently Director of International Distribution.
Bensimon was named a Member of the Order of Canada
in 2005, received an honorary doctorate in Letters from York University
in Toronto and, in 1998, was named "Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres" from the French Government for what he accomplished at TFO.
· Jacques Bensimon was also:
Vice-President of AITED (International Association of Education and Discovery Television Companies)
· Associate Member of the International Council of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (NATAS) N.Y.
· Board Member of TV5 USA
· Honorary Board Member of the Toronto Cercle Canadien
Morocco
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
, grew up in Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
, and completed his film studies in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. He is currently the president of the Cinémathèque québécoise
Cinémathèque québécoise
The Cinémathèque québécoise is a film conservatory in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Founded in 1963, its mission is to "preserve and document film and television heritage in order to make it available to an ever-growing and diversified public."...
in Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
, a post he has held since June 2006.
He was named Government Film Commissioner and Chairperson of the National Film Board of Canada
National Film Board of Canada
The National Film Board of Canada is Canada's twelve-time Academy Award-winning public film producer and distributor. An agency of the Government of Canada, the NFB produces and distributes documentary, animation, alternative drama and digital media productions...
on April 26, 2001 for a five-year term, which was extended for six months and ended on December 17, 2006.
From 2000 to 2001, Jacques Bensimon was the Executive Vice-President of the Banff Television Foundation (BTVF) and its Chief Operating Officer
Chief operating officer
A Chief Operating Officer or Director of Operations can be one of the highest-ranking executives in an organization and comprises part of the "C-Suite"...
. The Foundation is a charitable organization that organizes a variety of broadcasting
Broadcasting
Broadcasting is the distribution of audio and video content to a dispersed audience via any audio visual medium. Receiving parties may include the general public or a relatively large subset of thereof...
, television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
and new media events. The flagship event is the Banff TV Festival which is held every year in June and welcomes 2000 participants from the Canadian and international audio visual industry.
The BTVF also manages other events all over the world such as "The World Congress of Science Producers" and the "The World Congress of History Producers", and twice yearly training sessions, through the Alliance-Atlantis Executive Program for upcoming leaders of the broadcasting and production industry.
From 1986 to 2000 he was managing director of TFO
TFO
TFO is a Canadian French language educational public television network in the province of Ontario. It is the only French-language television network in Canada whose operations are based entirely outside of Quebec....
, the French-language network of TVOntario
TVOntario
TVOntario, often referred to only as TVO , is a publicly funded, educational English-language television station and media organization in the Canadian province of Ontario. It is operated by the Ontario Educational Communications Authority, a Crown corporation owned by the Government of Ontario...
, where he helped establish partnership and co-production agreements with major distributors all over the world such as the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
, Arte
Arte
Arte is a Franco-German TV network. It is a European culture channel and aims to promote quality programming especially in areas of culture and the arts...
and France Télévisions
France Télévisions
France Télévisions is the French public national television broadcaster. It is a state-owned company formed from the bringing together of the public television channels France 2 and France 3 , later joined by the legally independent channels France 5 , France Ô , and France 4 France Télévisions ...
. He started as Program Director of the Adult sector, and in 1989 became its Managing Director. Among other responsibilities, he was in charge of acquiring feature films, and acted as the on-air host for all film presentations on the network. In 1994, La Chaîne was awarded the prestigious Prix du 3-juillet-1608 by the Government of Quebec
Government of Quebec
The Government of Quebec refers to the provincial government of the province of Quebec. Its powers and structure are set out in the Constitution Act, 1867....
, for its unique contribution to the North American French-speaking communities.
In 1967 he began working at the National Film Board of Canada
National Film Board of Canada
The National Film Board of Canada is Canada's twelve-time Academy Award-winning public film producer and distributor. An agency of the Government of Canada, the NFB produces and distributes documentary, animation, alternative drama and digital media productions...
(NFB), as a scriptwriter
Screenwriter
Screenwriters or scriptwriters or scenario writers are people who write/create the short or feature-length screenplays from which mass media such as films, television programs, Comics or video games are based.-Profession:...
, editor
Film editing
Film editing is part of the creative post-production process of filmmaking. It involves the selection and combining of shots into sequences, and ultimately creating a finished motion picture. It is an art of storytelling...
, director
Film director
A film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:...
and producer
Film producer
A film producer oversees and delivers a film project to all relevant parties while preserving the integrity, voice and vision of the film. They will also often take on some financial risk by using their own money, especially during the pre-production period, before a film is fully financed.The...
. He has credits on over thirty NFB films either as screenwriter, editor, director or producer. He was, inter alia
Inter Alia
-Track listing:# Inter Alia# Outfox'd # Righteous Badass # The Altogether feat. Bix, Apt, UNIVERSE ARM and Cal# The Day-to-Daily# Trouble Brewing # The Prestidigitator# The Force...
, responsible for an NFB production unit in Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
for the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
and . He later made several trips to Africa, making documentaries for the Carnets du Maroc series. Between 1981 and 1986 he was Director of the French Program's programming committee and subsequently Director of International Distribution.
Bensimon was named a Member of the Order of Canada
Order of Canada
The Order of Canada is a Canadian national order, admission into which is, within the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, the second highest honour for merit...
in 2005, received an honorary doctorate in Letters from York University
York University
York University is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is Canada's third-largest university, Ontario's second-largest graduate school, and Canada's leading interdisciplinary university....
in Toronto and, in 1998, was named "Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres" from the French Government for what he accomplished at TFO.
· Jacques Bensimon was also:
Vice-President of AITED (International Association of Education and Discovery Television Companies)
· Associate Member of the International Council of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (NATAS) N.Y.
· Board Member of TV5 USA
· Honorary Board Member of the Toronto Cercle Canadien