The Heavenly Bodies

Gilles Carle (July 31, 1928 – November 28, 2009) was a French Canadian director, screenwriter and painter.

Carle was born in Maniwaki, Québec. His film 50 ans, celebrating the 50 years of the National Film Board of Canada, won the Short Film Palme d’Or at the 1989 Cannes Film Festival.

He joined the NFB in 1960, where his credits included La Vie heureuse de Léopold Z. But after the NFB rejected several of his projects, he began working independently.

In 1990, he was awarded the Government of Québec’s Prix Albert-Tessier. In 1998, he was made an Officer of the Ordre du Canada. In 2007, he was made a Grand Officer of the Ordre National du Québec.

Carle died aged 81 on November 28, 2009 of complications from Parkinson’s disease at an hospital in Granby, Québec. He is survived by his son and three daughters as well as his companion of 27 years, Chloé Sainte-Marie. Québec Prime Minister Jean Charest described him, at his death, as one of Québec’s most influential filmmakers.—Wikipedia