The Times That Are

Pierre Perrault had initially intended to be a lawyer. After classical studies, he enrolled in the law faculty of the University of Montreal in 1948 and continued at the University of Paris. He then studied international private law at the University of Toronto. He practised law in Montreal from 1954 to 1956, when he was hired as a writer for the French-language network of CBC Radio. Over the years, he would also write television dramas.

In his films, Perrault concentrated on men who reveal themselves through their language, and through their acts primarily having to do with daily life, work and survival. He often uncovered the myths underlying their activities, including hunting: The Shimmering Beast (La Bête lumineuse) (1982) takes us into a fantastic world, giving us a glimpse of the fear that underlies the boasting of hunters. More than a hunting trip, this film is a voyage into the heart of men and of self, a voyage beyond life too, a confrontation with death. There followed four more films in which man pursues a quest into the future or back to his roots. This would lead in 1994 to two complementary films: Cornouailles, in which the filmmaker observes the muskoxen’s merciless combat to dominate the herd, and L’oumigmag ou L’objectif documentaire, a documentary maker’s reflections on his art, writing, nature and life.

Perrault’s highly poetic and philosophical work enjoys retrospectives held regularly all over the world. Along with his filmmaking, he has produced a remarkable literary oeuvre: collections of poetry, plays, annotated transcriptions of his films, etc.

Throughout his career, Perrault received numerous awards and honours for both his writing and his films. He was made Honorary Doctor of Letters by Laval University in Quebec City in 1986 and received the Albert Tessier Award from the Government of Quebec in 1994. In 1997, the Université de Sherbrooke made him Honorary Doctor of Letters. —National Film Board of Canada