Throughout his lengthy career, Jean-Claude Labrecque’s interests focused on matters of concern to the Québécois people, whether in sports, culture or politics. His better-known films include La Visite du Général de Gaulle au Québec (where he captured on film the infamous 'Vive le Québec libre!’ outburst by French President
Charles de Gaulle), Games of the XXI Olympiad and his second feature, Les Vautours, an eloquent and charming personal meditation on the birth of a generation, considered by critics to be his best film. More recently he has served as
Bernard Émond’s cameraman on such critically acclaimed films as The Woman Who Drinks (La Femme qui boit), The Novena (La Neuvaine) and Summit Circle (Contre toute espérance). Among his many awards and citations, he won two
Canadian Film Awards, in 1964 and 1970, and the Prix Jutra for best documentary in 2003. He has lectured on filmmaking at
Université du Québec à Montréal.[1][2][3]
Member of the
Order of Canada in 2009 "for his contributions to the development of film as a director of documentaries and fictional films, and as a renowned director of photography here in Canada and abroad".
References
^Alioff, Maurie (2009). "Delinquent Days: An Interview with a Quebec icon, Cinematographer/Director/Scenarist Jean-Claude Labrecque csc". Canadian Cinematographer. 1 (6): 6–11.
Note: From 1963 to 1969, two separate awards were consistently presented for colour and black-and-white cinematography. This distinction did not continue from 1970 on.