Joseph Bernard Devlin (2 September 1923 – 1 January 1983) was a
French-Canadian
French Canadians, referred to as Canadiens mainly before the nineteenth century, are an ethnic group descended from French colonists first arriving in France's colony of Canada in 1608. The vast majority of French Canadians live in the prov ...
film director, producer, and writer who played an important role in the development of French-language film production at the
National Film Board of Canada
The National Film Board of Canada (NFB; ) is a Canadian public film and digital media producer and distributor. An agency of the Government of Canada, the NFB produces and distributes documentary films, animation, web documentaries, and altern ...
(NFB).
Biography
Devlin was born and raised in
Quebec City
Quebec City is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Quebec. As of July 2021, the city had a population of 549,459, and the Census Metropolitan Area (including surrounding communities) had a populati ...
. After attending
Loyola College, he joined the
Royal Canadian Navy
The Royal Canadian Navy (RCN; , ''MRC'') is the Navy, naval force of Canada. The navy is one of three environmental commands within the Canadian Armed Forces. As of February 2024, the RCN operates 12 s, 12 s, 4 s, 4 s, 8 s, and several auxiliary ...
and saw action in the Atlantic, the Mediterranean and North Africa. After the war, he moved to
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital city of Canada. It is located in the southern Ontario, southern portion of the province of Ontario, at the confluence of the Ottawa River and the Rideau River. Ottawa borders Gatineau, Gatineau, Quebec, and forms the cor ...
and joined the NFB. He was one of the few French-Canadians there; he joined Vincent Paquette and
Jean Palardy and, after the war, the NFB hired
Roger Blais and Raymond Garceau, among others.
This group made French films, but it also continued to make English films, and dub them for Quebec. In 1951, the NFB created a studio for the creation of French-language films. Devlin wasn't given a title, but he was put in charge of the unit and spent the next two years producing films about French-Canadian culture. While he was reportedly an
anti-nationalist, he did a great deal to further French-Canadian film production at the NFB.
In 1953, the NFB produced its first television series, which ran for two years on the
CBC CBC may refer to:
Media
* Cadena Baja California or Grupo Cadena, a radio and television broadcaster in Mexico
* Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, Canada's radio and television public broadcaster
** CBC Television
** CBC Radio One
** CBC Music
** ...
. It was called ''
On the Spot'' and it was a series of short documentaries, 39 of which were directed and/or produced by Devlin.
In 1954, Devlin was
seconded by
Radio-Canada Radio-Canada may refer to:
* CBC/Radio-Canada, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
*Ici Radio-Canada Télé, the CBC's main French-language television network
*Ici Radio-Canada Première
Ici Radio-Canada Première (formerly Première Chaîne) i ...
to help establish French-language television programming and spent the next five years creating ''Sur le vif'' (''On the Spot''). These were NFB-produced films for the CBC; the difference was that there were no dubbed versions of English films and no duplications of subject matter. They were original films, in French, for French-Canadians.
Devlin returned to the National Film Board in 1959, directing French-language television programs, and was director of French production again from 1960 to 1961. In 1971, he was given the one-year appointment of Director of English Production. He spent the latter years of his career creating English-language films and retired in 1977. He died in Montreal in 1983, at age 59.
Filmography
*''Ski Skill'' - documentary short, 1946 - co-writer with
Sydney Newman
Sydney Cecil Newman (; April 1, 1917 – October 30, 1997) was a Canadian producer and screenwriter who played a pioneering role in British television drama from the late 1950s to the late 1960s. After his return to Canada in 1970, he was app ...
, co-director with
Roger Blais
*''Vive le ski!'' - documentary short, 1946 - co-writer with
Roger Blais and Georges Ayotte, co-director with
Roger Blais
*''Ici...Ottawa'' - documentary short, 1946 - writer, director
*''Vers l'avenir'' - documentary short, 1947 - director
*''Horizons de Québec'' - documentary short, 1948 - writer, director
*''Double Heritage'' - documentary short, 1948 - director
*''Abitibi'' - documentary short,
David Bairstow 1949 - writer
*''A Capital Plan'' - documentary short, 1949 - director
*''French Canada: 1534-1848'' - documentary short, 1950 - director
*''Local 100'' - short film, 1950 - writer, director
*''St. Lawrence Coaster'' - documentary short, Denys Gagnon 1951 - editor
*''Ottawa: Today and Tomorrow'' - documentary short, 1951 - director
*''The Sexton'' - documentary short, Raymond Garceau 1952 - producer
*''Seven Islands'' - documentary short, Gil LaRoche 1952 - producer
*''The Puppeteers'' - documentary short,
Jacques Giraldeau 1952 - producer
*''
The Bird Fancier
''The Bird Fancier'' () is a Canadian short drama film, directed by Bernard Devlin and Jean Palardy and released in 1952. Written by Roger Lemelin, the film tells the story of a man whose passion for birds is bordering on obsession, distracting h ...
'' - short film, 1952 - co-director with
Jean Palardy
*''
The Settler (L'Abatis)'' - documentary short, 1952 - writer, co-director with Raymond Garceau
*''Winter Week-end'' - short film, 1952 - director
*''Backstage'' - documentary short, 1953 - producer
*''Tempest in Town'' - short film, Raymond Garceau 1953 - producer
*''The Motorman'' - documentary short, Gil LaRoche 1953 - producer
*''Music Professor'' - documentary short, Gil LaRoche 1953 - producer
*''The Village Notary'' - short film, Pierre Arbour 1953 - producer
*''The Wind-Swept Isles'' - documentary short,
Jean Palardy 1953 - producer
*''Ti-Jean Goes Lumbering'' - short film,
Jean Palardy 1953 - executive producer
*''
On the Spot: Transpacific Flight'' - documentary short, 1953 - producer
*''
On the Spot: Football Story'' - documentary short, 1953 - producer, director
*''
On the Spot: Hotel Story'' - documentary short, 1953 - producer, director
*''
On the Spot: Winnipeg Ballet'' - documentary short, 1953 - producer
*''
On the Spot: The Winnipeg Story'' - documentary short, 1953 - producer
*''
On the Spot: Oil'' - documentary short, 1953 - producer, director
*''
On the Spot: Saskatchewan Farm Museum Story'' - documentary short, 1953 - producer, director
*''
On the Spot: It's Raining Soldiers!'' - documentary short, 1953 - producer, director
*''
On the Spot: The Mounties' Crime Lab'' - documentary short, 1953 - editor, producer, director
*''
On the Spot: The Zoo in Stanley Park''- documentary short, 1953 - producer, director
*''
On the Spot: School for Charm'' - documentary short, 1954 - writer, director
*''
On the Spot: Aviation Medicine'' - documentary short, 1954 - producer
*''
On the Spot: The Strong Man'' - documentary short,
Julian Biggs
Julian Biggs (1920–1972) was a director and producer with the National Film Board of Canada and its first Director of English Production. Over the course of his 20-year career, he created 146 films, two of which (''Herring Hunt'' (1953) and '' ...
1954 - producer
*''
On the Spot: Story of a Newspaper'' - documentary short,
Julian Biggs
Julian Biggs (1920–1972) was a director and producer with the National Film Board of Canada and its first Director of English Production. Over the course of his 20-year career, he created 146 films, two of which (''Herring Hunt'' (1953) and '' ...
1954 - producer
*''
On the Spot: The Doll Factory'' - documentary short,
Julian Biggs
Julian Biggs (1920–1972) was a director and producer with the National Film Board of Canada and its first Director of English Production. Over the course of his 20-year career, he created 146 films, two of which (''Herring Hunt'' (1953) and '' ...
1954 - producer
*''
On the Spot: Better Business Bureau'' - documentary short, 1954 - producer, director
*''
On the Spot: Bureau of Missing Persons'' - documentary short, 1954 -director
*''
On the Spot: Chosen Children'' - documentary short, 1954 -producer, director
*''
On the Spot: Curtain Time in Ottawa'' - documentary short, 1954 - producer, director
*''
On the Spot: French Cuisine'' - documentary short, 1954 -producer, director
*''
On the Spot: Harness Racing'' - documentary short, 1954 - producer, director
*''
On the Spot: Javanese Dancing'' - documentary short, 1954 - director
*''
On the Spot: Judo - Jinks'' - documentary short, 1954 - editor, producer, director
*''
On the Spot: Korea, After the War'' - documentary short, 1954 - producer, director
*''
On the Spot: Movies in the Mill'' - documentary short, Allen Stark 1954 - producer
*''
On the Spot: Cancer Clinic'' - documentary short, Allen Stark 1954 - producer
*''
On the Spot: The Magic Men'' - documentary short, Jack Olsen 1954 - producer
*''
On the Spot: End of Tour'' - documentary short, 1954 - producer
*''
On the Spot: Camera Men'' - documentary short, Allen Stark 1954 - producer
*''
On the Spot: Police Club for Boys'' - documentary short, Allen Stark 1954 - producer
*''
On the Spot: Test Pilot'' - documentary short, Allen Stark 1954 - producer
*''
On the Spot: Deep Sleep'' - documentary short, Jack Olsen 1954 - producer
*''
On the Spot: The Traffic Cop'' - documentary short, Jack Olsen 1954 - producer
*''
On the Spot: Micro Movies'' - documentary short, 1954 - producer, director
*''
On the Spot: On Leave in Tokyo'' - documentary short, 1954 - producer, director
*''
On the Spot: Survival in the Bush'' - documentary short, 1954 - director
*''
On the Spot: The Car Mart'' - documentary short, Walford Hewitson 1954 - producer
*''
On the Spot: Laurentian Skiing'' - documentary short, Allen Stark 1954 - producer
*''
On the Spot: Vancouver's Chinatown'' - documentary short, 1954 - producer, director
*''Men at Work'' - short film, Donald Peters, 1954 - producer
*''Window on Canada No. 26'' - documentary short, 1954 - producer
*''Saint-Jean'' - documentary short, Gil LaRoche 1954 - producer
*''L'abbé Pierre'' - documentary short, 1954 - director, co-producer with
Robert Anderson
*''L'or de l'Abitibi'' - documentary short, 1954 - producer, director
*''Le prospecteur'' - documentary short, 1954 - producer, director
*''Les Polonais du Canada'' - documentary short, 1954 - director, co-producer with
Robert Anderson
*''La Coupe du bois en Colombie-Britannique'' - short film, Gil LaRoche 1954 - producer
*''Dorval et Gander'' - short film, Gil LaRoche 1954 - producer
*''La Fabrication du papier'' - short film, Gil LaRoche 1954 - producer
*''Regards sur le Canada Numbers 1-39'' - documentary shorts, 1954 - producer, co-director with
Robert Anderson
*''Reliques indiennes'' - documentary short, Gil LaRoche 1954 - producer
*''Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon'' - short film, Gil LaRoche 1954 - producer
*''Trappeur indien'' - documentary short, 1955 - writer, producer, director
*''Pour survivre en forêt'' - documentary short, 1955 - director
*''L'Alpinisme'' - short film, Rollo Gamble 1955 - writer
*''Le 22e régiment en Allemagne'' - documentary short, 1955 - writer, director
*''Boîte de nuit'' - documentary short, 1955 - producer, director
*''Le chauffard'' - documentary short, 1955 - director
*''Circulation à Montréal'' - documentary short, 1955 - writer, director
*''L'élevage dans l'Ouest'' - short film, Rollo Gamble 1955 - writer
*''La crèche d'Youville'' - documentary short, 1955 - producer, director
*''New Hearts for Old'' - documentary short, 1955 - co-director with Jean Lenauer
*''Le Colon'' - documentary short, 1955 - producer, director
*''Les canadiens français dans l'Ouest'' - documentary short, 1955 - director
*''Nos aviateurs outre-mer'' - documentary short, 1955 - director
*''Quartier chinois'' - documentary short, 1955 - director
*''Radio Police'' - documentary short, 1955 - director
*''Retour à Dieppe'' - documentary short, 1955 - producer, director
*''Aéro-Club'' - documentary short, 1956 - director
*''Raw Material'' - documentary short, 1956 - director
*''Alfred J.'' - documentary, 1956 - director
*''Case of Conscience'' - short film, 1956 - director
*''D'homme à homme'' - short film, 1956 - director
*''Il s'enfla si bien'' - short film, 1956 - director
*''Le cas Labrecque'' - short film, 1956 - director
*''Le vieux bien'' - short film, 1956 - director
*''Night Children'' - documentary short, ''Perspective'' series 1956 - director
*''L'Homme à l'âge de la machine'' - short film, Donald Peters 1956 - producer
*''Que Dieu vous soit en aide'' - short film, 1956 - director
*''The Visit'' - short film, 1956 - director
*''Tu enfanteras dans la joie'' - short film, 1956 - director
*''Les nouveaux venus'' - short film, 1957 - director
*''The Suspects'' - short film, ''Perspective'' series 1957 - director
*''Les Brûlés, 1-8'' - short films, 1957 - writer, director (released as ''The Promised Land'' in 1962)
*''Rendezvous'' - documentary short, 1958 - director
*''Age of Dissent: Young Men with Opinions'' - documentary, 1959 - director, co-producer with Ian MacNeill
*''Britain and Canada Debate Britain's World Leadership'' - documentary, 1959 - co-producer with Ian MacNeill, co-director with Richard Gilbert
*''L'immigré'' - short film, 1959 - director
*''L'Héritage'' - short film, 1960 - director, co-writer with
Léonard Forest
Léonard Forest (January 17, 1928 – March 19, 2024) was an American-born Canadian filmmaker, poet and essayist.
Life and career
Léonard Forest was born in Massachusetts, United States, and grew up in Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada.
Forest wo ...
*''Walk Down Any Street'' - short film, 1960 - writer, director
*''Dubois et fils'' - short film, 1961 - co-director with
Raymond Leboursier
Raymond Leboursier (22 May 1917 – 26 July 1987) was a French film editor, film director, actor, and screenwriter.
Filmography
Actor
* 1930: ''Le Réquisitoire'' (first title of the film: ''Homicide'') by Dimitri Buchowetzki
* 1931: ''The ...
*''Alexis Ladoceur, Métis'' - documentary short, Raymond Garceau 1961 - co-producer with Victor Jobin
*''The Niger, Young Republic'' - documentary,
Claude Jutra
Claude Jutra (; March 11, 1930 – November 5, 1986) was a Canadian actor, film director, and screenwriter. 1961 - producer
*''
The Promised Land'' - feature, 1962 - writer, director
*''Les Bacheliers de la cinquième'' - documentary short,
Clément Perron
Clément Perron (July 3, 1929 – October 12, 1999) was a Canadian film director and screenwriter.
Early life and education
Perron was born in Quebec City, Quebec. After graduating from the University of Laval with a Bachelor of Arts in Philosop ...
and François Séguillon 1962 - co-producer with Victor Jobin
*''The Gold Seekers'' - documentary short, Robert Russell 1962 - co-producer with Victor Jobin
*''The Lake Man'' - documentary short, Raymond Garceau 1962 - co-producer with Victor Jobin
*''Loisirs'' - documentary short,
Clément Perron
Clément Perron (July 3, 1929 – October 12, 1999) was a Canadian film director and screenwriter.
Early life and education
Perron was born in Quebec City, Quebec. After graduating from the University of Laval with a Bachelor of Arts in Philosop ...
and
Pierre Patry
Pierre Patry (November 2, 1933 – June 7, 2014) was a Canadian film director and screenwriter.
Biography
Born in Hull, Quebec, Patry began his career in the theatre as an actor and a playwright. He was a founding member of the Canadian Associat ...
1962 - co-producer with Victor Jobin
*''Adultes avec réserve (Boulevard Saint-Laurent)'' - documentary short, Jack Zolov and Marc Beaudet 1962 - co-producer with Victor Jobin
*''September Five at Saint-Henri'' - documentary short,
Hubert Aquin
Hubert Aquin (24 October 1929 – 15 March 1977) was a Quebec writer, filmmaker and intellectual. He is particularly known for his novel ''Next Episode (novel), Next Episode''. He is also an important figure in the history of the Quebec Soverei ...
1962 - cinematographer
*''Louis-Hippolyte Lafontaine'' - short film,
Pierre Patry
Pierre Patry (November 2, 1933 – June 7, 2014) was a Canadian film director and screenwriter.
Biography
Born in Hull, Quebec, Patry began his career in the theatre as an actor and a playwright. He was a founding member of the Canadian Associat ...
1962 - producer
*''David Thompson: The Great Mapmaker'' - short film, 1964 - director
*''The Voyageurs'' - documentary short 1964 - producer, director
*''The Correctional Process'' - documentary, 1964 - writer, director
*''Blindness'' - short film,
Morten Parker
Morten Parker (July 29, 1919 – May 26, 2014) was a Canadian director, producer and writer.
Biography
Parker was born and raised in a Jewish family in Winnipeg, Manitoba, attended the University of Winnipeg and began his career as a journalist ...
1964 - co-writer with Edmund Reid and Wilson Southam
*''The Visit'' - documentary short,
John Kemeny 1964 - producer
*''Octopus Hunt'' - documentary short, 1965 - director
*''Once Upon a Prime Time'' - short film, 1966 - director
*''Pre-Release'' - documentary short, 1966 - writer, director
*''A Question of Identity: War of 1812'' - short film, 1966 - producer, director
*''
Judoka
is an unarmed gendai budō, modern Japanese martial art, combat sport, Olympic sport (since 1964), and the most prominent form of jacket wrestling competed internationally.『日本大百科全書』電子版【柔道】(CD-ROM version of Encyc ...
'' - documentary short, Josef Reeve 1967 - co-producer with
David Bairstow
*''Seniority Versus Ability'' - documentary short, 1968 - director
*''A Matter of Survival'' - documentary short, 1969 - editor, director
*''Below Zero'' - documentary short, Michel Régnier 1970 - co-writer with
William Weintraub
William Weintraub (February 19, 1926 – November 6, 2017) was a Canadian documentarian/filmmaker, journalist and author, best known for his long career with the National Film Board of Canada (NFB).
Early life
Weintraub was born in Montreal ...
*''The End of the Nancy J'' - short film, 1970 - writer, producer, director
*''A Case of Eggs, Episodes 1-4'' - short films, 1974 - writer, director
*''Striker'' - short film, Robert Nichol 1976 - co-producer with Israel Hicks
*''Nature's Food Chain'' - documentary short, 1977 - editor, co-producer and -director with André Petrowski
Awards
''Ski Skill'' (1946)
* Ski Club Festival,
Sestriere
Sestriere (, , , ) is a ski resort in Piedmont, Italy, a ''comune'' (municipality) of the Metropolitan City of Turin. It is situated in Val Susa, from the France, French border. Its name derives from Latin language, Latin: ''ad petram sistrariam ...
, Italy: First Place, Ski Club Cup, 1951
* International Sports Film Festival,
Cortina d'Ampezzo
Cortina d'Ampezzo (; , ; historical ) sometimes abbreviated to simply Cortina, is a town and ''comune'' in the heart of the southern (Dolomites, Dolomitic) Alps in the province of Belluno, in the Veneto region of Northern Italy. Situated on the ...
, Italy: Bronze Medal, 1951
''The Settler'' (1952)
* International Festival of the Agricultural Film, Rome: Second Prize, Education for Farmers, 1953
*
6th Canadian Film Awards,
Montreal
Montreal is the List of towns in Quebec, largest city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Quebec, the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, second-largest in Canada, and the List of North American cit ...
: Honourable Mention - Theatrical Short, 1954
* Golden Reel International Film Festival, Film Council of America, Chicago: Recognition of Merit, 1954
''
The Bird Fancier
''The Bird Fancier'' () is a Canadian short drama film, directed by Bernard Devlin and Jean Palardy and released in 1952. Written by Roger Lemelin, the film tells the story of a man whose passion for birds is bordering on obsession, distracting h ...
'' (1952)
*
5th Canadian Film Awards
The 5th Canadian Film Awards were presented on April 30, 1953 to honour achievements in Canadian film.Maria Topalovich, ''And the Genie Goes To...: Celebrating 50 Years of the Canadian Film Awards''. Stoddart Publishing, 2000. . pp. 21-23.
Sixty ...
, Montreal: Best Theatrical Short, 1953
''Ti-Jean Goes Lumbering'' (1953)
*
Yorkton Film Festival
Yorkton Film Festival (YFF) is an annual film festival held in late May in Yorkton, Saskatchewan, Canada.
In 1947, the Yorkton Film Council (YFC) was founded and in 1950 the first international documentary film festival officially opened in we ...
,
Yorkton
Yorkton is a city located in south-eastern Saskatchewan, Canada. It is about north-west of Winnipeg and south-east of Saskatoon and is the sixth largest city in the province.
Yorkton was founded in 1882 and incorporated as a city in 1928. ...
, Saskatchewan: Honourable Mention, 1954
* Okanagan Film Festival,
Kelowna
Kelowna ( ) is a city on Okanagan Lake in the Okanagan, Okanagan Valley in the British Columbia Interior, southern interior of British Columbia, Canada. It serves as the head office of the Regional District of Central Okanagan. The name Kelowna ...
, British Columbia: First Prize, Children’s Films, 1958
''Alfred J.'' (1956)
* International Labour Film Festival, Vienna: Second Prize, 1957
''Walk Down Any Street'' (1960)
* Philippines Film Festival on Mental Health,
Manila
Manila, officially the City of Manila, is the Capital of the Philippines, capital and second-most populous city of the Philippines after Quezon City, with a population of 1,846,513 people in 2020. Located on the eastern shore of Manila Bay on ...
: Plaque of Merit, 1965
''The Niger, Young Republic'' (1961)
* Festival dei Popoli,
Florence
Florence ( ; ) is the capital city of the Italy, Italian region of Tuscany. It is also the most populated city in Tuscany, with 362,353 inhabitants, and 989,460 in Metropolitan City of Florence, its metropolitan province as of 2025.
Florence ...
, Italy: Special Jury Prize, 1961
''Octopus Hunt'' (1965)
* Electronic, Nuclear and Teleradio Cinematographic Review,
Rome
Rome (Italian language, Italian and , ) is the capital city and most populated (municipality) of Italy. It is also the administrative centre of the Lazio Regions of Italy, region and of the Metropolitan City of Rome. A special named with 2, ...
: Gold Rocket, Sports Films 1968
''A Matter of Survival'' (1969)
* American Film and Video Festival, New York: Blue Ribbon, 1970
* International Labour and Industrial Film Festival,
Antwerp
Antwerp (; ; ) is a City status in Belgium, city and a Municipalities of Belgium, municipality in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It is the capital and largest city of Antwerp Province, and the third-largest city in Belgium by area at , after ...
: Selection Committee Award, 1971
* International Labour and Industrial Film Festival,
Antwerp
Antwerp (; ; ) is a City status in Belgium, city and a Municipalities of Belgium, municipality in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It is the capital and largest city of Antwerp Province, and the third-largest city in Belgium by area at , after ...
: Director's Award, 1971
* International Labour and Industrial Film Festival,
Antwerp
Antwerp (; ; ) is a City status in Belgium, city and a Municipalities of Belgium, municipality in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It is the capital and largest city of Antwerp Province, and the third-largest city in Belgium by area at , after ...
: Award of Excellence, 1971
* Industrial Film Awards, New York: Best in Industrial Photography, 1971
''Nature's Food Chain'' (1977)
* American Film and Video Festival, New York: Red Ribbon, Nature and Wildlife, 1979
References
External links
*
Films by Bernard Devlin, National Film Board
{{DEFAULTSORT:Devlin, Bernard
1923 births
1983 deaths
Film directors from Quebec
National Film Board of Canada people
Canadian documentary film directors
Canadian television directors
People from Quebec City
Loyola College (Montreal) alumni
Directors of Genie Award winners for Best Theatrical Short