Richard Leacock 1921-2011

Sad news. Documentary pioneer Richard Leacock died this Wednesday in his home in Paris. He would have celebrated his ninetieth birthday in July. He played a crucial role in the history of documentary film, as a filmmaker and cinematographer and as a forerunner on its technological field.

Friday the 25^th of March he should have presented his book-project “The Feeling of Being There – a filmmaker’s memoir” at the festival Cinéma du reel in Paris before the projection of a selection of his films (Soirée spéciale Richard Leacock: Canary Island Bananas, Primary, Happy Mother’s Day and Chiefs). The tribute the festival has chosen to pay Leacock with the program Dédicace Richard Leacock has now taken a whole other signification.

Richard Leacock had written his memoirs and was preparing the publication of the DVBook, his invention of combining text with actual film-quotes, this summer. The project was, and is, a truly independent venture. And what a life!

We should have honoured and celebrated Ricky together with him, sadly he is no longer here.

My thoughts go to his family and in particular to his beloved Valerie Lalonde.

Cinéma du réel, Dédicace Richard Leacock, March 25^th , April 2^nd and 4^th:

http://www.cinemadureel.org/rubrique677.html

Read more about the book-project:

http://www.canarybananafilms.com   

Obituaries:

The Guardian  The Telegraph  Boston Herald  L. A. Times