Jacques Feyder ( French: [fɛ.dɛʁ] ; 21 July 1885 – 24 May 1948) was a Belgian film director, screenwriter and actor who worked principally in France, but also in the US, Britain and Germany. He was a director of silent films during the 1920s, and in the 1930s he became associated with the style of poetic realism in French cinema . He adopted French nationality in 1928.
44-653: Born Jacques Léon Louis Frédérix in Ixelles , Belgium, he was educated at the École régimentaire in Nivelles, and was destined for a military career. At age twenty-five however he moved to Paris where he pursued an interest in acting, first on stage and then in film, adopting the name Jacques Feyder . He joined the Gaumont Film Company and in 1914 he became an assistant director with Gaston Ravel . He started directing films for Gaumont in 1916, but his career
88-478: A craftsman of filmmaking. Some critics have been content to take him at his word and to look no further for any underlying vision of the world. He was however insistent upon his creative independence, demonstrated by his willingness to make his films in so many different countries if the conditions of production appeared favourable. Recurrent themes in his work include the reckless love of a mysterious or unknown woman ( L'Atlantide , L'Image , Carmen , Le Grand Jeu ),
132-553: A firm believer in their future, in contrast with some of his French contemporaries. In 1930, he directed Jetta Goudal in her only French language film made in Hollywood, Le Spectre vert . His subsequent work in the US consisted mainly of directing foreign-language versions of American films, including a German version of Anna Christie , again with Garbo. Disillusioned with the Hollywood system, Feyder returned to France in 1933. During
176-797: A full-fledged village. Thanks to the Maalbeek springs and the purity of its waters, a brewing industry became active in the area. It started inside the Abbey, but by the 16th century, had expanded beyond its walls. Due to the liberalisation of beer manufacturing by the Council of Brabant in 1602, the industry grew, which resulted in a lively scene by the banks of the spring. By the 17th and 18th centuries, around 20 breweries-cabarets had settled in Ixelles, among which Saint-Hubert, De Sterre and L'Italie. In 1795, like many other towns surrounding Brussels, Ixelles
220-517: A hospital. Many of the medieval gates of Brussels that lined what is now the Small Ring were taken down and more streets were built to accommodate the migration towards the suburbs. Ixelles' population grew nearly one-hundredfold, from 677 in 1813 to more than 58,000 in 1900. With this intense growth also came the Francisation of the municipality. At the end of the 19th century, some of
264-564: A hostel was built near the Abbey to provide meals to the wood bearers working in the forest. Soon, a hamlet and a couple of chapels were built, including the Church of the Holy Cross (French: Église Sainte-Croix , Dutch: Heilig-Kruiskerk ), also inaugurated by the Bishop of Cambrai and dedicated to Mary and the Holy Cross in 1459 (the Bishop of Cambrai is said to have brought two pieces of
308-462: Is Chartres , the prefecture. As of 2019, there are 6 communes with more than 10,000 inhabitants: The inhabitants of the department are called Euréliens . The Eure-et-Loir is a department of agricultural tradition (Beauce), but also at the forefront in three economic sectors : The department is a major economic player in the production of grain and oilseed in France. Its agricultural economy
352-609: Is twinned with: Born in Ixelles: Lived in Ixelles: Eure et Loir Eure-et-Loir ( French pronunciation: [œʁ‿e lwaʁ] , locally: [øʁ‿e lwaʁ] ) is a French department , named after the Eure and Loir rivers. It is located in the region of Centre-Val de Loire . In 2019, Eure-et-Loir had a population of 431,575. Eure-et-Loir is one of the original 83 departments created during
396-405: Is 6.41 km (2.47 sq mi), which gives a population density of 13,807/km (35,760/sq mi). In common with all of Brussels' municipalities, it is legally bilingual (French–Dutch). It is generally considered an affluent area of the region, and is particularly noted for its communities of European and Congolese immigrants. Ixelles is located in the south-east of Brussels and
440-804: Is divided into two parts by the Avenue Louise/Louizalaan , which is part of the City of Brussels . The municipality's smaller western part includes the Rue du Bailli/Baljuwstraat and extends roughly from the Avenue Louise to the Avenue Brugmann / Brugmannlaan , whilst its larger eastern part includes campuses of Brussels' two leading universities; the French-speaking Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB) and
484-533: Is full of snack-bars where African food is sold. Most of these have been decorated by the famous Afro-European artist John Bush. Le Soleil d'Afrique has almost become his museum, with not only his original paintings on display, but also other painted surfaces and furniture. Several fairs are organised in Ixelles, including the Spring Fair on the Place Eugène Flagey , which takes place between
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#1732771862449528-619: Is known throughout Belgium for its large community of people of African origin. This population is mainly concentrated near the Namur Gate and the Chaussée d'Ixelles / Elsensesteenweg , and the neighbourhood is nicknamed Matongé or Matongué after the marketplace and commercial district with the same name in Kalamu , Kinshasa ( Democratic Republic of the Congo ). The core of Matongé
572-504: Is one of the 19 municipalities of the Brussels-Capital Region , Belgium. Located to the south-east of Brussels' city centre , it is geographically bisected by the City of Brussels . It is also bordered by the municipalities of Auderghem , Etterbeek , Forest , Uccle , Saint-Gilles and Watermael-Boitsfort . As of 1 January 2023 , the municipality had a population of 88,521 inhabitants. The total area
616-489: Is sandwiched between the two. Every year since 2001 at the end of June, a successful multi-cultural festival, Matongé en Couleurs , has been organised in the area. The date coincides with the celebration of Congolese independence. The film Juju Factory , released in 2006, was partly filmed in the area. The local television channel BX1 (formerly Télé Bruxelles) broadcasts a weekly magazine programme, Téle Matongé XL . The pedestrian street Rue Longue Vie / Lange-Levenstraat
660-540: Is seen as a symbol of multiculturalism in Belgium. The local authorities, community groups and residents with a certain degree of success have more recently re-established the area as a safe place to visit. As the area and property ages there is increased pressure and interest from property developers to expand the European Quarter on one side and the fashionable Avenue Louise on the other, effectively Matongé
704-438: Is still heavily dependent on the economic and regulatory environment of the markets for crops. The Eure-et-Loir region is the first grain producer of France. It is also the national leader in the production of rapeseed and peas. Wheat production is by far the most dominant in the area. Nearly 40% of all farmland is devoted to the cultivation of wheat, which has generated an average of 29% of the commercial agricultural production of
748-520: The Cistercian nun Gisela in 1201. She in turn founded the Abbey, and in 1210, acquired property on which the duke ordered the construction of a mill. The marshlands around the Abbey were later drained and sanitised, which resulted in four springs which served as a source of fish for the Abbey's inhabitants and the neighbouring hamlets. The Abbey was located near the springs of the Maelbeek river in
792-696: The French Revolution on March 4, 1790 pursuant to the Act of December 22, 1789. It was created mainly from parts of the former provinces of Orléanais (Beauce) and Maine ( Perche ), but also parts of Île-de-France (Drouais, Thymerais , Valley of the Avre, Hurepoix). The current department corresponds to the central part of the land of the Carnutes who had their capital at Autricum (Chartres) . The Carnutes are known for their commitment, real or imagined, to
836-594: The Sonian Forest , the remnant of which closest to Brussels became known as the Bois de la Cambre/Ter Kamerenbos in the 19th century. The Abbey was recognised by Jan III van Bethune, the Bishop of Cambrai , in 1202, soon after its foundation. The saints Boniface of Brussels and Alice of Schaerbeek were two of its most famous residents in the 13th century. Around 1300, during the reign of John II, Duke of Brabant ,
880-588: The Beauce region of Eure-et-Loir in 2012 will be the largest producer of electricity with photovoltaic French original creation on the airbase NATO disused Crucey-Villages near Brezolles in the region's natural Thymerais, the largest photovoltaic park in France. Given in February 2011 by the General Council to the operator, EDF Energies Nouvelles , the park will cover 245 ha of the military base and produce
924-553: The Dutch-speaking Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), along with the Place Eugène Flagey . The Bois de la Cambre/Ter Kamerenbos is located just south of Ixelles. The construction of the Avenue Louise was commissioned in 1847 as a monumental avenue bordered by chestnut trees that would allow easy access from Brussels' city centre to the popular recreational area of the Bois de la Cambre. It
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#1732771862449968-470: The accumulation of judiciously chosen detail, the use of location shooting, or the use of elaborately designed sets; (he worked closely with Lazare Meerson on several of his films). In this respect, his adherence to a realistic tradition in French cinema was contrasted with the 'impressionist' style of some contemporaries in the 1920s such as Abel Gance , Marcel L'Herbier , and Jean Epstein , and it pointed
1012-580: The ancient Druidic religion . A holy place in the "Forest of the Carnutes" used to host the annual Druidic assembly. In the north of the department another pre-Roman people, the little-known Durocasses, had their capital at Dreux . Eure-et-Loir comprises the main part of the region of Beauce , politically it belongs to the current region of Centre-Val de Loire and is surrounded by the departments of Loir-et-Cher , Loiret , Essonne , Yvelines , Eure , Orne , and Sarthe . The most populous commune
1056-410: The department over the last 5 years. The "Pôle AgroDynamic also promotes agriculture in the department", a grouping of subsidiaries providing added values in different sectors: agro-energy, agribusiness , agricultural materials, Agrohealth. The department also has the lead in renewable energy. Already ranked second nationally in terms of power generation through its wind farms located in particular in
1100-535: The fourth and sixth Sunday after Easter, as well as the Boondael Fair at the end of July. Migrant communities in Ixelles with over 1,000 people as of 1 January 2020: The current city council was elected in the October 2018 elections . The current mayor of Ixelles is Christos Doulkeridis [ fr ] , a member of Ecolo , who is in coalition on the municipal council with PS - sp.a . Ixelles
1144-463: The gap between reality and the vision that someone has of it ( Crainquebille , Gribiche , Les Nouveaux Messieurs , La Kermesse héroïque ), and maternal love ( Gribiche , Visages d'enfants , Pension Mimosas ). His style was characterised by a classical balance and moderation, composition of images that was beautiful without becoming gratuitous, and a sympathetic rapport with actors. Above all his films achieved an atmosphere of realism, whether through
1188-484: The heart of Matongé . In the gallery and the adjoining streets, a large number of specialised food shops and suppliers can be found. The area is renowned for its clothes, shoes and material shops, hairdressers and wigmakers, booksellers, jewellers and craft shops, making the area unmissable for many local and even international visitors. Over 45 different nationalities amongst the residents and shopkeepers can be counted, including most African countries. Statistically, many of
1232-686: The next three years he made three of his most successful films, all of them in collaboration with screenwriter Charles Spaak and featuring Françoise Rosay in a leading role. Le Grand Jeu (1934) and Pension Mimosas (1935) were both significant creations in the style of poetic realism ; La Kermesse héroïque (1935) (also known as Carnival in Flanders ) was a meticulously staged period film which aroused some contemporary political resonances; it earned Feyder several international awards. Feyder went on to direct films in England and Germany prior to
1276-428: The original cross with him). Initially, these hamlets and provisions were constructed for the labourers that helped drain and sanitise the marshlands. At that time, part of Ixelles was a dependence of Brussels; the other part was the property of the local lord. In 1478, the wars between Louis XI of France and Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor , brought devastation to the Abbey and the surrounding areas. In 1585, during
1320-585: The outbreak of World War II, but with diminishing success. Following the Nazi occupation in 1940, which led to the banning of La Kermesse héroïque , he left France for the safety of Switzerland, and directed a last film there, Une femme disparaît (1942). In 1917, Feyder had married Parisian-born actress Françoise Rosay with whom he had three sons; she acted in many of his films and collaborated with him as writer and assistant director on Visages d'enfants . Jacques Feyder died in 1948 at Prangins , Switzerland, and he
1364-660: The period of the Habsburg Netherlands , the Spanish burnt down most of the buildings to prevent them from being used as a refuge by Calvinists . The Abbey was restored in time for the Joyous Entry of the Archdukes Albert and Isabella in 1599. Further manors and castles (Ermitage, Ten Bosch and Ixelles, for example) were built in Ixelles in the 16th century, gradually transforming the hamlet into
Jacques Feyder - Misplaced Pages Continue
1408-619: The place his work and his example should have earned him". Any subsequent reassessment has tended to be hampered by the limited availability of his films in English-speaking countries, with the exception of La Kermesse héroïque which some reckon to have aged less well than other examples of his work. These factors have contributed to a sometimes ambivalent attitude to his work as a whole. Ixelles Ixelles ( French , pronounced [iksɛl] ) or Elsene ( Dutch , pronounced [ˈɛlsənə] )
1452-405: The ponds were drained, leaving only the so-called " Ixelles Ponds ", and a new Church of the Holy Cross was built in 1860. The first trams appeared in 1884 and the first cinema in 1919. By then, Ixelles and the Avenue Louise had become one of the most fashionable areas of Brussels. Artists and celebrities moved in, leading to architectural novelties such as Art Nouveau and Art Deco . Ixelles
1496-469: The seventies, the area was a well known meeting place for students and diplomats from Zaire . At the time they were known locally as Belgicains . There are also communities from other African countries, mainly from Rwanda , Burundi , Mali , Cameroon , and Senegal , present in the district. The famous shopping arcades; the Galerie d'Ixelles and the Galerie de la Porte de Namur , are both located in
1540-625: The shopkeepers are not necessarily local residents. Amongst the visitors and window shoppers to Matongé are many who appreciate African fashion and the lifestyle. The district also attained notoriety from the early 2000s with gang violence perpetrated by African gangs, partly composed of exiled child soldiers like Black Démolition . It was the scene of race riots in January 2001. Matongé , with its more recent immigrant communities from Latin America, Pakistan, and India along with African ones,
1584-544: The unusual shape of today's City of Brussels and for the separation of Ixelles into two separate areas. The placename was first mentioned in 1210 as Elsela , from the Old Dutch Else(n)lo , meaning alder woods. The origins of the village date from the foundation of La Cambre Abbey . Hendrik I, Duke of Brabant , donated the Pennebeke domain ( Pennebeek was the original name of the Maalbeek spring) to
1628-460: The way to the vogue for poetic realism which found its fullest expression in the films of Marcel Carné : Carné worked as assistant director to Feyder in the mid-1930s. Feyder's relatively early death may have contributed to a fading of interest in his films, reinforced by the hostility of some influential critics associated with Cahiers du cinéma in the 1950s. His younger contemporary René Clair judged in 1970, "Jacques Feyder does not occupy today
1672-538: Was Les Nouveaux Messieurs , a topical political satire which provoked calls for it to be banned in France for "insulting the dignity of parliament and its ministers". By this time Feyder had accepted an offer from MGM to work in Hollywood, where in 1929 his first project was directing Greta Garbo in The Kiss , her last silent film. It was in Hollywood that he made the transition to sound films; even before he had worked with sound films, Feyder declared himself to be
1716-515: Was also to be the first Haussmann-esque artery of the city. Originally, fierce resistance to the project was put up by the town of Ixelles—then, as now, a separate municipality (local authority) from the City of Brussels—through whose territory the avenue was to run. After years of fruitless negotiations, Brussels finally annexed the narrow band of land needed for the avenue, in addition to the Bois de la Cambre itself, in 1864. That decision accounts for
1760-581: Was buried in the Cimetière de Sorel Moussel, Eure et Loir , France. A school (lycée) in Épinay-sur-Seine in the north of Paris was named in his honour in 1977; Épinay was the location of the Tobis film studios where Feyder made Le Grand Jeu and Pension Mimosas . In 1944 Feyder and Françoise Rosay published Le Cinéma, notre métier , an autobiographical memoir of their work together in the cinema, in which Feyder stated that he regarded himself as an artisan,
1804-470: Was formed in late 1950s by the foundation of Maisaf (an abbreviation of Maison Africaine or African House ) which served as a centre and residence for university students from the Belgian Congo . After Congolese independence in 1960, the district faced an influx of immigrants from the new state who shaped the neighbourhood in a style to resemble the original Matongé . During the sixties and into
Jacques Feyder - Misplaced Pages Continue
1848-674: Was interrupted by service with the Belgian Army from 1917 to 1919 during World War I . After the end of the war, he returned to filmmaking and quickly built a reputation as one of the most innovative directors in French cinema. L'Atlantide (1921) (based on the novel by Pierre Benoit ), and Crainquebille (1922) (from the novel by Anatole France ) were his first major films to achieve public and critical attention. He followed these with Visages d'enfants (filmed in 1923 but not released until 1925) which proved to be one of his most personal and enduring films. Shortly after this, Feyder
1892-610: Was offered a post as artistic director of a new film company, Vita Films, in Vienna, along with a contract to make three films. He made Das Bildnis ( L'Image ) (1923), but the company failed and he returned to Paris. He re-established himself with Gribiche (1926) and the literary adaptations of Carmen (1926) and Thérèse Raquin (1928). He also contributed screenplays of films for other directors, notably Poil de carotte (1925) for Julien Duvivier , and Gardiens de phare (1929) for Jean Grémillon . His last silent film in France
1936-530: Was proclaimed a separate municipality by the French regime after the Revolution . The municipalities of Neder-Elsene ("Lower Ixelles", where the Abbey is located), Opper-Elsene ("Upper Ixelles", a Brussels suburb), Boondaal, Tenbos, and Solbos, all became part of Ixelles. Moreover, the Abbey was stripped of its religious functions, becoming among others a cotton-manufacturing plant, a farm, a military school, and
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