In 1978, Gilles Jacob landed what must seem like a dream job to many film buffs -- he became the director of the Cannes Film Festival, the world's biggest and most prestigious event for international cinema. Born in 1930 to a Jewish family, Jacob survived World War II by hiding out in a Catholic seminary, and developed a passion for movies as a teenager, attending school alongside future director Claude Chabrol. In his late teens, Jacob founded his own film magazine, Raccords, and he later became the chief film reviewer for L'Express (where he lost his job for having the temerity to give The Story of O a bad review). In 1978, Jacob took over as director of the Cannes Film Festival, and set out to make the world's greatest film festival even better by creating new showcases for promising talent (while still maintaining room for gifted veteran filmmakers), expanding the facilities and continuing to entertain and challenge audiences each year.
Direction
Le Péron lets Jacob narrate his own myth with zero interruption.
Editing
Seamless jumps between WWII trauma and red carpet glamour.
Director
Serge Le Péron
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Jacob founded Raccord magazine at 19 while still a student — basically a teenage film bro who actually made it.
This doc premiered at Cannes 2010, meaning Jacob watched his own life story unfold on the Croisette he built.
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