Denis Héroux

Biography

Born in Montreal, Quebec, Héroux wanted to become a teacher when he collaborated with Denys Arcand and Stéphane Venne on the 1962 film about life as a student, Seul ou avec d’autres. That year he went on to become a teacher and for the next six years, in addition to teaching, he also wrote two history books and continued to direct.

By the late 1960s Héroux had become one of the most successful independent filmmakers with hits like 1968's Valérie and L'Initiation in 1970. In 1975, riding the success of several other popular features he directed, such as the swashbuckler Quelques arpents de neige (1973), he became involved in co-production projects and big-budget Quebec features. He went on to helm international co-productions with films such as Jacques Brel Is Alive and Well and Living in Paris (1975), Atlantic City (1980), and Quest for Fire (1981). He was a co-founder of Alliance Films a company he left in the late eighties.

Héroux won a Best Picture Genie for producing Les Plouffe in 1981 and The Bay Boy in 1985. He also received an Oscar nomination for Best Picture for Atlantic City.

Héroux was a member of the jury at the 31st Berlin International Film Festival in 1981.

In 1983, Héroux was made an Officer of the Order of Canada. He is the older brother of prolific Quebec film and television producer Claude Héroux.

Héroux died on December 10, 2015 at the age of 75.

Features

Other work