Jacques Brel, fou de vivre

Painting Jacques Brel’s portrait requires confronting the intensity of an extraordinary singer and songwriter. It needs examining a complex, multifaceted, sometimes contradictory personality : radiant on the stage, gloomy at home. Born a « bourgeois », he ended up an adventurer, he who was supposed to take over the familial cardboard factory. He died at 49, but his life was intense, uncompromising, passionate, poetic. 40 years after his death, Brel survives through his work. The Belgian is a major, iconic figure of the chanson française. This documentary, constituted of many archives (concerts, radiophonic and televised interviews, pictures, personal documents), as well as animated illustrations, outlines the intimate story of a man as mysterious as he was eloquent.

Director :

Philippe Kohly

Artistic Director :

Samuel François-Steininger

Illustration :

Alex Green

Animation :

Fabrice Etifier

Production :

Morgane production

Broadcaster :

France 3

Year :

2017