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Between the coasts of the
Mediterranean, a great producer: Humbert BALSAN
 Humbert BALSAN is one of the rare producers who left what can be called a legacy.
The French Institute for Cooperation expressed the desire to take part in Carthage Film festival 2008 by organizing
a tribute to this great producer who disappeared brutaly and voluntarily in 2005.
At a time when producing has become increasingly more a domain for the technocrats, he was one of the last to
nourish the idea of the «acting» producer, generous, human, one who would risk it all.
“The Oriental”, as producer Fabienne Vonier called him, set himself apart in French industry, always making
courageous and committed choices. He contributed to revealing Palestinian cinema to the world (with «Divine
intervention» by Elia Suleiman in 2001) as well as ardently defending French cinema by giving a chance to young
authors such as Sandrine Veysset, Philippe Faucon and Claire Denis.
The desert lover produced or co-produced sixty-five films over twenty-five years, seventeen of which from the Arab
world (5 films by Youssef Chahine) and a number of first features with a constant concern: to support cultural diversity.
We wish to pay tribute, in the company of his friends and his sister, “to his kindness, his courage, and the
«elegance» of his character.” (Youssef Chahine)
May this man “who risked his life for cinema” (J-M Frodon,» Les cahier du Cinéma») be continually thanked for
the work full of panache and generosity he entrusted us with.
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