Humbert Balsan

Humbert Balsan (born Humbert Jean René Balsan on 21 August 1954 in Arcachon, France) was a seminal French film producer whose career spanned more than three decades, shaping both European and Arab cinema. Raised in the wealthy de Wendel family, he received a Jesuit education in Amiens before studying economics in Paris, an academic background that later informed his skillful negotiation of financing and distribution deals. His entry into the film world came in 1973 when director Robert Bresson cast him as Gawain in Lancelot of the Lake, and he continued to appear in minor acting roles such as a pirate in Jacques Rivette’s Noroît (1976). By 1978 Balsan shifted his focus to production, debuting with Pierre Kast’s Le Soleil en Face and soon co‑producing Jean‑Louis Trintignant’s Le Maître‑nageur. Throughout the 1980s and 1990s Balsan became a trusted ally of avant‑garde filmmakers, providing not only financial backing but also personal support, exemplified by offering his Paris apartment to Samuel Fuller during the making of Les Voleurs de la nuit (1984). He championed French women directors—including Claire Denis, Brigitte Roüan, and Sandrine Veysset—often insisting that they act in their own projects, a practice that highlighted his belief in holistic artistic involvement. His reputation as a bridge to the Middle East was cemented by producing landmark Arab films such as Elia Suleiman’s Divine Intervention (2003), the first Palestinian entry to compete for the Palme d’Or, and Youssef Chahine’s Alexandria… New York (2004). These works earned prestigious honors at Cannes, Venice, and other festivals, underscoring his talent for assembling cross‑cultural co‑productions. In addition to his producing duties, Balsan served as chairman of the European Film Academy and sat on juries, including the 26th Moscow International Film Festival in 2004. His relentless drive was shadowed by personal struggles; suffering from depression, he died by suicide on 10 February 2005 in his Paris office. Posthumously, Mia Hansen‑Løve’s film Father of My Children (2009) dramatized his complex legacy, ensuring that his influence on independent and transnational cinema endures.