Henri Langlois

1.1. Birth and Childhood

Henri Langlois was born on November 13, 1914, in Smyrna (now Izmir), Ottoman Empire (present-day Turkey). His parents were expatriate French citizens, and Langlois often remarked that this background made him feel "a century behind." His birth coincided with the outbreak of World War I, and Smyrna, an ancient Greek city, was then part of the Ottoman Empire, which allied with Germany. Following the defeat of the Central Powers in 1918 and the 1920 Treaty of Sèvres which incorporated Smyrna into Greece, the newly established Republic of Turkey reconquered the Anatolia region, including Smyrna, in a war against Greece. Smyrna was largely destroyed and severely plundered in September 1922, leading to the expulsion of the entire Greek population and the departure of most Europeans. The Langlois family was among those who had to return to France, settling in Rue Laferrière in the 9th arrondissement of Paris. This experience of destruction and loss in his birthplace is believed to have fueled Langlois's lifelong desire to preserve films from being forgotten or destroyed.

1.2. Education and Entry into Cinema

Langlois pursued his education at the Lycée Condorcet in Paris, including its "Petit Lycée" (elementary school section) on Rue d'Amsterdam. In 1933, defying his father's wishes for him to study law, Langlois deliberately submitted a blank paper for his baccalaureate exam, effectively failing it to pursue a career in cinema. He was determined to be involved solely in the film world, stating, "I was the family's headache. I loved cinema too much." After his academic failure, his father arranged for him to work as a printer. This job proved pivotal, as it was there that Langlois met Georges Franju, two years his senior. They quickly became friends, with Franju crediting Langlois for teaching him the true essence of silent film.

Together, Langlois and Franju attempted to make a film titled Le Métro (which was rediscovered in 1985 and is now part of the Cinémathèque's collection), though only Franju would fully embark on a filmmaking career. In 1935, Langlois began contributing articles to La Cinématographie française, a weekly magazine owned by Paul Auguste Harlet. Langlois argued that the rise of sound film threatened the existence of silent films, making their preservation crucial. In October of the same year, he met Jean Mitry, a 35-year-old film historian, at a women's film club. Langlois inspired the club's members to transform it into a specialized silent film club. In December 1935, the club was renamed the Cercle du Cinéma (Cinema Circle). Langlois emphasized that this club was "for film screenings only, not for discussions after the film. Debates are meaningless." The profits generated from these screenings were used to build their initial film collection. Paul Auguste Harlet provided a crucial 10,000 francs in funding, which Langlois and Franju used to acquire about ten 35mm film prints. This laid the groundwork for the establishment of the Cinémathèque the following month. By the age of 20, Henri Langlois had already become a respected expert in the film community, possessing encyclopedic knowledge of the medium.

2.1. Establishment of the Cinémathèque Française

On September 2, 1936, Henri Langlois, Georges Franju, and Jean Mitry officially established the Cinémathèque Française in Paris. Conceived as both a film museum and a screening venue, its initial headquarters were located at 29 Rue Marsoulan in the 12th arrondissement of Paris. Paul Auguste Harlet served as the Cinémathèque's first president, with Henri Langlois and Georges Franju as secretaries-general. Marie Meerson, a prominent art dealer who sold works by master painters, became a key financial supporter. Jean Mitry took on the role of archivist. The Cinémathèque began its collection with a modest ten films. At the time, film prints were often discarded or even repurposed for materials like nail polish after their theatrical runs, and Langlois's initial collection was reportedly salvaged from such discarded reels, with some accounts suggesting he stored them in his bathtub.

2.2. Film Collection and Preservation

From its humble beginnings with just ten films in 1936, the Cinémathèque's collection grew exponentially, reaching over 60,000 films by the early 1970s. Beyond merely archiving, Langlois was a fervent preserver, saving countless films that were at risk of vanishing due to neglect or deterioration. He dedicated himself to protecting films from weathering, restoring damaged prints, and actively screening them. A significant portion of the early collection consisted of nitrate film, a highly flammable and unstable material that required stringent environmental controls for long-term preservation.

Langlois's preservation efforts extended beyond film reels to encompass all aspects of cinematic history. He meticulously collected cameras, projection equipment, film costumes, set designs, scripts, posters, and vintage theater programs. By 1972, his vast collection of artifacts was so extensive that he donated them to the Musée du Cinéma (Museum of Cinema) at the Palais de Chaillot, where they spanned over 2 mile of film artifacts and memorabilia. This collection was later relocated following a fire in 1997. Langlois also played a significant role in the establishment of the Cinemateca de Cuba (Cuban Cinémathèque). In the 1950s, photographer and amateur filmmaker Germán Puig visited Langlois in Paris, a brief but decisive encounter that led Langlois to promise to send French film prints to the Havana Film Club, the precursor to the Cuban Cinémathèque.

In 1962, Langlois participated in a landmark interview with Michel Mardore and Éric Rohmer for Cahiers du Cinéma (Issue 135, September 1962), where he articulated his philosophy on preservation, restoration, and the nature of cinema. This publication became a significant milestone in the Cinémathèque's history.

2.3. Activities During World War II

During World War II and the Nazi occupation of France, Langlois and his colleagues at the Cinémathèque Française undertook courageous efforts to protect and save numerous films from destruction or confiscation by the Nazis. Langlois continued to screen films at the Cinémathèque's Salle Jules Ferry during this period. His deep-seated desire to preserve films from being forgotten or destroyed is often linked to his own childhood experiences, particularly the partial destruction and severe looting of his birthplace, Smyrna, after World War I. This personal history instilled in him a profound commitment to safeguarding cultural memory through cinema.

3.1. Impact on the French New Wave

Langlois and the Cinémathèque Française served as an indispensable inspiration and training ground for a generation of emerging filmmakers, particularly those who would become the luminaries of the French New Wave. Directors such as François Truffaut, Jean-Luc Godard, Jacques Rivette, Claude Chabrol, Alain Resnais, and Éric Rohmer were profoundly influenced by Langlois's passionate approach to cinema. These young cinephiles, often found in the front row of the Cinémathèque's packed screenings, immersed themselves in the vast array of films presented. Many of them formed their own cinema clubs, became critics for influential journals like Cahiers du Cinéma, and eventually embarked on their careers as film directors. So significant was Langlois's impact that some of these filmmakers proudly referred to themselves as les enfants de la cinémathèque ("children of the cinémathèque"). Langlois's unique programming, which often disregarded chronological order and instead favored thematic connections, fostered a deep understanding of film history and an appreciation for the art form that transcended conventional academic approaches.

3.2. Contribution to Film Theory and Criticism

Langlois's unwavering passion for film, his unconventional programming choices, and his holistic approach to cinema significantly influenced the development of key concepts in film theory and criticism. His emphasis on the director's vision and consistent themes across their body of work contributed to the nascent ideas that would solidify into the auteur theory. By presenting films from various periods and genres side-by-side, he encouraged a critical perspective that valued artistic expression over commercial success or conventional narratives. His profound knowledge and unique curatorial style inspired a generation of critics and filmmakers to view cinema not merely as entertainment, but as a serious art form with a rich history and a powerful capacity for personal expression. In a 1962 interview for Cahiers du Cinéma, Langlois articulated his philosophy on preservation, restoration, and the essence of film, further cementing his intellectual contribution to the field.

4.1. Dismissal and Reinstatement

In February 1968, André Malraux, the French Minister of Culture, attempted to dismiss Henri Langlois from his position at the Cinémathèque Française. The official reason cited was Langlois's alleged mismanagement and inadequate housing of archived film stock, stemming from his often unconventional and idiosyncratic methods of operation, which contrasted sharply with more standardized archival practices. On February 7, the state-supported Cinémathèque board replaced Langlois with Pierre Barbin.

This decision immediately triggered a massive local and international uproar. Artists, intellectuals, and filmmakers from around the world rallied in support of Langlois. Prestigious figures such as Charles Chaplin, Erich von Stroheim, John Ford, Orson Welles, Alfred Hitchcock, Akira Kurosawa, Federico Fellini, and Gianni Serra sent telegrams of protest. In Paris, student activist Daniel Cohn-Bendit from the University of Nanterre-Paris joined the demonstrations. A "Cinémathèque Française Defense Committee" was formed, uniting prominent French filmmakers and actors including François Truffaut, Jean-Pierre Léaud, Alain Resnais, Jean-Luc Godard, and Jean Marais, who actively participated in protests demanding Langlois's reinstatement. The controversy even led to the halting of the prestigious Cannes Film Festival that year in solidarity.

Initially, the French government maintained a firm stance, but faced with overwhelming public pressure, Malraux eventually capitulated. On April 22, Langlois and all dismissed staff members were reinstated to their original positions, marking a complete victory for the film community. However, this affair also brought to light some of the organizational issues within the Cinémathèque due to Langlois's highly personal and sometimes arbitrary management style, signaling the end of an era where his individual charisma solely dominated the institution. In retrospect, the affaire Langlois^French is widely regarded as a significant prelude to the larger May 68 protests that swept France later that year. François Truffaut dedicated his 1968 film Stolen Kisses to Langlois, opening the film with a shot of the shuttered and locked Cinémathèque as a poignant tribute.

5.1. Major Exhibitions and Projects

In 1966, Langlois visited Japan to participate in the "World Avant-Garde Film Festival" held at the Sogetsu Hall from February 1 to 14 and March 14 to 27. He personally selected the program and many of the screening prints came from the Cinémathèque Française's collection. During his visit, Langlois watched Japanese films such as Kei Kumai's The Japanese Archipelago and Heinosuke Gosho's Woman of Osorezan. Upon his return to France, he arranged for The Japanese Archipelago to be screened at the Cinémathèque.

In 1970, Langlois curated "Cinémathèque at the Metropolitan Museum," a major exhibition celebrating the Centennial of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. This exhibition, co-sponsored by the Metropolitan Museum and the City Center of Music and Drama, showcased seventy films spanning the first seventy-five years of the medium. Screened on thirty-five consecutive evenings from July 29 to September 3, 1970, the selection included works from official film industries as well as contemporary and early avant-garde directors. Langlois chose films for their historical significance and contributions to filmmaking. This program was hailed as the most diverse film exhibition held in the United States to date and marked the Metropolitan Museum's first major undertaking in film.

5.2. Academy Honorary Award

On April 2, 1974, Henri Langlois received an Academy Honorary Award at the 46th Academy Awards in recognition of his lifetime work with the Cinémathèque Française. The award citation specifically honored him for "his devotion to the art of film, his massive contributions in preserving its past and his unswerving faith in its future." This prestigious international recognition underscored the global impact of his tireless efforts in film preservation and his profound belief in the enduring power of cinema.

6.1. Death

Henri Langlois died on January 13, 1977, in Paris, France, at the age of 62. He passed away due to illness, having dedicated his life to the preservation and promotion of cinema. Even in his final days, Langlois was actively working to expand the Cinémathèque's model to other countries, demonstrating his unwavering commitment to his life's work.

6.2. Commemoration and Legacy

Langlois is interred in the Montparnasse Cemetery in Paris. His tombstone is a collage of scenes from films across different eras and cultures, bearing the inscription, "Ce dragon qui veille sur nos trésors" (This dragon who watches over our treasures), a tribute by Jean Cocteau, a co-organizer of the "Cursed Film Festival." In Paris, the 13th arrondissement features a public square named Place Henri Langlois in his honor, a lasting physical commemoration of his contributions.

His life and work have been the subject of several documentaries:

• Henri Langlois (1970): An English-language documentary about his life's work, featuring interviews with prominent figures like Ingrid Bergman, Lillian Gish, François Truffaut, Catherine Deneuve, and Jeanne Moreau. It was produced and directed by Roberto Guerra and Eila Hershon.
• Citizen Langlois (1994): Edgardo Cozarinsky's essayistic biography chronicles Langlois's journey from an amateur collector to a New Wave hero and friend of the stars.
• The Dreamers (2003): Bernardo Bertolucci's film addresses the Langlois Affair and incorporates period footage of the protests.
• The Phantom of the Cinémathèque (2004): Directed by Jacques Richard, this three-and-a-half-hour documentary pays tribute to Langlois's career and the achievements of the Cinémathèque Française from its founding in 1936 until Langlois's death in 1977. It includes interviews with friends, colleagues, academics, and film luminaries such as Simone Signoret, Godard, Chabrol, Truffaut, and Jean-Michel Arnold.
• Henri Langlois vu par... (2014): The Cinémathèque released this short documentary featuring thirteen filmmakers, including Agnès Varda, Francis Ford Coppola, Roman Polanski, Manoel de Oliveira, Bernardo Bertolucci, Kiyoshi Kurosawa, and Wim Wenders, discussing Langlois and their relationships with him.

The year of Langlois's death, 1977, saw German filmmaker Wim Wenders dedicate his film The American Friend to him, a work that pays homage to early cinema. Langlois's vision of film preservation and his influence on film culture continue to resonate, inspiring film archives and cinephiles worldwide.