Born in Saumur, France. After graduating from the École normale supérieure de Paris and obtaining an advanced piano diploma from the École Marguerite Long in France, Jacques Bobet taught literature and philosophy for several years before going to New York to do a Master's degree in Education at Columbia University. It was during this time that he contacted the National Film Board of Canada and did some translations for them and advised on French versions. In 1947, the NFB hired him with the idea that he might eventually become musical director, but it was in versions that he started out. Back then, the NFB was 90% English. The few French Canadians worked with English production crews. There was a French Unit which was responsible for versions but it was headed by an Anglophone. And in the NFB annual report, French films were listed under foreign languages. Not surprisingly, French Canadians recruited to work at the NFB in Ottawa did not feel at home and usually did not stay long. The French Unit had to constantly rebuild. Bobet would strive to establish continuity as well as excellence and respect for both versions of a film, going so far as to claim "the version is always better than the original". French Unit filmmakers would pride themselves on the quality of their films and this pride would do much to win recognition for the French fact. The confidence they eventually won through the quality of their work would really be accorded once they had the right to make original films. Bobet was appointed producer of French versions, revisions and adaptations in 1951. By the time he became Executive Producer of the newly created Versions Unit in 1956, he had been involved in versioning some 500 films. Also in 1956, NFB Headquarters moved to Montreal, increasing the contact with French-Canadian audiences and making it easier to attract French-speaking filmmakers. In 1959, Bobet assumed responsibility for producing more original French-language films. In 1964, a separate French production branch was established, with Bobet as one of the four Executive Producers. With the arrival of directors Michel Brault, Claude Fournier, Gilles Carle and Gilles Groulx, a new phase had begun. According to Bobet, "Direct cinema, when it arrived in Canada - although it didn't know it yet and although it was already associated with some big names in France or the United States - had just found its true home and the filmmakers who in a few short years would make it one of the major arts of the 1950s to 1980s." Bobet would term it one of the best experiences in his career as a producer. Bobet left his mark on the NFB with a wide range of films testifying to his talent as a producer. He made enlightened choices regarding subjects, creative staff and the general directions to be given to production. His sense of humour and love of paradox also contributed to the originality of the films he produced. He retired from the NFB in 1984 to return to his first career of teaching, but in music instead of literature, philosophy or cinema since, as he said, "What does any of this mean compared to one note of Mozart?" Bobet received many awards and honours during his career and after retirement, including the Order of Canada and the André Guérin Award for cinema. A conference room at the NFB's Montréal Headquarters is named after him.  Nominated for Documentary (Features) 1979: GOING THE DISTANCE - Producer (w. Paul Cowan) 1 nomination