Laurent Bismuth (1965-2021)
It is with immense sadness that we announce the passing on 3 December 2021 of our colleague and, to many in our international community, our friend Laurent Bismuth, until very recently Head of the Cataloguing and Documentation Department at the Centre national du cinéma et de l'image animée (CNC) in Bois d’Arcy, and a member of the FIAF Cataloguing and Documentation Commission.
After working as an audiovisual librarian for the Inathèque, the consultation service of INA's audiovisual archive, from 1999 to 2008, he joined the Archives françaises du film du CNC (as it was called then) in Bois d’Arcy, where he led a team of twelve collaborators in the Cataloguing and Documentation Department. Interested in all aspects of archival work, from preservation and restoration to public access to films, he contributed to developing national and international standards related to metadata. An eclectic and curious cinephile, he got involved in 2012 in the CNC’s project on fantasy films (cinéma fantastique), which included a retrospective at the Cinémathèque française, a book (Le Cinéma fantastique en France 1897-1982, Editions CNC), and a DVD. He also co-edited the book 58-68, retour sur une génération: Vers un nouveau cinéma français (Somogy, 2016) with his CNC colleague and former FIAF President Eric Le Roy. In 2018, he co-wrote an article for No. 98 of the Journal of Film Preservation about Garance, the collective film collection management platform developed by the CNC in partnership with the Cinémathèque française and the Cinémathèque de Toulouse. With his colleague Béatrice de Pastre, he presented on the same topic at the symposium of the 2018 FIAF Congress in Prague.
He was first involved with the FIAF Cataloguing and Documentation Commission (CDC) in 2010, as one of the few professionals who graciously volunteered their knowledge and experience to the FIAF Cataloguing Rules Revision Workgroup that reviewed the FIAF Moving Image Cataloguing Manual prior to its publication in 2016. He became a full member of the CDC in 2017. As a member of the Commission’s Preservation/Restoration Documentation Task Force, he worked in collaboration with FIAF’s Technical Commission on a project to make available documents that relate to the documentation of Preservation/Restoration activities and preservation metadata.
Laurent had been unwell for over a year. His unique scientific expertise in the field of moving image cataloguing and beyond, not to mention his well-known kindness, beautiful soft-spoken voice, sophisticated sense of humour, and great culture, will be sorely missed by those who were lucky enough to cross his path.
Other tributes to Laurent by those who knew are being added at the end of this page as we receive them.
The Journal of Film Preservation will also feature a tribute in its April 2022 issue.
Christophe Dupin
Personal tributes to Laurent Bismuth
These contributions have been added in the order and in the language in which they were submitted. To add your own, please email info@fiafnet.org.
"Laurent was one of the kindest, warmest, funniest and most intelligent people I’ve ever met. He brightened up any event he was involved in with his enthusiasm and charm, despite the obvious suffering from ill health, and when he could not take part due to illness, I always missed him in the room. He was able to explain complex ideas wonderfully, in his beautiful soft voice, and although he would apologise for his English, it was a total joy listening to him speak it. One of my many warm memories of Laurent is at a FIAF Cataloguing and Documentation Commission event, when we realised we were wearing very similar shoes, and he amazed me with his incredibly detailed knowledge of footwear in British popular culture, covering Chelsea boots, brogues, Doctor Martins and monkey boots, in mod, punk and post-punk subcultures. The breadth and depth of his knowledge and his amazing intellect were matched by his generosity and warmth – he was one of the sweetest people in the world of film archiving."
Stephen McConnachie, BFI National Archive
"Laurent and I met, how else could it have been, in 2012 at a workshop in Rome where the then new CEN 15907 was disseminated. I was excited to suddenly sit with knowledgeable people from the FIAF CDC at the dinner table, and next to me were Thelma and Laurent. I had a lot of respect for these experts on cataloguing, but Laurent made me feel at ease immediately. I liked him very much then already just for the kind gesture of listening to a total newbie like me.
Later I understood better, that this was one of his outstanding characteristics. He was always kind and gentle, with a deep understanding of his field and the urge to learn and share. He was even kind enough to complement me on my pronounciation of French, the rare moments I tried. And apologised all the time for his "insufficient" English, which - needless to say - was not insufficient at all. It was just very important for him to express himself well. And it was always a pleasure to listen to him and learn from him how to communicate in a nuanced and diplomatic way.
One of the most vivid memories of our time together in the CDC was one particular dinner in Skopje. The ones who were there will remember. Laurent, as I knew him, was always ready to laugh and entertain a group with his stories and anekdotes, he was elegant and modest.
It is so very sad to think that he will not join the CDC again at a later point, when he will feel better. Because that was what we all hoped he would. We won't forget his fierce, yet always polite, battle for the 4-tier level of the CEN 15907, his pivotal work on the restoration report, his expertise and contributions to all our discussions and most of all, his kindness and his humour. We have lost an important voice in our field. I will miss Laurent terribly."
Adelheid Heftberger, Bundesarchiv
"I´m shocked and feel very sorry. He was already deeply missed before, but now we know he will not return. We will keep him in our hearts. Deep condolescence to all who known him as a great collegue and lost a friend."
Siobhan Piekarek, Filmmuseum Potsdam, Potsdam
"Really sad news. He was a lovely, kind, and gentle man with an amazing intellect and was great company. He will be hugely missed."
Natasha Fairbairn, BFI National Archive
"I am very sorry to hear that. I knew Laurent Bismuth briefly but I remember his eagerness to share his knowledge and kind interest.
My sincere condolences to fiaf friends & family."
Elżbieta Wysocka, FINA
"Laurent avait un sens de l'analyse extrêmement clair et rigoureux, il était très en avance sur les questions de catalogage qui concernaient les collections films, et savait transmettre avec pédagogie. C'est grâce à son travail que j'ai pu être formée à la question essentielle de la variante. C'était un plaisir de trouver en lui quelqu'un toujours prêt à collaborer avec enthousiasme et à soutenir les projets inter-archives. Nous lui devons beaucoup pour l'avancée du rapport d'analyse des éléments, pour lequel il a été le moteur principal et qui reste à mon sens une contribution majeure pour les restaurations. J'ai eu beaucoup de plaisir à travailler avec lui, son esprit ouvert permettait souvent de travailler aussi dans l'humour et la bonne humeur."
Céline Ruivo, ancienne cheffe de la Commission technique de la FIAF
"C’est avec une profonde tristesse que nous avons appris le décès de Laurent Bismuth. Il a beaucoup contribué aux réflexions sur la normalisation et sur d’autres sujets comme la restauration et la conservation des films lors des commissions de catalogage de la Fiaf durant près de 10 ans. Doté d’une solide culture cinématographique et d’une parfaite maitrise des normes de catalogage, il a apporté de nombreuses propositions concernant l’évolution du traitement documentaire du patrimoine cinématographique film et non film notamment dans le cadre du projet de plateforme collective de gestion des collections Garance du CNC développé en partenariat avec La Cinémathèque française et la Cinémathèque de Toulouse. Nous avons eu l’occasion de travailler beaucoup avec lui sur ce sujet. Laurent était un collaborateur d’une vive intelligence mais aussi une personne dotée d’un humour inégalable et d’une grande gentillesse. Nous le regrettons sincèrement.
Nous perdons un précieux collaborateurs et un ami."
Joël Daire, Martine Vignot et Sylvie Lapeyre, La Cinémathèque française
"Quelle triste nouvelle que d'apprendre le décès de Laurent. Nous garderons en Bourgogne l'extrême gentillesse, le soutien permanent et l'écoute qu'il nous a apportés dès le premier jour de notre rencontre au Congrès de la Fiaf à Bologne."
Nicholas Petiot, Cinémathèque régionale de Bourgogne Jean Douchet
"C'est avec grande tristesse que j'ai appris la dispariton de Laurent. Je l'ai connu Laurent en 2010, suite à sa participation au groupe de travail qui aurait conduit à la publication du FIAF Moving Image Cataloguing Manual, et nous avons continué à nous rencontrer regulièrement sur les travaux communs de la Commission de Catalogage et Documentation. J'ai eu aussi la chance de travailler longuement avec lui dans la restauration de La mirabile visione, colossal muet italien du 1921 dédié a Dante Alighieri, un projet partagé par nos respectives institutions, qui'il a soutenu passionnement grace à sa profonde culture et sensibilité et conduit avec grande professionalité.
Nous avions une très belle relation, professionnelle et humaine, et c'était toujours un plaisir d'échanger nos courriers et de nous retrouver chaque fois dans un lieu et un pays différent. Il apportait toujours son expertise avec détérmination, et, au meme temps, avec élégance et humour. Il me manquera beaucoup, comme collègue passionné et comme ami."
Maria Assunta Pimpinelli
Centro Sperimentale di Cinematografia - Cineteca Nazionale
"Laurent Bismuth was not only an esteemed colleague, he was a beloved friend to me. Someone I admired, and felt at ease with. I mourn the loss of him.
We first met in Oslo 2010, and grew to know one another through our mutual involvement in the FIAF Cataloguing and Documentation Commission (CDC). There is much that can and will be said in honor of Laurent as a professional. I respected the many contributions he made to the CDC, including his intellectual efforts in refining the manual, and developing the restoration and preservation project. He was an engaged collaborator, which made him a joy to work with.
But, he was also an engaging and clever person: full of amusing stories, quick with cultural references and droll observations. He became my constant companion at FIAF events early on. When the CDC met in Washington DC in 2011, Laurent and I meandered in and out of museums along the National Mall on a beautiful spring day, stopping occasionally to rest on the benches that lined the park nearby. He was immaculately turned out, as usual, and I found myself utterly charmed by his anecdotes and sharp wit. I was also thoroughly taken by his grasp of the English language and US culture, not just the rules of grammar or the semantics but the nuances of slang and humor, and thankful that my inability to speak French, or my comparative ignorance of French culture did not prevent us from making a connection that day; a connection that blossomed over the next decade. On future trips, we frequently tried to stay in the same hotels, or near one another so that we could eat breakfast together, or walk back and forth to meetings together. I looked forward to seeing him, to being in his company. My memories of these times are filled with laughter and a sense of coziness.
We began to keep in touch in the long months between Congresses or CDC meetings as our professional relationship developed into friendship. At first by email, and later, more frequently, by text. I would hear from him most often late at night when he couldn’t sleep. Long, meticulously crafted texts about a movie he’d recently seen, or a song of which he was particularly fond. His cultural appreciation and knowledge was so vast that these messages often served as my introduction to a film or artist, and my life made richer by his refined sensibilities. It was more my habit to send him links of videos of the extraordinary: athletes or dancers performing astounding physical feats, or singers whose octave range defy belief. We marveled at the world together, and shared what gave us inspiration. I feel immense sadness that these exchanges are over, that this connection is no more.
To my shame, I was never able to pronounce Laurent’s name properly. It became a recurring joke between us after he pointed out, with an easy smile, that I used “him” or “he” to refer to Laurent in meetings, rather than butcher his name. I tried to master the pronunciation to no avail: I looked up how to say it phonetically (Loh-hohn), and I practiced with him and other people to the point where I eventually caught myself whispering his name from time to time while alone. One time, in jest, I suggested that I call him Larry, and I clearly recall how aghast he looked for a moment before laughing and saying, ever so kindly, that I could never, ever call him that. I saw that same look once more when he was offered sparkling red wine at the closing gala of the 2016 FIAF Congress in Barcelona. It made me laugh out loud in recognition. As before, Laurent recovered in a flash and declined the glass with the utmost graciousness and humor.
As I struggle to put words to the experience of knowing Laurent, to honor him, to say goodbye to him, I am comforted by these memories and the legacy he left behind — not just his valued publications, and professional contributions to the FIAF community and the archival moving image field, but also the indelible mark he made on the people around him by virtue of the bright, perceptive, complex, and warmhearted person that he was. Laurent was beloved by many, who have their own stories about him, and memories to share and hold onto. He will be remembered and celebrated. Laurent will always be with us."
Thelma Ross, The Museum of Modern Art / former Head of the FIAF Cataloguing and Documentation Commission
Laurent Bismuth and Thelma Ross during the CDC meeting in Prague, 2018.
"C'est avec grande tristesse et chagrin que j'ai appris le décès de Laurent Bismuth. Au sein des Archives françaises du film du CNC, Laurent Bismuth fut un collègue remarquable et attachant non seulement pour son expertise professionnelle dans le domaine du catalogage mais aussi pour sa délicate gentillesse et immense générosité à l'égard de tous ses collègues des archives du film. Je tiens à exprimer mes sincères condoléances à sa famille et à ses proches."
Loubna Régragui
Conservatrice-restauratrice de films
"Au fil des rencontres professionnelles et des congrès de la FIAF, j’ai eu le privilège de partager plusieurs moments avec Laurent Bismuth. D’une part, j’ai ainsi pu profiter de ses immenses connaissances et de sa capacité à expliquer avec précision et simplicité des notions complexes, notamment dans le catalogage qui n’est pas ma spécialité. Je lui dois de l’aide, des avertissements avisés. De l’autre, j’ai pu découvrir sa distinction, son humour et son amabilité, sa manière brillante de partager des moments de vie avec les autres. Je ne peux dès lors que pleurer à chaude larme son décès. Et au sein de la Cinémathèque suisse, plusieurs de mes collègues qui l’ont connu et ont également bénéficié de son savoir et de ses conseils le regrettent profondément."
Frédéric Maire, Cinémathèque suisse / President of FIAF
"It’s hard to speak of the ones who pass too early. The grief, and the feeling of premature loss are overwhelming, and only time can heal it for Laurent’s loved ones, family, friends and close colleagues. There’s much to say about Laurent’s achievements, great professionalism, knowledge and collegiality, and many of my dear FIAF friends have spoken to that and paid tribute to this great colleague. I will always remember Laurent for his kindness, humbleness, quiet authority and the joy with which he went about his great passion: the documentation of film, describing and preserving information about the moving image, its restoration and preservation. Vale Laurent Bismuth."
Michael Loebenstein, Austrian Film Museum / Secretary-General of FIAF
"Laurent Bismuth nous a quittés, so sad. Je garde le souvenir d’un garçon au verbe facile, à l’esprit vif. Au cours de la rencontre de la Fiaf de los Angeles en 2017, il avait su montrer toutes les capacités de son talent oratoire. Très doué dans son domaine du catalogage, il était aussi un cinéphile brillant.
Nous avions le même goût pour la musique rock et nous avions passé quelques heures dans le mythique magasin « Amoeba » du Hollywood Boulevard de Los Angeles à la recherche de documents rares."
Jacques Ayroles, Cinémathèque française
"I still can’t believe Laurent is no longer amongst us. We first met in 2010 prior to the FIAF Congress and our encounter was quite remarkable. I had arrived in Oslo with two crutches (I had sprained my ankle some weeks before) but it was the first day that I was allowed to walk with only one crutch so I was able to borrow my second one to Laurent who was suffering from a serious back problem. For the next three days we ‘hobbled’ together like an odd couple to the meeting of the Cataloguing and Documentation Commission and later to the opening ceremony of the congress. I am sure that quite a number of people who observed us at the reception thought we were pulling their leg and that we were putting on some kind of bad Laurel and Hardy act. Our experience as disabled duo created a special kind of bond and during out subsequent encounters (mostly but not exclusively commission meetings) we enjoyed a lot each other’s company. It was a pleasure to work with Laurent in the CDC and I admired his intellect and professional skills, especially his ability to capture the essence of a discussion. I will miss him enormously."
Rutger Penne, P.I.P. Editor / Ex-officio member of the FIAF Cataloguing and Documentation Commission
Laurent with Rutger Penne at the Oslo Congress, 2010
"Laurent était notre collègue mais surtout notre ami.
Chacun d'entre nous a travaillé directement avec lui, à des titres divers, et gardera en mémoire sa remarquable finesse d'analyse, son humour et la très grande complicité qui nous unissait.
Certes, il a passé des heures à nous expliquer EN15907 et c’est avec patience et intelligence qu’il fit de nous des convertis, et au-delà des journées de discussion sur l'indexation et les thésaurus, ce qui nous restera avant tout de lui, ce sont tous ces moments, si nombreux, à partager nos passions communes pour le cinéma, la littérature, la musique… Sans oublier les séries dont il était un téléspectateur assidu et dont il était capable, dans son enthousiasme, de divulguer la fin, sans s’en rendre vraiment compte, ce qui avait le don de nous agacer gentiment. Tout en dégustant une petite pomme en n’en laissant que les pépins, il pouvait, des heures durant, parler avec émerveillement, tout aussi bien d’un cinéaste que d’un groupe de rock ou encore du goût des Tic-Tac à la cannelle qu’on ne trouvent qu’à New York. Son immense culture, variée et originale, parfois pointue, pouvait nous surprendre et nous rendre admiratif d’autant de connaissances. Et sa mémoire infaillible nous surprenait souvent.
Ces instants partagés, si précieux, demeureront pour nous tous des souvenirs inoubliables.
Nous connaissions sa souffrance sans jamais imaginer le perdre si prématurément.
Nous sommes sous le choc, notre peine est immense. Nous allons devoir poursuivre notre chemin sans lui mais il restera à nos côtés à tout jamais. Comment pourrait-il en être autrement ?
Patrice Delavie, Tristan Gomez, Eric Le Roy, Dominique Moustacchi, Béatrice de Pastre, Anne-Laure Soulié, Centre national du cinéma et de l'image animée - Direction du patrimoine (Bois d'Arcy)
Laurent Bismuth à Bois d'Arcy lors des Journées du patrimoine en 2009.
"J’ai rencontré Laurent peu après avoir commencé à travailler à la Cinémathèque française, en 2008. Depuis lors, Laurent a représenté gentillesse, compréhension, générosité et savoir, rare et précieux. Toujours prêt à aider, toujours là si besoin. Il laisse un grand vide. À bien des égards."
Camille Blot-Wellens, independent film archivist and historian
"Like so many others, I am sad and very shocked at the news of Laurent’s passing. He was a bright light among us, invariably kind and sincere, with a great love of and knowledge of all types of cultural expression. His deep professional expertise in so many aspects of archiving and cataloguing were a boon to our field, and I appreciate immensely all he did for the FIAF Cataloguing and Documentation Commission and for the broader FIAF community. I will miss most of all his sense of fun. I’m so sorry he is gone."
Nancy Goldman, Former Head of the FIAF Cataloguing and Documentation Commission
