Biography
Of Hungarian origin, Jean Image (Imre Hajdu of his true name) is born in Budapest. While young person, he please to cover the margins of his books with drawings. He study lessons of Decorative arts in Budapest then in Berlin. He works the classical drawings, but his innate love of decoration aims him to advertising. The advertising drawing takes him very of course to the advertising cartoon. He takes out 12 small films by ameliorating every day his technology the solid foundations of which he creates in a training period made in London in 1937. While accomplishing advertising films for (Les Lampes Tungsram, Vivor, Cire Abeille et Javex), Jean Image does illustrations of children's albums (Princesse clé de sol, Mouki l’écureuil à queue noire, Fantaisie de Paris, La Boîte à Surprise) where they find more of one of the figures that he will enliven in his films.
During 1938s in 1942He teaches the cartoon at Paul hake. There he chooses elements as the realization of his films and he forms technicians of the cartoon. In 1939, he makes the first not advertising film, « Le loup et l’agneau ». This short film, allegoric, in antiHitlerian political persuasion was destroyed during war.
It is « Rhapsody de Saturn » in 1947 which reveals to the public the personality of this designer who thanks to his courage and its persistence, his own producer will become.
Having applauded by a critic flattering, Jean Image goes out « Jeannot l’intrépide », first French feature-length film of animation in technicolor. He starts an international career then and does not cease shooting film on film.
He accomplishes the feature-length film « Bonjour Paris », preface of which Jean Cocteau will write. The same year, in the Cannes film festival, Jean Image and Walt Disney make acquaintance and are photographed together. The film « Bonjour Paris » pointed out by an American distributor who sells it on American television where he acquired a deep success.
Jean Image produces and accomplishes several courts-lengths of animation of which « Monsieur Victor » ou « La machine à explorer le temps », commented by Francis Blanche and « le petit peintre et la sirène »; Brigitte Bardot, star of the film, declared regarding the mermaid, « I accept that they copy me in drawings enlivened », making allusion to the starlets who tried to imitate her.
The city of Annecy offers to Jean Image and to his animators friends, to create in Annecy the first annual festival of the film of animation. It was an event of the utmost importance for the development of the cartoon worldwide. This festival takes place every year for 40 years.
Series of television « Les aventures de Joe », « Picolo et Picolette », « Kiri le Clown » are broadcast by the FRENCH BROADCASTING SERVICE with such success as stemming products (toys, books, albums of colouring, key rings, pyjamas, discs, etc) are fabricated and sold in millions of copies. The studio Jean Image becomes all over the world famous.
Jean Image attacks realization of « Aladin et la lampe merveilleuse ». The exit envisaged at this instant is Easter 1970. In ten months, to respect delivery time promised to the distributor, he works by day and by night with a passionate team which Denis Boutin, Guy Lehideux, Francis Williaume, Henry Virjoleux (who brilliantly returned the way of the magician). The film carries wins a huge success.
In 1970
The serie « Au clair de lune », uniting figures inspired by the theatre Del Arte and animals of the earth is successfully diffused by the FRENCH BROADCASTING SERVICE, but television do not place new order to Jean Image. In effect, the Japanese enlivened drawings will begin immersing the whole world at the hours envisaged for youth on television.
Jean Image undertakes production of « Joe petit boom boom », feature-length film of animation, according to series « Les aventures de Joe ».
Jean Image opens on the French riviera a school of drawings enlivened by correspondence « the Institute Frenchman of Animation Jean Image ». This world-famous school, formed numerous pupils.
Jean Image with the help of his friends Cannois organizes Enlivens Cannes 74, the first and only festival of animation which takes place in the Palace of festivals.
While travelling continuously in the world to introduce his films in festivals abroad, Gijon in Spain, Teheran in Iran, or Chabanon (empress) organized a festival of films in a personal capacity for youth. He accomplishes « Pluk naufragé de l’espace ».
Jean Image undertakes the most difficult production of his career, « Les fabuleuses aventures du Baron de Maunchausen ». In spite of a strike of the team, the film was finished and all over the world sold. It was chosen in the festival of Moscow, where he acquired several prices. Jean Image takes out his film in several big Parisian rooms and in province himself. Criticisms are one more time flattering.
Antenne 2 calls Jean Image and commands him « Les secret des sélénite », feature-length film, suite of the "Baron de Maunchausen " and that the press welcomes very favourably. The same year Jack Lang, minister of culture, awards him rank to have contributed to the defence of the French cartoon, in national order of deserves.
The Town hall of Paris dedicates him a big exhibition, « The Art of the cartoon ». It is in the course of this demonstration that Jacques Chirac, then Mayor of Paris, decorates Jean Image of the big medal with Bright red of the city of Paris.
He dedicates himself more and more to its school of drawings enlivened by correspondence and accomplishes a called series « Les aventures de Jeannot ».
Jérôme Clement, Managing director of the National Centre of Cinematography gives him the medal of the National Order of Arts and Letters.
Liking to produce a feature-length film drawn by the stories of « Milles et une nuits Sheherazade », he accomplishes a pilot of five minutes. The film of could be ended, Jean Image dies on October 25th, 1989.
Claude Santelli, famous writer and friend of Jean Image will say « My sadness is great today is a Father Christmas from France who has just left us. »
The daughter of Jean Image, Marie-Luce, which participated with him in some of his productions, is today guiding of production in a important company of animated films.