Marcel Ichac

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Marcel Ichac (1906-1994) was a French alpinist, explorer, photographer and film director.

Contents 1 An explorer in the middle of the 20th century 2 A great mountain films director 3 Innovations in film industry 4 Awards 5 Books by Marcel Ichac 6 Internet sources 6.1 Filmography on Internet 6.2 Other links 6.3 Video links

[edit] An explorer in the middle of the 20th century

Explorer and sportsman as well as an artist, Marcel Ichac was the main movie director of French explorations during the years 1930-1950 :

• Himalaya : "Karakoram" in 1936 (first French expedition in Himalaya, Karakoram) and "Victoire sur l'Annapurna" in 1950 (Annapurna is the first "8000" sumit reached in 1950 by Maurice Herzog and Louis Lachenal).

• Under sea : Jacques-Yves Cousteau expeditions in the Mediterranean sea (1948), in Red Sea (1955 : preparation of the realisation of the "The Silent World"), in Lake Titicaca (1968).

• French Polar Expedition in Greenland with Paul-Emile Victor (1949).

• Middle east : First documentary film in the world about the Pilgrimage to Mecca (1940).

[edit] A great mountain films director

Marcel Ichac was considered at its time as the best mountain film director with notably two masterpieces :

• "A l'Assaut des Aiguilles du Diable" (1942).

• "Les Etoiles de Midi" (1959).

• His movies during the years 1930-1940 made a lot in the promotion of skiing in France.

• He made of film about the life of his friend, the great mountain climber Lionel Terray : "Le Conquérent de l'inutile" (1967).

• He took the images of the highest fights of WWII and the freedom of Torino (Italy) ("Tempête sur les Alpes", 1944-1945)

[edit] Innovations in film industry

Curious of new techniques, he introduced electronic music in cinema with the Ondes Martenot (composer : Pierre Vellone) for "Karakoram" (1936).

He realised the first French movie in Cinemascope ("Nouveaux Horizons", 1953), a French invention of Henri Chrétien.

[edit] Awards

Marcel Ichac won the highest awards of world cinema:

• Silver Lion in the Venice film festival (1937 for "Karakoram").

• Festival de Cannes.

• Academy Award ("Oscar") for the best live action short film (1963 : "An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge").

Preceded by Pierre Etaix, Jean-Claude Carrière for Heureux Anniversaire (Happy Anniversary)

Academy Award for Live Action Short Film 1963 for An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge

Succeeded by Edward Schreiber for Casals Conducts

• Grand Prix du cinéma français (1959 for "Les Etoiles de Midi").

• and many awards in specialised film festivals (Banff, Cortina d'Empezzo, Trente, Les Diablerets, etc.).

Sportsman, Marcel Ichac ran the New York City Marathon until he was 80.

[edit] Books by Marcel Ichac

• "A l'assaut des Aiguilles du Diable", 1945, Ed. Jean Susse.
• "Regards vers l'Annapurna", 1951, Ed. Arthaud.
• "Quand brillent les Etoiles de Midi", 1960, Ed. Arthaud.

[edit] Internet sources

[edit] Filmography on Internet

• Marcel Ichac in the Cannes Festival : http://www.festival-cannes.fr/perso/index.php?langue=6002&personne=281 et [1]
• Some movies of films de Marcel Ichac on http://calindex.eu ([2]).
• Some movies of Marcel Ichac on http://www.bfi.org.uk ([3])
• Marcel Ichac at the Internet Movie Database ([4]).

[edit] Other links

• In French : An universitary work on the mountain films by Florent Wolff (Université Paris VII, 2004) (chapter 1C, page 9) : ([5]).
• In Spanish : at www.Desnivel.com ([6]).
• A critic of the movie and book "Les Etoiles de Midi" par Alain de Châtellus, 1961 ([7]).

[edit] Video links

• Images of Groenland in 1949 by Marcel Ichac([8]).
• Marcel Ichac receiving the "prix du documentaire" (price of best documentary movie) at Cannes film festival in 1952 ([9]).
• The movie "An occurrence at owl creek bridge" ("La Rivière du Hibou"), short movie Academy award 1964 ([10]).