Yves Bélanger (cinematographer)

Bélanger grew up in Sainte-Foy, Quebec. He first became interested in film at eight years old when his father showed him 2001: A Space Odyssey, and he began making short films when he was 13. He studied film at Concordia University, where he contemplated becoming a director or cinematographer, ultimately deciding on the latter.{{cite web|url=http://www.lapresse.ca/le-soleil/arts/cinema/201402/27/01-4743268-yves-belanger-de-sainte-foy-a-hollywood.php|work=Le Soleil|language=fr|title=Yves Bélanger: de Sainte-Foy à Hollywood|date=March 1, 2014|access-date=April 24, 2017|first=Éric|last=Moreault}} He graduated with a BFA in 1984.{{cite web|url=https://www.concordia.ca/cunews/offices/vpaer/aar/2014/03/and-the-oscar-goestoconcordiagrads.html|title=And the Oscar goes to...Concordia grads|first=James|last=Gibbons|date=March 3, 2014|publisher=Concordia University|access-date=April 24, 2017}}

Bélanger began working as a cinematographer in 1989, working initially on music videos before moving to advertising. He started working on films and television series in 1995, alongside directors including Alain DesRochers, Jean-Claude Lord and Alan Metter. He first became recognized in 2001 with the short film Killing Time, for which he received a Canadian Society of Cinematographers award nomination. He worked on another short film, Wildflowers, which won a CSC award in 2003, and he received a third nomination for the 2006 film Cheech.{{cite web|url=http://www.goldderby.com/article/2015/brooklyn-saoirse-ronan-cinematographer-yves-belanger-oscar-13579086/|title='Brooklyn' cinematographer Yves Belanger on blending modern and classic techniques (Podcast)|first=Zach|last=Lewis|publisher=Gold Derby|date=December 18, 2015|access-date=April 24, 2017}} He filmed Laurence Anyways (2012) with the arthouse director Xavier Dolan. Bélanger later said about Dolan's style, "it's not my cup of tea. It's very colorful, very crazy ... I'm more like a naturalist."{{cite web|url=https://collider.com/yves-belanger-wild-interview/|title=Cinematographer Yves Belanger Talks WILD, Rehearsal Process, Controlling Light, Choosing Angles, and More|date=December 2, 2014|first=Sheila|last=Roberts|publisher=Collider|access-date=April 24, 2017}} His work on Laurence Anyways garnered a Camerimage award nomination.

After finishing Laurence Anyways, Bélanger was contacted by director Jean-Marc Vallée, who asked him to work on his upcoming film Dallas Buyers Club (2013). Bélanger and Vallée had known each other for around 20 years but had never worked together before.{{cite web|url=https://www.wheretowatch.com/2014/12/wilds-cinematographer-yves-belanger-on-framing-face-of-america/|title=Wild's Cinematographer Yves Bélanger on Framing Face of America |first=Bryan|last=Abrams|publisher=WhereToWatch|date=December 4, 2014|access-date=April 24, 2017}} Dallas Buyers Club marked Bélanger's breakout in the mainstream film industry; he was 53 years old at the time and two decades into his career.{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2015/12/yves-belanger-interview-brooklyn-cinematographer-oscars-1201670150/|title='Brooklyn' D.P. Yves Belanger On Capturing The 1950s, Saoirse Ronan & Lessons From Jean-Marc Vallee|first=Matt|last=Grobar|website=Deadline Hollywood|date=December 22, 2015|access-date=April 24, 2017}} A year later, he and Vallée collaborated a second time, on Wild (2014). The film, which is about a woman who hikes the Pacific Crest Trail, was filmed on a small budget with a minimal crew and mostly handheld camerawork.{{cite web|url=https://www.indiewire.com/2015/01/wild-dp-yves-belanger-explains-how-he-captured-reese-witherspoon-189367/|title='Wild' DP Yves Belanger Explains How He Captured Reese Witherspoon|first=Bill|last=Desowitz|publisher=IndieWire|date=January 12, 2015|access-date=April 24, 2017}} His cinematography on Wild received a Camerimage nomination.

Bélanger then shot the period drama film Brooklyn (2015), directed by John Crowley. He became involved after Bruna Papandrea, one of the producers of Wild, introduced Bélanger to Crowley.{{cite web|url=http://screenprism.com/insights/article/ask-the-expert-brooklyn-cinematographer-yves-belanger-answers-screenprisms|publisher=ScreenPrism|title=Ask the Expert: "Brooklyn" Cinematographer Yves Bélanger answers ScreenPrism's questions|date=January 20, 2016|first=Joshua|last=Handler|access-date=April 24, 2017}} For Brooklyn, he received a Canadian Screen Award for Best Cinematography.{{cite news|last=Kay|first=Jeremy|date=March 13, 2016|url=http://www.screendaily.com/awards/room-sweeps-canadian-screen-awards/5101436.article|title='Room' sweeps Canadian Screen Awards|work=Screen Daily|access-date=March 1, 2017}} His third collaboration with Vallée was Demolition, released in 2016,{{cite web|url=http://www.moviemaker.com/archives/interviews/camera-thinks-exactly-like-cinematographer-yves-belanger-peak-career/|title="This Camera Thinks Exactly Like Me:" Cinematographer Yves Bélanger at the Peak of His Career|first=John|last=Albrecht|work=MovieMaker|date=January 13, 2016|access-date=April 24, 2017}}{{cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/behind-screen/cinematographer-yves-belanger-dishes-shooting-752795|title=Cinematographer Yves Belanger Dishes on Shooting 'Wild' |date=December 4, 2014|access-date=April 24, 2017|work=The Hollywood Reporter|first=Carolyn|last=Giardina}} and their fourth was the HBO miniseries Big Little Lies (2017).{{cite web|url=https://www.theasc.com/ac_magazine/May2016/Demolition/page1.php|title=Demolition|first=Mark|last=Dillon|publisher=American Society of Cinematographers|date=May 2016|access-date=April 24, 2017|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170425030613/https://www.theasc.com/ac_magazine/May2016/Demolition/page1.php|archive-date=April 25, 2017|df=mdy-all}}

• 2017 - Big Little Lies - 7 episodes
• 2018 - Sharp Objects - 7 episodes
• 2021 - Nine Perfect Strangers - 8 episodes

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• {{IMDb name|0126825|Yves Bélanger}}

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Category:1960 births

Category:Living people

Category:People from Sainte-Foy, Quebec City

Category:Canadian cinematographers

Category:Concordia University alumni

Category:Best Cinematography Genie and Canadian Screen Award winners

Category:Best Cinematography Jutra and Iris Award winners