Paul Barbă Neagră


Paul Barbă Neagră was a Romanian film director and essayist who, starting in 1957, has directed short and medium-length documentaries on topics related to culture and the arts. In 1964, he defected and settled in France, where he also worked in the media.

Biography

Born in Isaccea, he studied medicine and cinematography in Bucharest, graduating from the I. L. Caragiale Institute for Theater and Film Arts. Between 1957 and 1964, he worked for the film studios of Communist Romania, and, during a visit to Tours, sought political asylum.
He was awarded a first prize for the scenario of his film Versailles Palais-Temple du Roi Soleil at the Festival International du Film d’Art. The film was the first in his series Architecture et Géographie sacrée. To the same series belongs the documentary Mircea Eliade et la Redécouverte du Sacré.
In 1990, he was awarded The French Grand Prix for Audiovisual Arts for his entire activity.
In 2004, he published with Félix Schwarz Symbolique de Paris: Paris sacré, Paris mythique.

Footnotes