Quick Facts
| Intro | Belgian film director |
| Was | Film director |
| From | Belgium |
| Field | Film, TV, Stage & Radio |
| Gender | male |
| Birth | 18 November 1900, Brussels, Arrondissement of Brussels-Capital, Brussels-Capital Region, Belgium |
| Death | 30 May 1974 (aged 73 years) |
Biography
Henri Charles Francis Joseph Marie, 8th Duke d'Ursel (Henri, 8th Duke d'Ursel) (1900–1974) was a Belgian film director and writer. Henri d'Ursel was known for his surrealist style, directing the film La Perle early in his career.
Film career
Henri d'Ursel was born in Brussels, Belgium. During the 1920s, he lived in Paris at the height of the surrealist and avant-garde movements. In 1929 he wrote La Perle, under the pseudonym "Henri d'Arche" (the duke of Ursel is count of Archeville), based on a story by Georges Hugnet. Of the filmmaking experience, D'Ursel later said it was made "in the flush of inexperience."
Returning to Belgium, in 1937 d'Ursel and Louis Camu founded Le Prix de l’Image, a precursor to film festivals of experimental cinema. At the outbreak of World War II, he and Luc Haesaerts founded Le Séminaire des Arts, a prestigious Belgian film club, and precursor of the Musée du cinéma de Bruxelles.
D'Ursel was a friend of both Charles Dekeukeleire and Henri Storck. He was for 25 years vice-president of the Belgian Royal Film Archive, until his death in 1974.
