Herménégilde lavoie (1908-1973)

From Saguenay to Quebec City
Herménégilde Lavoie was born in Lac Saint-Jean and moved to Quebec City after classical studies. There he was hired as a photographer and filmmaker by the Quebec government’s Office du tourisme.

Driven by a concern for the environment and for the safeguarding of Quebec’s cultural and architectural heritage, his films include a series of shorts entitled Les beautés de mon pays, which he screened across the province accompanied by lectures.

A Prolific Craftsman
Lavoie was fired in 1947 by Premier Maurice Duplessis because he criticised government heritage policies. He then founded his own company, Les documentaires Lavoie, and collaborated with religious figures on a number of documentary films on Quebec history and heritage. He made edifying films and portraits of their community for nuns. In the course of this work, several nuns took advantage of the opportunity to become familiar with film production techniques.

In 1962 Lavoie returned to the civil service, and his son Richard continued the company’s activities with his own projects.

To learn more

• Richard Lavoie’s web site