Andre BENNETT

1936 - 2021

ANDRÉ BENNETT January 24, 1936 - December 14, 2021 After a recent diagnosis of cancer, and surrounded by the love of his family, André died peacefully in Toronto at Bridgepoint Hospital. André lived his life passionately and found great joy in both solitary and social activities. With his family looking on, he often conducted his favourite pieces of classical and choral music, belted out verses of La Marseillaise, or recited lines from his prodigious memory of film. His enjoyment of sharing a delicious meal with good friends (especially soup and dumplings) was legendary. He loved to laugh. Growing up in Pasadena, California in the 40s and 50s, in a family that experienced upheaval, he was surrounded by a natural world that was vast and waiting to be explored. His innate curiosity, sense of adventure and love of fishing never waned (despite some family resistance). Nor did his lifelong passion for film. Moving to Canada in 1968 to teach Sociology at Erindale College, he changed course in the early 80s when he became an independent distributor and producer of art films through his companies Cinéphile and Cinema Esperanza. He was a fierce promoter of independent cinema and considered it his great fortune to be a supporter of gifted Canadian filmmakers in the 80s and 90s. Unpretentious and enthusiastic, André was endlessly proud of his wife, Joanne, and his children, André, Sean (Ali, Cooper and Emma), Claire (Brenden), Jake and Patrick (Jessica). He will be missed by his sister Frances, his brother Robert, his extended family and dear friends in Toronto and across Canada, the US, Germany, Switzerland and the Netherlands. A memorial gathering will be held in the Spring. There will be dumplings!