EFA sent its 2500 members the following message announcing the death of the French Producer Humbert Balsan who was found dead in his offices in Paris.

"The Board of the European Film Academy had the sad duty of informing you that our Chairman Humbert Balsan has died in Paris yesterday, on February 10. We are all in shock about the suddenness of this loss and will miss a great colleague and friend.

The Berlin International Film Festival and the European Film Academy will present a special screening in Humbert's memory of Y AURA-T-IL DE LA NEIGE A NOEL? (1996), directed by Sandrine Veysset and produced by Humbert Balsan."

Humbert was a good friend of mine I first met him and started enjoying his fine film taste and passion when I worked as a distributor of James Ivory and Ismael Merchant movies. Slaves of New York and Remains of the Day. He was involved with Jefferson in Paris among others.
His relationship with Youssef Chahine was famous and precious. His films won many prizes, including a Silver Lion at the 2003 Venice Film Festival for "Le Cerf-volant" by Randa Chahal Sabag, and the Jury Prize at Cannes in 2002 for Elia Suleiman's "Divine Intervention
We had lost of common tastes (golf, fine bordeaux wines) and friends, met regularly in Cannes for his generous and lavish Cannes parties.
He will be missed by many.
I miss him already.
Bruno Chatelin