TRIBUTES have been paid to the founder of Jersey’s independent film festival who passed away earlier this month at the age of 64.
Tony Langlois, described as the “driving force” behind the 13th Parish Film Festival, died unexpectedly on 13 October following surgery.
The filmmaker, musician and academic has been described by family, friends and colleagues as a “quirky” and “unique” individual who made a lasting impact on Jersey’s cultural scene.
One of his four siblings, Kate Langlois, described him as “very thoughtful” with a “great sense of humour”
“He was very, very proud of being a Jerseyman,” she added.
Born in London in 1960 to Jersey parents, Dr Langlois returned to the Island as a young child and grew up here.
Dr Langlois’s friend from his teenage years Jenny Lecoat, a novelist and screenwriter also from Jersey, described him as a supportive and inspiring presence.
She added: “Tony understood the importance of creativity, and the value of encouragement, support and access to the arts.”
During his early years in Jersey, the former De La Salle College student performed as a bassist in several bands, including the underground group Sticky Thing in the 1970s.
Lifelong friend and bandmate Jamie Cook recalled: “Tony had a unique dual perspective on things.
“When we were growing up on Jersey, he knew every inch of the Island. But the same time, he had this very universal take on things. He was very aware of the world beyond, and especially the cultural world, at an early age.”
At the age of 17, Dr Langlois left the Island to travel and spent a year working on a kibbutz in Israel.
After returning to the Island, he found it difficult to settle, which led him to pursue academic studies in London in the 1980s.
While living in Hackney with his first wife, Caroline, and their daughter, Aislinn, Tony earned a degree in anthropology.
His thesis, focusing on the early acid house and rave scene, set the stage for a career that blended academia with a passion for music and culture.
Dr Langlois went on to earn a PhD in ethnomusicology from Queen’s University of Belfast, where his research into Algerian folk music took him to North Africa, an experience that longtime friend and band member Bruce Labey described as both dangerous and deeply influential.
“His PhD on Algerian rai music led him to Morocco and Algeria at a time when westerners risked being shot on sight,” he said.
“Tony’s fluent Arabic, bushy beard and Jersey tan allowed him to blend in more easily but it was dangerous undercover work.”
Meanwhile, his sister added: “He spent a lot of time going into people’s houses and playing music with them. And he learned Arabic so that he could communicate well with them. He was a people person.”
After completing his PhD, Dr Langlois stayed on at Queen’s University as a lecturer.
His time in Belfast also saw him become involved in cross-community projects aimed at fostering peace during the Troubles, where his neutral position as someone from Jersey made him ideally suited to the work.
Ms Langlois explained: “He used his neutrality well during those times, working on projects that brought people from different backgrounds together.”
Mr Labey added: “His community relations work in Belfast involved him creating a marching band of young people from both of the warring communities, which appeared in street carnivals in Belfast dressed as fish and other forms of seafood – another of Tony’s passions – particularly whelks, for reasons known only to himself.”
In 2001, Dr Langlois joined Mary Immaculate College in Limerick as a lecturer in media and communications, where he helped to develop the student radio station Wired FM.
Ms Langlois said: “He was very much loved by his students. He made them think, and he challenged them, and he created lots of cross-community opportunities for them as well.”
Many of his former colleagues paid tribute to his academic career in the Irish press, where they described him as “a true scholar” and “a fine academic” who inspired the minds of many.
Dr Langlois’s connection to Jersey remained strong throughout his life, and his most significant contribution to the Island’s cultural scene was the founding of the 13th Parish Film Festival five years ago.
The festival quickly became a staple in Jersey’s cultural calendar, with its grassroots approach and focus on both local and international talent.
One of the festival’s standout features was the Wall is a Screen initiative, in which walls around St Helier were transformed into temporary cinema screens.
A tribute from the Hamburg-based group that brought the project to Jersey read: “He was a wonderful person and left his mark with all of us. We are very lucky to have met Tony. He was an extraordinary person.”
Dr Langlois was particularly proud of the Kino initiative, which gave local people the chance to make and showcase their own work as part of a DIY filmmaking workshop in France.
Speaking to the JEP last year, Dr Langlois said: “We are putting this out to as many people as possible, because we want to champion local talent and show that Jersey and the Channel Islands are full of creativity.”
Jooj duQuemin, who worked with Dr Langlois on the festival, spoke about his bottom-up approach to growing the event.
She said: “He wanted the 13th Parish festival to grow organically, bringing in various elements of film including short films, documentaries, VR, outdoor film showings and film making.
“It always amazed me how he could multi-task so well and the energy he had, even if he was really tired he appeared to be full of energy,” she added.
Dr Langlois also composed the music for the Dreaming Trees initiative which saw Howard Davis Park transformed using light and sound in February last year. Beyond Jersey, Dr Langlois was also the founder of Ireland’s IndieCork Film Festival, which is the largest festival for short film in the country.
Dr Langlois is survived by his wife, Úna Feely, children Aislinn and Pascal, and grandchildren Arlo, Auryn and Senan.
A humanist funeral was held in Ringaskiddy, Ireland, on 16 October, followed by a gathering in Jersey on 19 October.
