Creatives

Carole Bienaimé, a woman who counts, and recounts


Carole Bienaimé (also known as Carole Bienaimé-Besse) is a commissioner and board member of Conseil Supérieur de l’Audiovisuel, an independent agency of French government that regulates communications by radio, television, and internet platforms across France and all its territories.

Back when we met her, she welcomed us into her home to talk about her relationship with the world in general, and especially the world of art.

Bienaimé was then a television and film producer in a class of her own. She was also the Managing Director of the CBB Films production company, displaying her talents on both sides of the Atlantic. On the odd occasion, she would try her hand at directing. This depth of professional experience has drawn admiration from her peers, who soon voted her in as Vice-President of the Association pour la promotion de l’audiovisuel (Association for Audiovisual Promotion) (APA). In 2010, she was also officially honoured for her outstanding achievement in the arts. But what really makes her stand out is her good-hearted nature driven by a keen sense of justice. Here, she follows her own unique path, and is relentless in her storytelling about where she comes from, where we all come from and how much we resemble each other, despite everything that seems to separate us.

Tell us about your professional background…
I studied law and economics, and was especially interested in the cultural economy. I got into this field somewhat by chance. My career began at Sotheby’s France, as an assistant press attaché. This gave me the opportunity to meet a lot of artists and collectors. Then one day a friend suggested I work with her on a documentary produced by the BBC. I started out as a production assistant, but was soon production manager. This path may seem a bit of a paradox, but not to me. After all, it’s still and always is about authors and creators. Whether you’re expressing yourself through a painting, photos or images, there’s always a link. Culture is always the common denominator in everything I’ve been able to undertake in my professional life.

By Francesca Caseri

The complete article is available in the first issue of MOYI (MOYI 1).