TEAM
ROBBIE HART FOUNDER & PRESIDENT, PRODUCER-DIRECTOR
Robbie Hart has been producing and directing award winning, international documentaries since 1986. He has over 60 documentary films to his credit and has directed throughout Europe, Asia, Africa, Latin America, the United States and the Caribbean. He has also made
several highly acclaimed films in his hometown of Montreal, Québec as well as others across
Canada. Robbie’s camera has focused on a wide range of subject matter ranging from politics, human rights, international relations and the developing world, to arts, culture and sports. Each film revealing universal narratives, personal storylines and engaging characters who strive to empower themselves, and their communities.
Documentary series, feature docs, festival distinctions, theatrical releases and international distribution have all been a part of the remarkable 35 year history of the company he founded, ADOBE PRODUCTIONS INTERNATIONAL.
Some of his best know documentary series are TURNING SIXTEEN, 8 x 60 on teenagers around the world and RAINMAKERS, a 13 part series on human rights activists. Robbie’s films have earned numerous festival distinctions including Banff Rockie, Hot Docs, NHK, Nord-Sud, Chicago, Columbus, Prix Gemeaux and Canadian Screen awards. Several of the above listed titles were co-directed with Luc Côté, Robbie’s longtime ADOBE partner. Robbie and Luc worked together for over 20 years making films, building friendships and supporting solidarity projects around the world. Both continue to collaborate today on documentaries.
Several well known feature docs produced/directed by Robbie are NOS AMOURS, released in 2003 and the sequel currently in production titled NOS AMOURS – THE SAGA OF THE MONTREAL EXPOS. The sequel documentary is scheduled for release in April 2024 in theatres and festivals across Canada. The feature doc is being produced in collaboration with Bell Media.
In 2009-2011, Robbie produced and co-directed TURNING 32, a feature length documentary that sequels the original series, TURNING 16. The 104 minute film was produced in collaboration with the National Film Board of Canada, SODEC, the Documentary Channel, CBC Newsworld, TV5, TFO and the Rogers Documentary Fund.
Also produced in 2011 was THE SUMMER OF DANCE, a one hour documentary about Les Grands Ballets Canadien show in Paris, France. Still in active distribution is the 2013 feature doc
I AM NOT A ROCK STAR that chronicles the life of Quebec pianist Marika Bournaki. The award winning doc has been selected to more than 30 film festivals worldwide and has been sold to more than a dozen networks outside Canada. The 85 minute doc was directed by Bobbi Jo Hart, who has collaborated with ADOBE on many documentary projects. I AM NOT A ROCK STAR was produced in collaboration with the Documentary Channel, Knowledge Network, IChannel and ARTV and was the winner of three Canadian Screen Awards, including best ARTS documentary.
New documentaries produced since 2015 include FENNARIO – THE GOOD FIGHT featuring iconic Canadian Playwright David Fennario and NI ROSE, NI BLEU – La SUITE, a sequel to the popular 2003 original. Both of these feature docs were produced in collaboration with Canal Vie and Canal D. As well PATSY, a feature documentary about the life, career and music of Patsy Gallant, one of Canada’s greatest singers. was directed by Robbie Hart and produced by Sergio Kirby of Loaded Pictures.
Currently in festivals and distribution worldwide is the 2019, award winning feature doc REBELS ON POINTE. The film was directed by Bobbi Jo Hart and features the world famous, an all male dance company known as Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo. The 90 minute film has been selected to over 50 film festivals, and sold to a dozen countries.
In 2021, a new feature documentary produced, written and directed by Robbie Hart titled IN SEARCH OF A BETTER WORLD was released on the CBC and Radio Canada. The doc chronicles the story of Canadian human rights lawyer and McGill University professor Payam Akhavan and his quest to bring justice to the Rohingyas.
Currently in distribution is our award winning, feature doc FANNY - The RIGHT TO ROCK, Directed by Bobbi Jo Hart and produced by Robbie, the film is about three pioneering, Filpina sisters who formed one of the first ever all-woman rock bands in the late 60’s. The film opened theatrically in the United States in May 2022, has been selected to over 75 film festivals worldwide, including broadcast sales to PBS and BBC.
Most recently, ICE-BREAKER – THE ‘72 SUMMIT SERIES, was written, directed and co-produced by Robbie. The 95 minute feature documentary is currently in theatres, festivals and with broadcasters across Canada and worldwide.
Finally, FRANCOEUR – ON ACHEVE BIEN LES ROCKERS, a feature documentary about Québec poet and counter culture music legend, is launching in theatres in Montreal and across La BelleProvince on Dec 08 2023. Robbie co-directed and co-wrote the feature doc.
Bobbi Jo HART CO-PRODUCER, DIRECTOR -
Bobbi Jo Hart has been passionately directing and producing award‐ winning documentary films since 1997. Held up at gunpoint while making her first very film about nursing in Pakistan, she has also filmed in Russia, Guatemala, Zimbabwe, Romania, Australia and many other countries ‐‐ with topics ranging from women's professional soccer and tennis to classical music, and the intriguing link between comedy and manic depression. Hart has a special passion for stories that celebrate the journey of the underdog. All of her documentaries delve into social and cultural realms of life often misunderstood, within which she weaves universal threads that celebrate our shared humanity.
Hart's last feature documentary film I AM NOT A ROCK STAR toured over 30 film festivals worldwide and won several awards. The film was nominated for a Gemeaux and three Canadian Screen Awards in 2014, winning two (Best Performing Arts Documentary, Best Editing, Best Direction). The film has aired in over a dozen countries, including Documentary Channel, Knowledge Network and iChannel in Canada, BBC4 in the UK, SVT in Sweden, SBS in Australia and many others.
Currently releasing RISE, this film was directed and co‐produced by Hart, which follows the Canadian women's national soccer team for three years, leading up to and through the 2015 FIFA World Cup. The one hour version will air on TSN and RDS in May 2015. The feature version will hit festivals in 2016. Hart grew up playing competitive soccer in California and has dual American and Canadian citizenship.
Raised in a working class family, it was with the vital help of sports scholarships in basketball and track & field, that she eventually obtained an Honours BA ‐ International Relations at Southern Oregon State University. She is a firm believer in team sports for youth, as an integral tool to build character and positively influence life.
Hart is also in production directing and co‐producing a feature documentary about Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo, the all male comic ballet troupe formed during the New York Stonewall riots in 1974, and has a cult following around the world. Currently celebrating their 40th anniversary tour, the film reveals not only the company's fascinating history but the dramatic stories of three of the dancers ‐ who hail from the United States, Italy and South Africa.
Lastly, Hart is in development on MISS ME, a feature documentary about the mysterious Montreal 'artful vandal' , whose socially, musically and politically charged collages have been pasted illegally throughout the city and in countries around the world. Through her personal history of immigration, religious persecution and sexual assault, the film uses her artful vandalism as a conduit into exploring universal issues of feminism, sexuality, identity and the universally transformative power of music and art.
luc côté DIRECTOR, DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY -
Luc Côté réalise et produit des films depuis l’âge de 14 ans. Les 40 dernières années, il les a passées à voyager à travers le monde, tout en faisant des documentaires sociaux qui capturent l’esprit humain. Au début des années 80, il fonde sa première compagnie de production, On Track Video, à New York. En 1986, il rejoint Robbie Hart à Montréal et font naître Les Productions Adobe. Ensembles, ils ont produit et réalisé plus de 30 films, incluant deux séries documentaires récompensées un peu partout dans le monde : Avoir 16 ans et Le feu sacré. Récemment, Luc a travaillé comme réalisateur pour d’autres compagnies : Macumba international, Virage, Erezi Productions et Le Cirque du Soleil. En 2011, il a co-réalisé et co-produit avec Patricio Henriquez le documenaire: Vous n’aimez pas la vérité - 4 jours à Guantanamo, récipiendaire de plus de 10 prix à l’international. Luc Côté a aussi enseigné à la Chaire documentaire de l’École internationale du cinéma de Cuba. Présentement, il est en production pour trois films dont un aux États-Unis.
Joël Bertomeu DIRECTOR, DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY -
Joël Bertomeu a travaillé en cinéma depuis 1973. D’abord comme assistant caméraman sur des longs métrages de fiction puis comme directeur photo. Depuis 30 ans comme réalisateur pour la télévision pour presque tous les diffuseurs. Son travail actuel touche surtout les documentaires mais aussi dans les années passées il a réalisé des vidéoclips, des séries pour la télévision ou de la publicité.
Joël Bertomeu, membre de l’ARRQ et de la SARTEC collabore étroitement avec les Productions Adobe depuis les tout débuts de la maison de production. D’abord à titre de caméraman sur plusieurs tournages à l’étranger puis comme réalisateur, principalement sur deux longs métrages documentaires.
Son intérêt pour le documentaire s’attarde surtout à l’introspection chez les êtres humains : comprendre l’identité masculine, les rapports hommes-femmes, la relation mère-fille ou père-fils, les tournants de vie, les jeunes en difficultés, la résilience.
RÉNALD BELLEMARE DIRECTOR, DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY - Rénald Bellemare possède une solide expérience du documentaire. La grande qualité de ses images lui ont permis de travailler à un large éventail de productions locales, nationales et internationales.Très actif dans l’industrie, son talent a maintes fois été souligné et primé tant comme directeur photo que réalisateur. Mis en nomination cinq fois comme directeur photo aux prix Gémeaux, il remporte celui de la meilleure réalisation avec le documentaire La Bottine Souriante, Comme des démons.
VINCENT LACOMBAT MONTAGE -
Vincent Lacombat œuvre dans le domaine audiovisuel depuis 30 ans. Après ses études universitaires en cinéma, il voit son premier court-métrage récompensé par une sélection à La Nuit des Jeunes Créateurs. Cependant, c’est la télévision qui lui offre ses premiers contrats, en tant que technicien. En parallèle, il se forme au montage virtuel (qui en est encore à ses balbutiements) et c’est comme monteur qu’il collabore à de multiples magasines télévisuels, reportages et documentaires unitaires. Son travail est récompensé par diverses distinctions (Les 7 d’or, Festival du scoop et journalisme d’Angers, Festival de femmes de Créteil, Prix Écrans Canadiens…)
Arrivé à Montréal en 2004 pour s’y installer, Vincent travaille avec divers réalisateurs et producteurs mais rencontre très vite Luc Côté et Robbie Hart avec lesquels il collabore depuis, au sein d’Adobe Productions. Par ailleurs, proche de la communauté artistique de Montréal, il réalise occasionnellement des films courts qui illustrent leur travail. Vincent consacre également une partie de son temps à l’écriture, l’une de ses grandes passions.
COLLOBORATEURS
Andrea Henriquez - Editor
Howard Goldberg - Editor
Kate Legault - Editor
Daniel Toussaint - Sound editor, music
Robert Hecht - Senior accountant
Sam Coppola - Legal consultant
John Chretien - Accountant
Andrea White - Graphic Designer