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French filmmaker Jean Mitry has been an important figure in the development of his country's cinema. He started out as a young teen in 1924 helping director Marcel L'Herbier. In 1925, Mitry helped found the first film society in France. In 1963, he helped found the Cinematheque Francaise. He began directing avant-garde short films in 1929; he also made a feature film, Eigme aux Folies-Bergere (1959), but it bombed. Frankly, Mitry's contribution to film as a director has been minimal. What Mitry is best known for is his film theories and his extensive knowledge of film history. In France and abroad, Mitry is considered among the most important scholars in cinema. To this end, Mitry has published numerous articles, essays, and books such as the seminal Esthetique et Psychologie du Cinima (1963). In 1944, Mitry began a long tenure as a professor of cinema at I.D.H.E.C.; he has also worked at the University of Montreal.