Claude Bernard
Claude Bernard is a professor of communications and the founder of an LDS film festival in Brussels. He is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Bernard was raised in Italy. His mother moved them to Brussels where he attended university and joined the Church. His interest in film (he teaches courses in screenplay writing and the history of cinema) led him to create a Latter-day Saint film festival in 2005. He had heard of the LDS Film Festival in Orem, Utah, created by film director Christian Vuissa, and knew of the contributions of members of the Church to films throughout the years. The first film he showcased was States of Grace. The festival has grown from its humble beginnings in a basement to expanding its scope to include other areas in the arts. It is now named the Mormon Arts and Culture Festival.
He earned his bachelor’s degree in English literature and modern languages from the University of Maryland, his master’s degree in business communication from Institut Européen de Communication and a second master’s in international politics from Université Libre de Bruxelles, and his PhD in intercultural communication and medical from UBI/Mercer University.
Prior to teaching at Vesalius College in Brussels, he taught at the Brussels campus of Emerson College.