We sadly learned of the passing of Gideon Kouts, Vice-President of the French Union of Film Journalists, at the age of 78. A Paris correspondent for one of Israel’s leading radio stations, Gideon was a fixture on the movie scene, attending press screenings in Paris as well as major film festivals in Berlin, Cannes, and many others, where he indulged his passion for cinema. He had been a FIPRESCI Juror in many film festivals, including Cannes, and was once a representative of UJC at a FIPRESCI General Assembly were his wit was greatly appreciated.
His journalistic work, however, was not limited to film. As a prominent general correspondent, even accredited at the French Presidential office, he covered events such as the fall of the Berlin Wall, the wars in Yugoslavia and Chechnya, the Arab Spring, terrorist attacks in Europe, the crisis in Ukraine, and more. This work earned him the esteem of his colleagues, leading him to become President, and later Honorary President, of the Foreign Press Association in France.
This did not prevent him from simultaneously pursuing an equally brilliant academic career in France. Holding PhDs in Information and Communication Sciences as well as in Arts and Humanities, he was a full Professor of Modern and Contemporary Hebrew Communication and Civilization at Paris 8 University, director of the European Journal of Hebrew Studies (REEH) and of the journal KESHER (International Journal of Studies of the Jewish Press).
Along with the Union of Film Journalists, FIPRESCI extends its condolences to his wife, journalist and photographer Yaffa Iron-Kouts, as well as to his son Ari and daughter Aurite.
©FIPRESCI 2026