Museum
Screening of the documentary "Jacques Monod, un homme libre" on June 2
To mark the 50th anniversary of Jacques Monod's death on March 31, 2026, the museum and CeRIS are pleased to invite you to the screening of the documentary by Jacques Rutman, "Jacques Monod, un homme libre," produced in 1979. The screening will be followed by a discussion with Laurent Loison, a historian of biology at the CNRS and Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne University.
Jacques Monod (1910-1976) was one of the most important scientists of the 20th century. He joined the Institut Pasteur as a researcher in 1945 and carried out seminal work with François Jacob and André Lwoff on genetic regulation which earned them the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1965. As Director of the Institut Pasteur from 1971 to his death in 1976, he embraced a vision of scientific research characterized by rigor and openness. He was politically active and testified in favor of the right to abortion at the Bobigny trial in November 1972. He also penned the famous essay Le Hasard et la Nécessité in 1970.
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This documentary by Jacques Rutman, broadcast on June 4, 1979 during the program "Une belle vie," tells the story of Jacques Monod's scientific career and also positions him as a man of his time.
Following the screening, there will be a discussion session for the audience with Laurent Loison, a historian of biology who has written several articles on Jacques Monod's research.
Here are two excellent articles available online:
Why did Jacques Monod make the choice of mechanistic determinism?
Practical information
- Date: Tuesday June 2, 2026
- Time: 1.15-2.30pm
- Documentary length (45 min) + discussions with the audience (45 min)
- Venue: auditorium of the François Jacob building
Register by email at musee@pasteur.fr (maximum 120 people)
For more information, please contact the museum team by email at musee@pasteur.fr – and follow us on social media (LinkedIn and Instagram).