Jean Beaudry was born in Trois-Rivières, Québec in 1947. From 1966 until 1974, he devoted his career to theatre in his native region. He began working with video in 1973. In 1977, in collaboration with François Bouvier, he directed and edited his first documentary, J'sors avec lui pis je l'aime and he began a feature film project, Jacques et Novembre (1984) in which he played the starring role. This film won many awards and much critical acclaim. In 1989, Beaudry and Bouvier co-directed Les matins infidèles in which Beaudry also starred. In 1990, he shot his first feature film for the series "Contes pour tous", Pas de répit pour Mélanie, and in 1992 produced Tirelire, Combines & cie. Le cri de la nuit (1996) is his first feature film.