Born in Saarbrücken, The Territory of the Saar Basin, and raised in Strasbourg, Back's family moved to Paris at the start of the Second World War. Back studied art, first at the École Estienne and then at École régionale des beaux-arts de Rennes. Back's first exhibition took place at the Salon de la Marine in 1946.[3]
Back emigrated to Canada in 1948, at the invitation of a pen pal, Ghylaine Paquin, who would become Back's wife the following year. Prior to joining the CBC, he taught at the École des beaux-arts.[3]
In 1952, Back was hired by Radio-Canada to create titles for its television programs, and remained there the rest of his career.[3] Back also provided artwork for Denys Arcand's 1964 National Film Board of Canada short documentary Samuel de Champlain (Québec 1603).[4]
Back created a massive stained glass mural entitled L’histoire de la musique à Montréal ("history of music in Montreal") at the Place-des-ArtsMetro stationinMontreal. Unveiled on December 20, 1967, this stained glass was the first work of art to be commissioned for the Montreal metro system.[5]
Back was a vegetarian and animal rights activist.[8] He often said: "Animals are my friends and I do not eat my friends". He gave conferences on the subject and participated in demonstrations to support animal rights. Back founded "Société Québécoise pour la Défense des Animaux", a society to protect animals.
In 1980, Back was nominated for an Academy Award for Animated Short Film for his film All Nothing (Tout rien).[9] He later won two Academy Awards for Animated Short Film, for his film Crac! in 1982 and The Man Who Planted Trees (L'homme qui plantait des arbres) in 1987.[1] In 1994, he was nominated again for an Academy Award for Animated Short Film, for his film The Mighty River (Le fleuve aux grandes eaux).
The moving image collection of Frédéric Back is held at the Academy Film Archive.[10]
