During the 1970s he worked as a professor at Montmorency College in Laval, Quebec, where he produced several educational films.
Yvan's short film Octobre 68 was included in the SRC's public television series "Les temps changent".
The NFB produced his first feature Ainsi soient-ils - a fiction film centred on Quebec youth and the new cultural mentality that came about after 1968.
In 1974 Yvan Patry teamed with Bernard Lalond, Roger Frappier, Guy Bergeron, and André Gagnon to direct On a raison de se révolter, a film on workers' conflicts that was intended to politicize Quebec workers.
Their most notable works include The Rwandan Series, a 5-part in-depth look at the central African country.