Director
Alain Jessua
Born January 16, 1932 in Paris, FranceDied November 30, 201710 films
Alain Jessua began his career as assistant to directors like Max Ophüls, Marcel Carne, Yves Allégret and Jacques Becker, before making his unique short film, Léon la lune, which earned him the prestigious Prix Jean-Vigo award in 1957. A few years later, in 1963, his first feature film (which became "cult" among moviegoers) won two prizes in Cannes and also Venice: La Vie à l'envers, with Charles Denner and Jean Yanne in his first movie role. He then went on to direct a series of successful and critically acclaimed feature films, which he produced himself (a rare risk in the French cinema landscape).
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Alain Jessua is regularly honored in France and abroad. His short film Léon la lune was screened at the MOMA - Museum of Modern Art in New York a few years ago and Martin Scorsese cited La Vie à l'envers as one of the films that really made an impact on him. Jean Tulard , in his "Dictionary of Cinema", writes: "He proposes a cinema where he tackles the problems of our time and makes cries of alarm. "
Alain Jessua is also the author of six novels.
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The best way into Alain Jessua's work
First watchShock Treatment19736.4Hélène Masson visits her friend Gérôme Savignat in the isolated rejuvenation clinic owned by Dr. Devilers and his partner Dr. Berbard.View filmEssential films
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Filmography
10 films as director- 1997The Colors of the DevilDirector
- 1988No Harm IntendedDirector
- 1984Frankenstein 90Director
- 1982Paradise for AllDirector
- 1979The DogsDirector
- 1977ArmageddonDirector
- 1973Shock TreatmentDirector
- 1967The Killing GameDirector
- 1964Life Upside DownDirector
- 1956Léon la luneDirector