Alain Jessua

Personal Info

Known For Director

Gender Male

Birthday 1932-01-16

Deathday 2017-11-30 (85 years old)

Place of Birth Paris, France

Alain Jessua

Biography

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). 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.

Known For

Director

1997
1988
No Harm Intended

as Director

1984
Frankenstein 90

as Director

1982
Paradise for All

as Director

1979
The Dogs

as Director

1977
Armageddon

as Director

1973
Shock Treatment

as Director

1967
The Killing Game

as Director

1964
Life Upside Down

as Director

1960
The Eighth Day

as Assistant Director

1956
Léon la lune

as Director

1955
Lola Montès

as Assistant Director Trainee

1953
The Earrings of Madame de...

as Assistant Director

Writer

1988
1984
Frankenstein 90

as Screenplay

1982
1979
The Dogs

as Writer

1977
Armageddon

as Writer

1973
Shock Treatment

as Author

1967
1964

Producer

1988
No Harm Intended

as Producer

1984
Frankenstein 90

as Producer

1982
Paradise for All

as Producer

Sound

1973