Bertrand Tavernier
Bertrand Tavernier was a French film director, screenwriter, and producer.
Life and career
Tavernier was born in Lyon, France, the son of Geneviève and René Tavernier, a publicist and writer, several years president of the French PEN club. He said his father's publishing of a wartime resistance journal and aid to anti-Nazi intellectuals shaped his moral outlook as an artist. According to Tavernier, his father believed that words were "as important and as lethal as bullets".Tavernier's politics were influenced by the 1968 general strike in France. He was particularly struck by the writing of Leon Trotsky and associated with the OCI between 1973 and 1975.
Tavernier aspired to become a filmmaker from the time he was 13 or 14 years old. He cited John Ford, William Wellman, Jean Renoir, Jean Vigo and Jacques Becker as among his cinematic influences. He entered the film industry as a publicist, where he worked for Jean-Pierre Melville and Jean-Luc Godard. Later, his first film won the Prix Louis Delluc and the Silver Bear – Special Jury Prize award at the 24th Berlin International Film Festival.
Tavernier's early films were often mysteries and thrillers that carried a social critique, such as The Judge and the Assassin and Coup de Torchon, while his later work is characterized by a more overt social commentary, highlighting his left-wing views, Captain Conan ) and presenting a critical picture of contemporary French society, Histoires de vies brisées : les double-peine de Lyon ).
Honours and awards
In 1986, his film Round Midnight won two César Awards, the Best Film Award at the Venice Film Festival and the Oscar for Best Music (Original Score) at the 1987 Academy Awards.His film Life and Nothing But won the BAFTA for best film in a language other than English in 1990 and several César Awards, amongst others.
In 1995, his film L'Appât won the Golden Bear Award at the 45th Berlin International Film Festival. Four years later, his film It All Starts Today won an Honourable Mention at the 49th Berlin International Film Festival.
His film The Princess of Montpensier competed for the Palme d'Or at the 2010 Cannes Film Festival.
Tavernier was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 42nd International Film Festival of India in Goa for his outstanding achievements and work in the film industry.
Personal life
Tavernier was married to screenwriter Colo Tavernier O'Hagan from 1965 to 1981. They had two children. Their son, Nils Tavernier, works as both a director and actor. Their daughter, Tiffany Tavernier, is a novelist, screenwriter and assistant director.Death
Tavernier died on 25 March 2021 at age 79.Filmography
Short film| Year | Title | Director | Writer |
| 1964 | Les baisers | ||
| 1964 | La chance et l'amour | ||
| 1983 | La 8ème génération | ||
| 1983 | Ciné citron | ||
| 1991 | Contre l'oubli |
Documentary film
| Year | Title | Director | Producer | Writer | Notes |
| 1982 | Philippe Soupault | ||||
| 1983 | Mississippi Blues | Co-directed with Robert Parrish | |||
| 1988 | Lyon, le regard intérieur | ||||
| 1991 | Der grüne Berg | ||||
| 1992 | La guerre sans nom | ||||
| 1994 | Veillées d'armes | Co-directed by Marcel Ophüls | |||
| 1997 | De l'autre côté du périph | Co-directed with Nils Tavernier | |||
| 2001 | Histoires de vies brisées | Co-directed with Nils Tavernier | |||
| 2016 | Voyage à travers le cinéma français | ||||
| 2016 | Lumière ! L'aventure commence |
TV movieLes enfants de Thiès
Feature film
| Year | Title | Director | Writer | Producer | Notes |
| 1967 | Mexican Slayride | Also press attache | |||
| 1968 | Captain Singrid | ||||
| 1974 | The Clockmaker | L'Horloger de Saint-Paul | |||
| 1975 | Let Joy Reign Supreme | Que la fête commence... | |||
| 1976 | The Judge and the Assassin | ||||
| 1977 | Spoiled Children | Des enfants gâtés | |||
| 1977 | La question | ||||
| 1979 | Death Watch | La mort en direct | |||
| 1980 | A Week's Vacation | ||||
| 1981 | Coup de Torchon | ||||
| 1983 | La trace | ||||
| 1984 | A Sunday in the Country | ||||
| 1986 | Round Midnight | ||||
| 1987 | Beatrice | ||||
| 1987 | Les mois d'avril sont meurtriers | ||||
| 1989 | Life and Nothing But | ||||
| 1990 | Daddy Nostalgie | Also narrator | |||
| 1992 | L.627 | ||||
| 1994 | Revenge of the Musketeers | ||||
| 1995 | The Bait | ||||
| 1996 | Captain Conan | ||||
| 1999 | It All Starts Today | ||||
| 2001 | Mon père, il m'a sauvé la vie | ||||
| 2002 | Safe Conduct | ||||
| 2004 | Holy Lola | ||||
| 2008 | Lucifer et moi | ||||
| 2009 | In the Electric Mist | ||||
| 2010 | The Princess of Montpensier | ||||
| 2013 | The French Minister | Also actor |
Other credits
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1960 | Wen kümmert's? | Assistant Director | Short film |
| 1962 | The Bakery Girl of Monceau | Narrator | Short film |
| 1963 | Contempt | Publicist | Le Mépris |
| 1963 | Le Doulos | Production publicist | |
| 1964 | The Terror of Rome Against the Son of Hercules | Assistant Director | |
| 1965 | The 317th Platoon | Press attache | |
| 1966 | A Question of Honour | Assistant Director | |
| 1969 | Orgasmo | Assistant Director | |
| 1969 | Tout peut arriver | Actor | |
| 1970 | Last Known Address | Press attache | |
| 1981 | Le petit Mitchell illustré | Actor | Short film |
| 1990 | Un été après l'autre | Technical advisor | |
| 1991 | Ragazzi | Technical advisor | |
| 1991 | Jalousie | Technical advisor | |
| 1997 | Fred | Executive producer | |
| 1997 | Quand le chat sourit | Actor | Short film |
| 2001 | Pas d'histoires ! | Co-Producer |