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Alain Jessua

Film Director / Screenwriter / Film Producer / Writer | * 01/16/1932 († 85, 11/30/2017) | Paris (France)
Alain Jessua (16 January 1932 – 30 November 2017) was a French film director and screenwriter. He directed ten films between 1956 and 1997. He worked as assistant director for Jacques Becker on the set of Casque d'Or, with Max Ophüls for Madame de... and Lola Montès and with Marcel Carné on Wasteland. Léon la lune his first short film won the influential Prix Jean Vigo in 1957. He directed first feature film in 1963 La vie à l'envers that won Best First Film at Venice Film Festival, in 1964. His 1967 film Jeu de massacre was entered into the 1967 Cannes Film Festival, where it won the award for Best Screenplay. His 1979 film The Dogs was entered into the 11th Moscow International Film Festival. In 1984 Alain Jessua directed Frankenstein 90, inspired by Mary Shelley's book, with Eddy Mitchell in the role of the creature. ()
Photo of Alain Jessua

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.

Most frequent genres for this person: Drama | Thriller | Documentaries

Known for these Movies & Shows

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Movies with Alain Jessua as Actor(2)

Movies with Alain Jessua as Crew(27)

Directing/Director1997 The Colors of the Devil
Writing/Writer1997 The Colors of the Devil
Directing/Director1988 No Harm Intended
Production/Producer1988 No Harm Intended
Writing/Writer1988 No Harm Intended
Directing/Director1984 Frankenstein 90
Production/Producer1984 Frankenstein 90
Writing/Screenplay1984 Frankenstein 90
Directing/Director1982 Paradise for All
Production/Producer1982 Paradise for All
Writing/Writer1982 Paradise for All
Directing/Director1979 The Dogs
Writing/Writer1979 The Dogs
Directing/Director1977 Armageddon
Writing/Writer1977 Armageddon
Directing/Director1973 Shock Treatment
Sound/Music1973 Shock Treatment
Writing/Author1973 Shock Treatment
Directing/Director1967 The Killing Game
Writing/Writer1967 The Killing Game
Directing/Director1964 Life Upside Down
Writing/Writer1964 Life Upside Down
Directing/Assistant Director1960 The Eighth Day
Directing/Director1956 Léon la lune
Directing/Assistant Director Trainee1955 Lola Montès
Directing/Assistant Director1953 The Earrings of Madame de...
Directing/Assistant Director1952 Casque d'Or

Citizenship: France
Born: Saturday, 01/16 1932 (January) in Paris (France)
Died: Thursday, 11/30 2017 (November) in Évreux (aged: 85)
Zodiac sign: Capricorn (Chinese zodiac sign: Monkey)
Languages: French (FR)
Spouses (current/former): Anna Gaylor
Other names for Alain Jessua (nicknames, foreign languages etc.):
"Alain Rene Sando Jessua"
Alain Jessua frequently works together with these people:
Anna Gaylor (8x, Actress)
Jacques Robin (5x, Crew)
Guy Saint-Jean (5x, Actor)
Max Ophüls (4x, Crew)
Michel Portal (4x, Crew)
René Koering (3x, Crew)
Ralph Baum (3x, Crew)
Annette Wademant (3x, Crew)
Jean d'Eaubonne (3x, Crew)
Boris Karabanoff (3x, Crew)
WatchPlayStream ID: PEOPLE:128142, Added: 06/28/2018, Last updated: 03/23/2024