Jean-Jacques Rousseau (author-filmmaker)
Encyclopedia
Jean-Jacques Rousseau is a Belgian
absurdist
film director. He was born in Souvret (Courcelles
) after the Second World War. He defends "popular" cinema, filming with very small budgets (€
2000 to 2500 per film), and using unknown or non-professional actors. He calls himself the director of the absurd.
His life will be the subject of Yann Moix's next film, called Palme d'or, starring Benoît Poelvoorde
.
A semi-permanent lack of financial resources prevented him from making technically accomplished films. However, he financed, edited, directed and acted in most of them.
Having a fertile imagination fueled by esoteric tastes in books, his films shunned the mainstream more and more, thus becoming marginalised. He never received subsidies to finance his films. Patrick Moriau, a Belgian politician, once said "If one asked me to allocate part of the Walloon Community's finances to the Committee for Film Selection, the money would undoubtedly never go into Rousseau's pockets. He may be a kind man, but his films are frankly wild and scare people."
Rousseau befriended the anarchist artist Noël Godin
around a decade ago, and his technique has since imroved considerably, making his films more accessible.
Frédéric Sojcher's film Cinéastes à tout prix, selected and shown at the Cannes Film Festival
in 2004, is dedicated to Rousseau's work as well as Max Naveaux's and Jacques Hardy's. It stars the actors Bouli Lanners
and Benoît Poelvoorde.
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
absurdist
Absurdism
In philosophy, "The Absurd" refers to the conflict between the human tendency to seek value and meaning in life and the human inability to find any...
film director. He was born in Souvret (Courcelles
Courcelles
-France:Courcelles is also the name or part of the name of several communes in France:* Courcelles, Charente-Maritime, in the Charente-Maritime département* Courcelles, Doubs, in the Doubs département...
) after the Second World War. He defends "popular" cinema, filming with very small budgets (€
Euro
The euro is the official currency of the eurozone: 17 of the 27 member states of the European Union. It is also the currency used by the Institutions of the European Union. The eurozone consists of Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg,...
2000 to 2500 per film), and using unknown or non-professional actors. He calls himself the director of the absurd.
His life will be the subject of Yann Moix's next film, called Palme d'or, starring Benoît Poelvoorde
Benoît Poelvoorde
Benoît Poelvoorde is a Belgian actor and comedian who often associates cynicism, humour and drama in his movies.His mother was a grocer and his father a driver, who died when Poelvoorde was still young...
.
Overview
Rousseau's first few films were fairly conventional examples of the fantasy genre. However, some of them won regional awards in the 1970s (people's choice, best screenplay), promising a bright future for the 20-year-old filmmaker.A semi-permanent lack of financial resources prevented him from making technically accomplished films. However, he financed, edited, directed and acted in most of them.
Having a fertile imagination fueled by esoteric tastes in books, his films shunned the mainstream more and more, thus becoming marginalised. He never received subsidies to finance his films. Patrick Moriau, a Belgian politician, once said "If one asked me to allocate part of the Walloon Community's finances to the Committee for Film Selection, the money would undoubtedly never go into Rousseau's pockets. He may be a kind man, but his films are frankly wild and scare people."
Rousseau befriended the anarchist artist Noël Godin
Noël Godin
Noël Godin is a Belgian writer, critic, actor and notorious cream pie flinger or entarteur. Godin gained global attention in 1998 when his group ambushed Microsoft CEO Bill Gates in Brussels, pelting the software magnate with cream pies...
around a decade ago, and his technique has since imroved considerably, making his films more accessible.
Filmography
- Igor Yaboutich (1964)
- Le Poignard maudit (1965)
- Les Malfaiteurs (1966)
- La Vallée de la Sûre (1966)
- L'Abstrait (1968)
- Le Cauchemar (1969)
- Germaine Grandieu (1972)
- Les Compagnons de justice (1974)
- Le ReposoirLe ReposoirLe Reposoir is a commune in the Haute-Savoie department in the Rhône-Alpes region in south-eastern France.-Geography:Situated at the foot of the Col de la Colombière and is known as one of the most picturesque regions of the Savoyard Pre-Alps...
(1975) - Les Immortels (1975)
- Catalepsie (1976)
- L'étoile du mal (1977)
- Dossier Réincarnation (1977)
- Les Marcheurs de la grande armée (1978)
- The Diabolical Dr. Flak (1978)
- L'histoire du cinéma 16 (1983)
- Cannes année européenne du cinéma (1988)
- Ciné effet (1988)
- Massacre au pied de biche
- Les Incubes d'Escargnole
- Xeno-Zenit
- Furor TeutonicusFuror TeutonicusFuror Teutonicus is a Latin phrase referring to the proverbial fierceness of the Teutones, or more generally the Germanic tribes of the Roman Empire period....
(1999) - Road Movie (2001)
- Wallonie 2084 (2003)
- Irkutz 88 (2004)
- La Revanche du sacristain cannibale (2004)
- Le Chasseur de succubes (2005)
- La mécanique du rasoir (2006)
- L'invasion des succubes (2006)
- Rock Mendès (2007)
Frédéric Sojcher's film Cinéastes à tout prix, selected and shown at the Cannes Film Festival
Cannes Film Festival
The Cannes International Film Festival , is an annual film festival held in Cannes, France, which previews new films of all genres including documentaries from around the world. Founded in 1946, it is among the world's most prestigious and publicized film festivals...
in 2004, is dedicated to Rousseau's work as well as Max Naveaux's and Jacques Hardy's. It stars the actors Bouli Lanners
Bouli Lanners
Philippe "Bouli" Lanners is a Belgian actor, author and film director...
and Benoît Poelvoorde.