Patrice Leconte
Encyclopedia
Patrice Leconte is a French film director
, actor, comic strip writer, and screenwriter
.
, and began making little amateur films at 15. He went to Paris in 1967 and studied at Institut des hautes études cinématographiques
. While attending film school in the late 1960s, Leconte also worked as cartoonist, in particular for the magazine Pilote
. He directed his first feature film in 1976, and had a number of major successes with comedy films that were barely distributed outside France. He first came to international attention in 1989 with Monsieur Hire
, which was shown at the 1989 Cannes Film Festival
and which was a radical departure from his previous work. Although he had already directed more than half a dozen features, many foreign critics, unfamiliar with his previous work, essentially treated him as a newcomer. Since then, he has alternated between films such as Ridicule
and L'homme du train
which have had success in the international arthouse market
, and others, like Les grands ducs, whose appeal has been limited to France.
He is sometimes credited as Patrice Lecomte.
In the 2000s, Patrice Leconte received more recognition in the United States with the successful United States releases of Girl on the Bridge, The Widow of Saint-Pierre, Man on the Train and Intimate Strangers
(Paramount Classics released three of these films in the United States). Ryan Mottesheard of IndieWIRE
wrote: "you could even argue that no other foreign filmmaker (INCLUDING Pedro Almodóvar
) has had as strong of an impact on United States arthouses."
Three of Patrice Leconte's films are being remade by Hollywood studios: Man on the Train, Intimate Strangers
and My Best Friend
.
Film director
A film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:...
, actor, comic strip writer, and screenwriter
Screenwriter
Screenwriters or scriptwriters or scenario writers are people who write/create the short or feature-length screenplays from which mass media such as films, television programs, Comics or video games are based.-Profession:...
.
Biography
Leconte grew up in ToursTours
Tours is a city in central France, the capital of the Indre-et-Loire department.It is located on the lower reaches of the river Loire, between Orléans and the Atlantic coast. Touraine, the region around Tours, is known for its wines, the alleged perfection of its local spoken French, and for the...
, and began making little amateur films at 15. He went to Paris in 1967 and studied at Institut des hautes études cinématographiques
Institut des hautes études cinématographiques
L'Institut des hautes études cinématographiques is a French film school, founded during World War II under the leadership of Marcel L'Herbier who was its president from 1944 to 1969. IDHEC offered training for directors and producers, cameramen, sound technicians, editors, art directors and...
. While attending film school in the late 1960s, Leconte also worked as cartoonist, in particular for the magazine Pilote
Pilote
thumb|Cover of the first Pilote teaser issue, #0.Pilote was a French comics periodical published from 1959 to 1989. Showcasing most of the major French or Belgian comics talents of its day the magazine introduced major series such as Astérix le Gaulois, Blueberry, Achille Talon, and Valérian et...
. He directed his first feature film in 1976, and had a number of major successes with comedy films that were barely distributed outside France. He first came to international attention in 1989 with Monsieur Hire
Monsieur Hire
Monsieur Hire is a 1989 French film directed by Patrice Leconte and starring Michel Blanc in the title role and Sandrine Bonnaire as the object of his affection. The film received numerous accolades as well as a glowing review from popular American movie commentator Roger Ebert. The film is based...
, which was shown at the 1989 Cannes Film Festival
1989 Cannes Film Festival
- Jury :*Wim Wenders *Christine Gouze-Renal*Claude Beylie*Georges Delerue*Hector Babenco*Krzysztof Kieślowski*Peter Handke*Renée Blanchar*Sally Field*Silvio Clementelli-Feature film competition:* Chimère by Claire Devers...
and which was a radical departure from his previous work. Although he had already directed more than half a dozen features, many foreign critics, unfamiliar with his previous work, essentially treated him as a newcomer. Since then, he has alternated between films such as Ridicule
Ridicule
Ridicule is a 1996 French film set in the 18th century at the decadent court of Versailles, where social status can rise and fall based on one's ability to mete out witty insults and avoid ridicule oneself...
and L'homme du train
L'homme du train
L'homme du train is a 2002 French crime-drama film directed by Patrice Leconte, starring Jean Rochefort and Johnny Hallyday...
which have had success in the international arthouse market
Art film
An art film is the result of filmmaking which is typically a serious, independent film aimed at a niche market rather than a mass market audience...
, and others, like Les grands ducs, whose appeal has been limited to France.
He is sometimes credited as Patrice Lecomte.
In the 2000s, Patrice Leconte received more recognition in the United States with the successful United States releases of Girl on the Bridge, The Widow of Saint-Pierre, Man on the Train and Intimate Strangers
Intimate Strangers
Intimate Strangers is a 2004 French film directed by Patrice Leconte. It was shown in Competition at the 2004 Berlin Film Festival.Paramount Classics acquired the United States distribution rights of this film and gave it a limited U.S...
(Paramount Classics released three of these films in the United States). Ryan Mottesheard of IndieWIRE
IndieWire
indieWIRE is a daily news site for the independent film community. It covers indie, documentary and foreign language films, as well industry news, film festival reports, filmmaker interviews and movie reviews...
wrote: "you could even argue that no other foreign filmmaker (INCLUDING Pedro Almodóvar
Pedro Almodóvar
Pedro Almodóvar Caballero is a Spanish film director, screenwriter and producer.Almodóvar is arguably the most successful and internationally known Spanish filmmaker of his generation. His films, marked by complex narratives, employ the codes of melodrama and use elements of pop culture, popular...
) has had as strong of an impact on United States arthouses."
Three of Patrice Leconte's films are being remade by Hollywood studios: Man on the Train, Intimate Strangers
Intimate Strangers
Intimate Strangers is a 2004 French film directed by Patrice Leconte. It was shown in Competition at the 2004 Berlin Film Festival.Paramount Classics acquired the United States distribution rights of this film and gave it a limited U.S...
and My Best Friend
My Best Friend (film)
My Best Friend is a French film starring Daniel Auteuil and Dany Boon.- Plot :François is a middle-aged Parisian who thinks he has everything. After telling a story at dinner about a funeral he attended where only a handful of people turned up, his colleagues suggest that no-one would go to his...
.
Filmography
- L'espace vital (short) (1969)
- Le laboratoire de l'angoisse (short) (1971)
- La famille heureuse (Famille Gazul) (short) (1973)
- Les Vécés étaient fermés de l'interieur (1976)
- Les BronzésLes BronzésLes Bronzés is a 1978 French comedy film directed by Patrice Leconte. The film satirizes life at holiday resorts such as Club Med. It is one of many films by the French troupe Le Splendid...
(1978) - Les Bronzés font du skiLes Bronzés font du skiLes Bronzés font du ski is a 1979 French comedy directed by Patrice Leconte.It is a sequel to Les Bronzés , and it was followed by Les Bronzés 3 : Amis pour la vie .-Cast and roles:...
(1979) - Viens chez moi, j'habite chez une copine (1981)
- Ma femme s'appelle reviens (1982)
- Circulez y'a rien à voir (1983)
- Les SpécialistesLes Spécialistes-Cast and roles:* Bernard Giraudeau - Paul Brandon* Gérard Lanvin - Stéphane Carella* Christiane Jean - Laura* Maurice Barrier - Kovacs* Daniel Jégou - Casino director* Bertie Cortez - Mazetti- External links :...
(1985) - Tandem (1987)
- Monsieur HireMonsieur HireMonsieur Hire is a 1989 French film directed by Patrice Leconte and starring Michel Blanc in the title role and Sandrine Bonnaire as the object of his affection. The film received numerous accolades as well as a glowing review from popular American movie commentator Roger Ebert. The film is based...
(1989) - Le Mari de la coiffeuse (The Hairdresser's HusbandThe Hairdresser's HusbandThe Hairdresser's Husband , a 1990 French film written by Patrice Leconte and Claude Klotz, and directed by Leconte. Jean Rochefort stars as the title character. Anna Galiena co-stars.It won Patrice Leconte the Prix Louis Delluc...
) (1990) - Tango (1993)
- Le Parfum d'Yvonne (1994), based upon the novel Villa triste by Patrick ModianoPatrick ModianoPatrick Modiano is a French novelist born 30 July 1945 in Boulogne-Billancourt of a father of Jewish Italian origins and a Belgian mother, Louisa Colpijn . He is a winner of the Grand prix du roman de l'Académie française in 1972, the Prix Goncourt in 1978 for his novel Rue des boutiques obscures...
- Le Batteur Du BoléroLe Batteur Du BoléroLe Batteur du Boléro is a short film by Patrice Leconte, released in 1992. It features a drummer in an orchestra, played by Jacques Villeret, who plays a simple, repetitive rhythm on his single drum during a performance of Maurice Ravel's Boléro....
(short) (1995) - Les Grands Ducs (1996)
- RidiculeRidiculeRidicule is a 1996 French film set in the 18th century at the decadent court of Versailles, where social status can rise and fall based on one's ability to mete out witty insults and avoid ridicule oneself...
(1996) - Une chance sur deux (1998)
- La Fille sur le pontLa fille sur le pontGirl on the Bridge is a 1999 French film shot in black and white and directed by Patrice Leconte, starring Daniel Auteuil and Vanessa Paradis.- Plot :...
(The Girl On the Bridge) (aka Girl on the Bridge in the United States)(1999) - La Veuve de Saint-Pierre (The Widow of Saint-Pierre) (2000)
- Félix et Lola (2001)
- Rue des plaisirs (2002)
- L'homme du trainL'homme du trainL'homme du train is a 2002 French crime-drama film directed by Patrice Leconte, starring Jean Rochefort and Johnny Hallyday...
(The Man on the Train) (aka Man on the Train in the United States) (2002) - Confidences trop intimes (Intimate StrangersIntimate StrangersIntimate Strangers is a 2004 French film directed by Patrice Leconte. It was shown in Competition at the 2004 Berlin Film Festival.Paramount Classics acquired the United States distribution rights of this film and gave it a limited U.S...
) (2004) - Dogora: Ouvrons les yeuxDogora: Ouvrons les yeuxDogora: Ouvrons les yeux is a 2004 film directed by Patrice Leconte which has been compared in its conception with the likes of the Qatsi trilogy.-External links:...
(documentary) (2004) - Les Bronzés 3 : Amis pour la vieLes Bronzés 3 : Amis pour la vieLes Bronzés 3: Amis pour la vie is a French film directed by Patrice Leconte and released in 2006. It is the fiftysomethings section, the third instalment, of the Bronzés trilogy - preceded by Les Bronzés and Les Bronzés font du ski....
(2006) - Mon Meilleur Ami (My Best Friend) (2006)
- Trac (short) (2007)
- Dix films pour en parler (short) (2007)
- La guerre des missLa guerre des missBeauties at War is a 2008 French film. Originally titled La guerre des miss in French, the film aired in France on 9 January 2009, directed by Patrice Leconte.-Plot:...
(2008) - Voir la mer (2011)
Secondary literature
- Lisa DowningLisa DowningLisa Downing is a literary critic, author and academic. She is Professor of French Discourses of Sexuality at the University of Exeter.Downing's work is innovative in its dialogue between the critical humanities and the sciences, especially psychiatry...
Patrice Leconte (Manchester: Manchester University Press, 2004)