William Karel (born 1940) is a French film director and author. He is known for his historical and political documentaries.
Biography
Karel was born in
Bizerte
Bizerte or Bizerta ( ar, بنزرت, translit=Binzart , it, Biserta, french: link=no, Bizérte) the classical Hippo, is a city of Bizerte Governorate in Tunisia. It is the northernmost city in Africa, located 65 km (40mil) north of the cap ...
in
French Tunisia
The French protectorate of Tunisia (french: Protectorat français de Tunisie; ar, الحماية الفرنسية في تونس '), commonly referred to as simply French Tunisia, was established in 1881, during the French colonial Empire era, ...
. After studying in Paris, he emigrated to Israel where he lived for about 10 years in a
kibbutz
A kibbutz ( he, קִבּוּץ / , lit. "gathering, clustering"; plural: kibbutzim / ) is an intentional community in Israel that was traditionally based on agriculture. The first kibbutz, established in 1909, was Degania. Today, farming h ...
. Returning to France in 1981, he turned to photography and worked for more than ten years as a photo-reporter for several agencies like
Gamma
Gamma (uppercase , lowercase ; ''gámma'') is the third letter of the Greek alphabet. In the system of Greek numerals it has a value of 3. In Ancient Greek, the letter gamma represented a voiced velar stop . In Modern Greek, this letter re ...
(1972–1976) and Sygma (1976–1983). Then he started to direct movies.
Since the end of the eighties, Karel has directed many historical and political documentaries dealing with sensitive subjects of the twentieth century, from the
Vel' d'Hiv Roundup
The Vel' d'Hiv' Roundup ( ; from french: Rafle du Vel' d'Hiv', an abbreviation of ) was a mass arrest of foreign Jewish families by French police and gendarmes at the behest of the German authorities, that took place in Paris on 16 and 17 July ...
(''Rafle du Vélodrome d'Hiver'') to the
Israeli-Arab conflict
The Arab citizens of Israel are the largest ethnic minority in the country. They comprise a hybrid community of Israeli citizens with a heritage of Palestinian citizenship, mixed religions (Muslim, Christian or Druze), bilingual in Arabic an ...
, while talking about the FMI policy in
Jamaica
Jamaica (; ) is an island country situated in the Caribbean Sea. Spanning in area, it is the third-largest island of the Greater Antilles and the Caribbean (after Cuba and Hispaniola). Jamaica lies about south of Cuba, and west of His ...
or the extreme right wing in France. His documentaries are frequently broadcast by the state controlled
Arte
Arte (; (), sometimes stylized in lowercase or uppercase in its logo) is a European public service channel dedicated to culture.
It is made up of three separate companies: the Strasbourg-based European Economic Interest Grouping ARTE, plus ...
and
France 3
France 3 () is a French free-to-air public television channel and part of the France Télévisions group, which also includes France 2, France 4, France 5 and France Info.
It is made up of a network of regional television services providing ...
channels. He has also done portraits of French and American politicians —
Valéry Giscard d'Estaing
Valéry René Marie Georges Giscard d'Estaing (, , ; 2 February 19262 December 2020), also known as Giscard or VGE, was a French politician who served as President of France from 1974 to 1981.
After serving as Minister of Finance under prime ...
,
François Mitterrand
François Marie Adrien Maurice Mitterrand (26 October 19168 January 1996) was President of France, serving under that position from 1981 to 1995, the longest time in office in the history of France. As First Secretary of the Socialist Party, he ...
,
Jean-Marie Le Pen
Jean Louis Marie Le Pen (, born 20 June 1928) is a French far-right politician who served as President of the National Front from 1972 to 2011. He also served as Honorary President of the National Front from 2011 to 2015.
Le Pen graduated fro ...
,
John F. Kennedy
John Fitzgerald Kennedy (May 29, 1917 – November 22, 1963), often referred to by his initials JFK and the nickname Jack, was an American politician who served as the 35th president of the United States from 1961 until his assassination ...
and
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is an American politician who served as the 43rd president of the United States from 2001 to 2009. A member of the Republican Party, Bush family, and son of the 41st president George H. W. Bush, he ...
.
Studies of the United States are an important part of Karel's work. After ''The Men of the White House'' (2000), a film about presidents during periods of crisis, he explored the secrets of the
CIA
The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA ), known informally as the Agency and historically as the Company, is a civilian intelligence agency, foreign intelligence service of the federal government of the United States, officially tasked with gat ...
in ''CIA, Secret Wars'' (2003). This movie is based primarily on interviews of former CIA directors, former CIA agents such as
Robert Baer
Robert Booker Baer (born July 11, 1952) is an American author and a former CIA case officer who was primarily assigned to the Middle East.Robert Bae"Don't Assume Ahmadinejad Really Lost" ''Time'' website, June 16, 2009 He is ''Times intellig ...
, and historians. Inspired by Eric Laurent's books about George W. Bush, he released ''
The World According to Bush
''The World According to Bush'' (french: Le Monde Selon Bush) is a 2004 French documentary, co-written and directed by William Karel based on the book by Éric Laurent, about the presidency of George W. Bush and the history of the Bush family, in ...
'' (2004) which quickly became famous in France through television and theatres.
Refusing to stick to a single genre, he also directed the
mockumentary
A mockumentary (a blend of ''mock'' and ''documentary''), fake documentary or docu-comedy is a type of film or television show depicting fictional events but presented as a documentary.
These productions are often used to analyze or comment on c ...
''
Dark Side of the Moon
''The Dark Side of the Moon'' is the eighth studio album by the English rock band Pink Floyd, released on 1 March 1973 by Harvest Records. The album was primarily developed during live performances, and the band premiered an early version of t ...
'' (2002). In ''The
Empire State Building murders
''Empire State Building Murders'' (french: Meurtres à l'Empire State Building) is a 2008 French mockumentary film directed by William Karel and starring Ben Gazzara, Mickey Rooney, Kirk Douglas, Cyd Charisse, Richard Erdman, Anne Jeffreys, and Ma ...
'' (2008), he combines clips from film noir and recent interviews with actors to tell a narrative story. He likes to recall
François Truffaut
François Roland Truffaut ( , ; ; 6 February 1932 – 21 October 1984) was a French film director, screenwriter, producer, actor, and film critic. He is widely regarded as one of the founders of the French New Wave. After a career of more tha ...
's words, "A documentary is one thousand times more of a lie than a fiction, where things are clear from the beginning".
In 2011, William directed a film about a publisher Gallimard
and its 100 greatest authors. Among them, William chose to include Philip Roth as one of the great American novelists, along with Hemingway, Fitzgerald, Styron, Salinger, Faulkner, Steinbeck and Miller.
Published work
Filmography
*1988 : ''De Gaulle? Connais pas'',
Envoyé spécial
''Envoyé spécial'' (English: Special correspondent) is a French television weekly investigative newsmagazine show that has run on channel France 2
France 2 () is a French public national television channel. It is part of the state-owned France ...
,
France 2
France 2 () is a French public national television channel. It is part of the state-owned France Télévisions group, along with France 3, France 4 and France 5. France Télévisions also participates in Arte and Euronews.
Since 3:20 CET on 7 ...
.
*1989 : ''L'Argentine dans la crise'', Envoyé spécial,
France 2
France 2 () is a French public national television channel. It is part of the state-owned France Télévisions group, along with France 3, France 4 and France 5. France Télévisions also participates in Arte and Euronews.
Since 3:20 CET on 7 ...
.
*1989 : ''Les juifs du bout du monde'', Envoyé spécial,
France 2
France 2 () is a French public national television channel. It is part of the state-owned France Télévisions group, along with France 3, France 4 and France 5. France Télévisions also participates in Arte and Euronews.
Since 3:20 CET on 7 ...
.
*1992 : ''La Rafle du Vel' d'Hiv'', La Marche du siècle,
France 3
France 3 () is a French free-to-air public television channel and part of the France Télévisions group, which also includes France 2, France 4, France 5 and France Info.
It is made up of a network of regional television services providing ...
.
*1992 : ''Les deux morts de Joseph Staline'', Planète chaude,
France 3
France 3 () is a French free-to-air public television channel and part of the France Télévisions group, which also includes France 2, France 4, France 5 and France Info.
It is made up of a network of regional television services providing ...
.
*1993 : ''La Guerre du Kippour'', Les Brûlures de l'Histoire,
France 3
France 3 () is a French free-to-air public television channel and part of the France Télévisions group, which also includes France 2, France 4, France 5 and France Info.
It is made up of a network of regional television services providing ...
.
*1993 : ''Sartre-Aron : 50 ans d'histoires'', Les Brûlures de l'Histoire,
France 3
France 3 () is a French free-to-air public television channel and part of the France Télévisions group, which also includes France 2, France 4, France 5 and France Info.
It is made up of a network of regional television services providing ...
.
*1993 : ''John F. Kennedy'', Les Brûlures de l'Histoire,
France 3
France 3 () is a French free-to-air public television channel and part of the France Télévisions group, which also includes France 2, France 4, France 5 and France Info.
It is made up of a network of regional television services providing ...
.
*1994 : ''Le FMI en Jamaïque'', Grand Format,
Arte
Arte (; (), sometimes stylized in lowercase or uppercase in its logo) is a European public service channel dedicated to culture.
It is made up of three separate companies: the Strasbourg-based European Economic Interest Grouping ARTE, plus ...
.
*1994 : ''La Nuit des Longs Couteaux'', Les Brûlures de l'Histoire,
France 3
France 3 () is a French free-to-air public television channel and part of the France Télévisions group, which also includes France 2, France 4, France 5 and France Info.
It is made up of a network of regional television services providing ...
.
*1995 : ''Une journée particulière : le 8 mai 1945'', Les Brûlures de l'Histoire,
France 3
France 3 () is a French free-to-air public television channel and part of the France Télévisions group, which also includes France 2, France 4, France 5 and France Info.
It is made up of a network of regional television services providing ...
.
*1995 : ''Albert Cohen'',
Un siècle d'écrivains
''Un siècle d'écrivains'' ("a century of writers") was a French series of television documentary films aired on France 3 between 1995 and 2001. A total of 257 documentaries were made, each focusing on a writer active during the 20th century. The ...
,
France 3
France 3 () is a French free-to-air public television channel and part of the France Télévisions group, which also includes France 2, France 4, France 5 and France Info.
It is made up of a network of regional television services providing ...
.
*1995 : ''Contre l'oubli'' (co-réalisation avec Blanche Finger), Documents,
France 2
France 2 () is a French public national television channel. It is part of the state-owned France Télévisions group, along with France 3, France 4 and France 5. France Télévisions also participates in Arte and Euronews.
Since 3:20 CET on 7 ...
.
*1996 : ''Primo Levi'', Un Siècle d'écrivains,
France 3
France 3 () is a French free-to-air public television channel and part of the France Télévisions group, which also includes France 2, France 4, France 5 and France Info.
It is made up of a network of regional television services providing ...
.
*1996 : ''Mourir à Verdun'', Les Dossiers de l'Histoire,
France 3
France 3 () is a French free-to-air public television channel and part of the France Télévisions group, which also includes France 2, France 4, France 5 and France Info.
It is made up of a network of regional television services providing ...
.
*1996 : ''La Cagoule'', Les Dossiers de l'Histoire,
France 3
France 3 () is a French free-to-air public television channel and part of the France Télévisions group, which also includes France 2, France 4, France 5 and France Info.
It is made up of a network of regional television services providing ...
.
*1997 : ''Une terre deux fois promise : Israël-Palestine'', Les Dossiers de l'Histoire,
France 3
France 3 () is a French free-to-air public television channel and part of the France Télévisions group, which also includes France 2, France 4, France 5 and France Info.
It is made up of a network of regional television services providing ...
.
*1999 : ''Histoire d'une droite extrême'', Les Mercredis de l'Histoire,
Arte
Arte (; (), sometimes stylized in lowercase or uppercase in its logo) is a European public service channel dedicated to culture.
It is made up of three separate companies: the Strasbourg-based European Economic Interest Grouping ARTE, plus ...
.
*1999 : ''Le Journal commence à vingt heures'', La Vie en face,
Arte
Arte (; (), sometimes stylized in lowercase or uppercase in its logo) is a European public service channel dedicated to culture.
It is made up of three separate companies: the Strasbourg-based European Economic Interest Grouping ARTE, plus ...
.
*2000 : ''Les Hommes de la Maison Blanche'', Les Mercredis de l'Histoire,
Arte
Arte (; (), sometimes stylized in lowercase or uppercase in its logo) is a European public service channel dedicated to culture.
It is made up of three separate companies: the Strasbourg-based European Economic Interest Grouping ARTE, plus ...
.
*2001 : ''Conversation avec les hommes du Président'', Histoire.
*2001 : ''François Mitterrand. Un mensonge d'Etat passé sous silence'',
France 3
France 3 () is a French free-to-air public television channel and part of the France Télévisions group, which also includes France 2, France 4, France 5 and France Info.
It is made up of a network of regional television services providing ...
.
*2002 : ''Valéry Giscard d'Estaing, le théâtre du pouvoir'', Les Dossiers de l'Histoire,
France 3
France 3 () is a French free-to-air public television channel and part of the France Télévisions group, which also includes France 2, France 4, France 5 and France Info.
It is made up of a network of regional television services providing ...
.
*2002 : ''
Opération Lune'' or
Dark Side of the Moon
''The Dark Side of the Moon'' is the eighth studio album by the English rock band Pink Floyd, released on 1 March 1973 by Harvest Records. The album was primarily developed during live performances, and the band premiered an early version of t ...
, Les Mercredis de l'Histoire,
Arte
Arte (; (), sometimes stylized in lowercase or uppercase in its logo) is a European public service channel dedicated to culture.
It is made up of three separate companies: the Strasbourg-based European Economic Interest Grouping ARTE, plus ...
.
*2003 : ''CIA, Guerres secrètes – 1947–1977, Opérations clandestines'', Les Mercredis de l'Histoire,
Arte
Arte (; (), sometimes stylized in lowercase or uppercase in its logo) is a European public service channel dedicated to culture.
It is made up of three separate companies: the Strasbourg-based European Economic Interest Grouping ARTE, plus ...
.
*2003 : ''CIA, Guerres secrètes – 1977–1989, La fin des illusions'', Les Mercredis de l'Histoire,
Arte
Arte (; (), sometimes stylized in lowercase or uppercase in its logo) is a European public service channel dedicated to culture.
It is made up of three separate companies: the Strasbourg-based European Economic Interest Grouping ARTE, plus ...
.
*2003 : ''CIA, Guerres secrètes – 1989–2003, D'une guerre à l'autre'', Les Mercredis de l'Histoire,
Arte
Arte (; (), sometimes stylized in lowercase or uppercase in its logo) is a European public service channel dedicated to culture.
It is made up of three separate companies: the Strasbourg-based European Economic Interest Grouping ARTE, plus ...
.
*2004 : ''
The World According to Bush
''The World According to Bush'' (french: Le Monde Selon Bush) is a 2004 French documentary, co-written and directed by William Karel based on the book by Éric Laurent, about the presidency of George W. Bush and the history of the Bush family, in ...
''
*2005 : ''La Fille du Juge''.
*2008 : ''
Meurtres à l'Empire State Building''
*2009 : ''Mais qui a tué Maggie?''
*2009 : ''1929'', about
1929 crisis.
*2010 : ''Gallimard, le Roi Lire'',
Arte
Arte (; (), sometimes stylized in lowercase or uppercase in its logo) is a European public service channel dedicated to culture.
It is made up of three separate companies: the Strasbourg-based European Economic Interest Grouping ARTE, plus ...
.
*2011 : ''Album'',
Arte
Arte (; (), sometimes stylized in lowercase or uppercase in its logo) is a European public service channel dedicated to culture.
It is made up of three separate companies: the Strasbourg-based European Economic Interest Grouping ARTE, plus ...
.
*2011 : ''Philippe Roth, sans complexe'',
Arte
Arte (; (), sometimes stylized in lowercase or uppercase in its logo) is a European public service channel dedicated to culture.
It is made up of three separate companies: the Strasbourg-based European Economic Interest Grouping ARTE, plus ...
.
*2011 : ''
Looking for Nicolas Sarkozy'',
Arte
Arte (; (), sometimes stylized in lowercase or uppercase in its logo) is a European public service channel dedicated to culture.
It is made up of three separate companies: the Strasbourg-based European Economic Interest Grouping ARTE, plus ...
.
List of books
*Karel, William and Laurent Rucker, ''Israël-Palestine, une terre deux fois promise'', Le Rocher, Paris, 1998.
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Karel, William
1940 births
Living people
Tunisian Jews
Tunisian emigrants to France
French film directors
French emigrants to Israel
French documentary film directors