Michel Drach (18 October 1930 in Paris – 14 February 1990 in Paris) was a French

film director A film director controls a film's artistic and dramatic aspects and visualizes the screenplay (or script) while guiding the film crew and actors in the fulfilment of that vision. The director has a key role in choosing the cast members, pr ...

, writer, producer and actor.

Life and career

Drach was born in Paris, France, the son of Yvonne (Vanderheym) and Maurice Drach. His family was Jewish. After studying painting at the

Académie des Beaux-Arts An academy (Attic Greek: Ἀκαδήμεια; Koine Greek Ἀκαδημία) is an institution of secondary or tertiary higher learning (and generally also research or honorary membership). The name traces back to Plato's school of philosophy, ...

, he became involved in cinema as an assistant to his cousin

Jean-Pierre Melville Jean-Pierre Melville (; born Jean-Pierre Grumbach; 20 October 1917 – 2 August 1973) was a French filmmaker and actor. Among his films are ''Le Silence de la mer'' (1949), '' Bob le flambeur'' (1956), ''Le Doulos'' (1962), '' Le Samouraï'' (19 ...

. He directed three short films under his production company Port Royal Films, including the ''Poor Man's Soliloquies'' (1951) and ''Auditorium'' (1957), then made his feature film debut with ''On n'enterre pas le dimanche'' (1959), a study on the existential solitude of a black person in Paris, which coincided with the

French New Wave French New Wave (french: La Nouvelle Vague) is a French art film movement that emerged in the late 1950s. The movement was characterized by its rejection of traditional filmmaking conventions in favor of experimentation and a spirit of iconocla ...

and earned him the Louis Delluc Prize. He married Marie-José Nat who starred in his 1961 film '' Amelie or The Time to Love'', a film which further displayed his

humanism Humanism is a philosophical stance that emphasizes the individual and social potential and agency of human beings. It considers human beings the starting point for serious moral and philosophical inquiry. The meaning of the term "human ...

. He returned to auteur cinema with ''

Elise, or Real Life ''Elise, or Real Life'' (french: Élise ou la vraie vie) is a 1970 French drama film directed by Michel Drach. It was entered into the 1970 Cannes Film Festival. Cast * Marie-José Nat as Elise Le Tellier * Mohamed Chouikh as Arezki * Bernade ...

'' in 1970, which tells the story of a Frenchwoman, his wife Nat, in love with an Algerian at the time of the

Algerian War The Algerian War, also known as the Algerian Revolution or the Algerian War of Independence,( ar, الثورة الجزائرية '; '' ber, Tagrawla Tadzayrit''; french: Guerre d'Algérie or ') and sometimes in Algeria as the War of 1 November ...

. ''

Violins at the Ball ''Violins at the Ball'' (french: Les Violons du bal) is a 1974 French drama film directed by Michel Drach. It was entered into the 1974 Cannes Film Festival where Marie-José Nat won the award for Best Actress. Cast * Jean-Louis Trintignant � ...

'' which evoked his Jewish childhood during the

Occupation of France The Military Administration in France (german: Militärverwaltung in Frankreich; french: Occupation de la France par l'Allemagne) was an interim occupation authority established by Nazi Germany during World War II to administer the occupied zo ...

also starred his wife who received a

Cannes Film Festival Award for Best Actress The Best Actress Award (french: Prix d'interprétation féminine) is an award presented at the Cannes Film Festival since 1946. It is given to an actress who has delivered an outstanding performance and chosen by the jury from the films in officia ...

. ''Le Pull-over Rouge'' (1979) was a chronicle of what he presents as a miscarriage of justice. ''Tell Me About Love'' (1975), '' Le Passé simple'', and ''Guy de Maupassant'' (1982), confirmed his appeal for psychological intrigue. The latter was an expensive flop. In 1986, with ''Sauve-toi, Lola'', he tackled the theme of cancer, then the relationship between grandfather and grandson in ''Il est Génial Papy!'' (1987). He had three children with Nat - David, Julien and Aurélien.

Selected filmography

* '' Amelie or The Time to Love'' (1961) * '' :fr:Les Compagnons de Jéhu (mini-série)'' (in French, after the eponymous novel by

Alexandre Dumas Alexandre Dumas (, ; ; born Dumas Davy de la Pailleterie (), 24 July 1802 – 5 December 1870), also known as Alexandre Dumas père (where '' '' is French for 'father', to distinguish him from his son Alexandre Dumas fils), was a French writer ...

) (1966) * ''

'' (1970) * ''

'' (1974) * '' Speak to Me of Love'' (1975) * '' The Simple Past'' (1977)

References

External links

* 1930 births 1990 deaths French film directors French male film actors Male actors from Paris Burials at Père Lachaise Cemetery 20th-century French male actors {{France-actor-stub