François Leterrier (; 26 May 1929 – 4 December 2020) was a French film director and actor. He entered the film industry when he was cast as the lead in

Robert Bresson Robert Bresson (; 25 September 1901 – 18 December 1999) was a French film director. Known for his ascetic approach, Bresson made a notable contribution to the art of cinema; his non-professional actors, Ellipsis (narrative device), ellipses, an ...

's film ''

A Man Escaped ''A Man Escaped'', also known as ''A Man Escaped or The Wind Bloweth Where It Listeth'' (), is a 1956 French prison film directed by Robert Bresson. The film is loosely based on the memoir of André Devigny, a member of the French Resistance who ...

'' (1956). After this he assisted other directors before directing his debut film in 1961.

Life and career

François Leterrier studied at the

University of Paris The University of Paris (), known Metonymy, metonymically as the Sorbonne (), was the leading university in Paris, France, from 1150 to 1970, except for 1793–1806 during the French Revolution. Emerging around 1150 as a corporation associated wit ...

where he took a degree in philosophy. During his student years he frequently attended the university's film club. He did his military service in Morocco, where he was discovered by the film director

, known for casting unknowns, who gave him the leading role in the 1956 film ''

''. After this, Leterrier was able to work as an assistant director for

Louis Malle Louis Marie Malle (; 30 October 1932 – 23 November 1995) was a French film director, screenwriter, and producer who worked in both French cinema and Hollywood. Described as "eclectic" and "a filmmaker difficult to pin down", Malle made document ...

, Etienne Périer, and

Yves Allégret Yves Allégret (13 October 1905 – 31 January 1987) was a French film director, often working in the film noir genre. He was born in Asnières-sur-Seine, Hauts-de-Seine and died in Paris. He was an assistant to film directors such as his brothe ...

. His debut film as director was '' Les Mauvais Coups'' from 1961, based on a novel by Roger Vailland. He also adapted works by

Jean Giono Jean Giono (30 March 1895 – 8 October 1970) was a French writer who wrote works of fiction mostly set in the Provence region of France. First period Jean Giono was born to a family of modest means, his father a cobbler of Piedmontese descent a ...

Paul Morand Paul Morand (13 March 1888 – 24 July 1976) was a French author whose short stories and novellas were lauded for their style, wit and descriptive power. His most productive literary period was the interwar period of the 1920s and 1930s. He was m ...

, and

Raymond Queneau Raymond Auguste Queneau (; ; 21 February 1903 – 25 October 1976) was a French novelist, poet, critic, editor and co-founder and president of Oulipo (), notable for his wit and cynical humour. Biography Queneau, the only child of Auguste Que ...

. François's son

Louis Louis may refer to: People * Louis (given name), origin and several individuals with this name * Louis (surname) * Louis (singer), Serbian singer Other uses * Louis (coin), a French coin * HMS ''Louis'', two ships of the Royal Navy See also ...

also became a film director. He is notable for his

action Action may refer to: * Action (philosophy), something which is done by a person * Action principles the heart of fundamental physics * Action (narrative), a literary mode * Action fiction, a type of genre fiction * Action game, a genre of video gam ...

and blockbuster films, such as the

first First most commonly refers to: * First, the ordinal form of the number 1 First or 1st may also refer to: Acronyms * Faint Images of the Radio Sky at Twenty-Centimeters, an astronomical survey carried out by the Very Large Array * Far Infrared a ...

two '' Transporter'' films, '' The Incredible Hulk'', '' Clash of the Titans'', and '' Now You See Me''.

Filmography

Directed for film

* '' Les Mauvais Coups'' (1961) * ''

A King Without Distraction ''A King Without Distraction'' () is a 1963 French mystery film directed by François Leterrier, starring Claude Giraud and Colette Renard. The story is set in the winter of 1843 and follows a police captain who investigates the disappearance of ...

'' (''Un roi sans divertissement'') (1963) * '' The Royal Chase'' (''La Chasse royale'') (1969) * '' Private Screening'' (''Projection privée'') (1973) * '' Goodbye Emmanuelle'' (1977) * '' Your Turn, My Turn'' (''Va voir maman, papa travaille'') (1978) * ''

Rat Race A rat race is a metaphor used to describe an endless, self-defeating, or pointless pursuit. The phrase is sometimes used to relate the human life to that of rats attempting to earn an ultimately pointless reward when Mortality salience, death ...

'' (''Je vais craquer'') (1980) * '' Les Babas Cool'' (1981) * '' Le Garde du corps'' (1984) * '' Tranches de vie'' (1985) * '' The Son of the Mekong'' (''Le Fils du Mékong'') (1992)

Directed for television

* ''La Guêpe'' (1965) * ''Milady'' (1976) * ''Pierrot mon ami'' (1979) * ''Le Voleur d'enfants'' (1981) * ''Le Cœur du voyage'' (1986) * ''L'Île'' (1987) * ''Imogène'' (1989, 3 episodes) * ''Clovis'' (1993, 2 episodes) * ''Les Disparus de Reillanne'' (1993)

Actor

* ''

'' (1956) - Le lieutenant Fontaine * '' Stavisky'' (1974) - André Malraux (final film role)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Leterrier, Francois 1929 births 2020 deaths 20th-century French male actors French film directors French television directors People from Oise Male actors from Hauts-de-France French male film actors