Jacques Doniol-Valcroze

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Wikipedia

Jacques Doniol-Valcroze
Born(1920-03-15)15 March 1920
Paris, France
Died6 October 1989(1989-10-06) (aged 69)
Cannes, France
Occupation(s)Film critic, Film director, screenwriter, actor

Jacques Doniol-Valcroze (French: [ʒak dɔnjɔl valkʁoz]; 15 March 1920 – 6 October 1989) was a French actor, critic, screenwriter, and director. In 1951, Doniol-Valcroze was a co-founder of the renowned film magazine Cahiers du cinéma, along with André Bazin and Joseph-Marie Lo Duca. The magazine was initially edited by Doniol-Valcroze between 1951–1957. As critic, he championed numerous filmmakers including Orson Welles, Howard Hawks, and Nicholas Ray. In 1955, then 23-year-old François Truffaut made a short film in Doniol-Valcroze's apartment, Une Visite. Jacques's daughter Florence played a minor part in it.[1]

In 1955, he was a member of the jury at the 16th Venice International Film Festival,[2] and in 1964 a member of the jury at the 14th Berlin International Film Festival.[3]

New Wave

In his thirties he played a pivotal role in the French New Wave, discussing the beginnings of "the new cinema" as the co-founder of Cahiers du cinéma and defended Alain Robbe-Grillet.[4] Jean Douchet wrote that no one had a better New Wave profile, but his work "was overshadowed by the immediate influence of the second generation" of New Wave directors: "His first feature film, l'Eau à la bouche (1960), arrived too late. Not strong enough to surprise, the film earned him only 'sympathetic' reviews. From then on ... criticism displayed a certain distance from the man. Wrongly, it seems."[5]

In 1963 he appeared in L'Immortelle, an international co-produced drama art film[6] directed by Alain Robbe-Grillet.

His own works in this area include directing the film L'eau a la bouche and acting in some New Wave films, including Chantal Akerman's cult classic Jeanne Dielman, 23 quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles. Additionally he was friends with François Truffaut who shot his first film Une Visite in his apartment.[7] He was married to Françoise Brion.[8]

The Director’s Fortnight, founded in 1968 during the nationwide strikes which closed down the Cannes Film Festival that year, was the brainchild of Jacques Doniol-Valcroze. The event was sponsored by his fledgling Société des Réalisateurs de Films (Film Directors Society) with the intention of "...opening up the Cannes Festival to little-known filmmakers and national cinemas, without concern for budgets or shooting formats."[9]

He died of a ruptured aneurysm in 1989.

Filmography

Year Title Role Notes
1950Orphéeyoung man at Café des Poètesuncredited
1956Le Coup du bergerJeanshort; credited as Étienne Loinod
1957Les Surmenésdirectorshort
1960L'eau a la bouchedirectorshort
1960Le bel âgeJacques
1962And Satan Calls the TurnsÉric
1963L'ImmortelleN, the Man
1963Portuguese VacationJacques
1963Los felices sesentaVíctor
1968Je t'aime, je t'aimethe editor
1970Le Voyouthe banker
1971L'amour c'est gai, l'amour c'est tristefirst client
1971Out 1Etienne
1973Elle court, elle court la banlieuefirst dentist
1973A Full Day's Workthe juror Jacquemont, the actor playing Hamlet
1975Playing with Firecommissaire Laurent
1975Jeanne Dielman, 23 quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles2nd caller
1977The Apprentice HeelDeputy Mayor Forelon
1977Goodbye EmmanuelleMichel Cordier
1978En l'autre bord
1979Memoirs of a French Whore
1980Le soleil en facea guest on the TV debate
1980Je vais craquer!!!Maxence, literary critic
1984Le Bon Plaisirlawyer

Director

Movies

TV films and series

  • 1964: L'Enlèvement d'Antoine Bigut (film)
  • 1967: La Bien-aimée (film)
  • 1979: Le Tourbillon des jours (TV series, 6 episodes, 52 min.)[16]
  • 1981: Les Fiancées de l'Empire (TV series, 6 episodes)[17]
  • 1982: Lorelei (film)
  • 1982: Venise en hiver (film)[18]
  • 1984: Un seul être vous manque (TV series, 8 episodes, 52 min.)[19]
  • 1988: Nick, chasseur de têtes (film)[20]
  • 1989: Nick, chasseur de têtes (TV series)[21]

1989: La Vie en couleurs (film)

Novels

  • Les portes du baptistère, 1955, Editions Denoël
  • Les fiancées de l'Empire, vol. 1: Les hauteurs de Wagram, 1980, Editions JC Lattès[22]
  • Les fiancées de l'Empire, vol. 2: La route d'Espagne, 1981, Editions JC Lattès[23]

References

  1. ↑ "Florence Doniol-Valcroze". 23 February 2019.
  2. ↑ "Juries for the 1950s". 19 April 2010. Archived from the original on 19 October 2021. Retrieved February 20, 2014.
  3. ↑ "Berlinale 1964: Juries". berlinale.de. Retrieved 2010-02-16.
  4. ↑ Cahiers du Cinema by Jim Hillier, David Wilson, British Film Institute, Nick Browne
  5. ↑ Jean Douchet, Nouvelle vague (Hazan, 1998; ISBN 2850256196), p. 237: "Son premier long métrage, l'Eau à la bouche (1960), arrivait trop tard. Pas assez fort pour surprendre, le film ne lui valut qu’une critique «sympathique ». Désormais, à son tour et définitivement, la critique affichera une certaine distance à l'égard de l’homme. À tort, semble-t-il."
  6. ↑ Lewis, Zach (1 April 2014). "Blu-ray Review: 'L'immortelle' a forgotten staple of French arthouse". PopOptiq. Retrieved 13 March 2017.
  7. ↑ François Truffaut by Diana Holmes, Robert Ingram, pg 38
  8. ↑ Brion, F. (1972) "[Interview with André Gardies]", in: Gardies, A. Alain Robbe-Grillet. Paris: Seghers; pp. 166–68
  9. ↑ "Cannes Film Festival Films: Director's Fortnight". cannesguide.com. Archived from the original on 2016-07-30. Retrieved 2016-06-18.
  10. ↑ "– IMDb". IMDb.
  11. ↑ "L'EAU À LA BOUCHE | Il Cinema Ritrovato Festival".
  12. ↑ "Notre librairie". October 2002.
  13. ↑ "Le coeur battant (1960) – IMDb". IMDb.
  14. ↑ "Le viol". IMDb.
  15. ↑ "The House of the Bories (1970) – IMDb". IMDb.
  16. ↑ "Le tourbillon des jours". IMDb.
  17. ↑ "Les fiancées de l'empire". IMDb.
  18. ↑ "Venise en hiver (TV Movie 1982) – IMDb". IMDb.
  19. ↑ "Un seul être vous manque". IMDb.
  20. ↑ "Nick, chasseur de tête". IMDb.
  21. ↑ "Nick chasseur de têtes (TV Series 1989– ) – IMDb". IMDb.
  22. ↑ "Bibliographie de la France. Livres : Notices établies par la Bibliothèque nationale". 22 April 1981.
  23. ↑ "Bibliographie de la France. Livres : Notices établies par la Bibliothèque nationale". 15 December 1982.