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Alain Jessua began his career as assistant to directors like Max Ophüls, Marcel Carne, Yves Allégret and Jacques Becker, before making his unique short film, Léon la lune, which earned him the prestigious Prix Jean-Vigo award in 1957. A few years later, in 1963, his first feature film (which became "cult" among moviegoers) won two prizes in Cannes and also Venice: La Vie à l'envers, with Charles Denner and Jean Yanne in his first movie role. He then went on to direct a series of successful and critically acclaimed feature films, which he produced himself (a rare risk in the French cinema landscape). Alain Jessua is regularly honored in France and abroad. His short film Léon la lune was screened at the MOMA - Museum of Modern Art in New York a few years ago and Martin Scorsese cited La Vie à l'envers as one of the films that really made an impact on him. Jean Tulard , in his "Dictionary of Cinema", writes: "He proposes a cinema where he tackles the problems of our time and makes cries of alarm. " Alain Jessua is also the author of six novels.
Filmography
Movies and shows, newest first
- 2021
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2019
The Story of French Fantasy Cinema
Movie Self (archive footage)
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2013
Max Ophüls, le peintre de l'amour fatal
Movie Self
- 2006
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1997
The Colors of the Devil
Movie Writer
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1988
No Harm Intended
Movie Producer
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1984
Frankenstein 90
Movie Director
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1982
Paradise for All
Movie Director
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1979
The Dogs
Movie Director
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1977
Armageddon
Movie Director
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1973
Shock Treatment
Movie Music
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1967
The Killing Game
Movie Director
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1964
Life Upside Down
Movie Director
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1960
The Eighth Day
Movie Assistant Director
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1956
Léon la lune
Movie Director
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1955
Lola Montès
Movie Assistant Director Trainee
More credits
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1953
The Earrings of Madame de...
Movie Assistant Director