Jacques Doniol-Valcroze

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]

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

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

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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]

In 1963 he appeared in L'Immortelle, an international co-produced drama art film[5] 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.[6] He was married to Françoise Brion.[7]

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."[8]

He died of a ruptured aneurysm in 1989.

Actor

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Year Title Role Notes
1950 Orfeu Young Man at Café des Poètes Uncredited
1957 Les Surmenes director short
1960 Le bel âge Jacques
1962 And Satan Calls the Turns Éric
1963 L'Immortelle N, the Man
1963 Portuguese Vacation Jacques
1963 Los felices sesenta Víctor
1968 Je t'aime, je t'aime Le responsable d'édition
1970 Le Voyou Le banquier
1971 L'amour c'est gai, l'amour c'est triste Le 1er client
1971 Out 1 Etienne
1973 Elle court, elle court la banlieue Le premier dentiste
1973 A Full Day's Work Le juré Jacquemont, l'acteur jouant Hamlet
1975 Playing with Fire Le commissaire Laurent
1975 Jeanne Dielman, 23 quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles 2nd Caller
1977 The Apprentice Heel L'adjoint au maire Forelon
1977 Goodbye Emmanuelle Michel Cordier
1978 En l'autre bord
1979 Memoirs of a French Whore
1980 Le soleil en face Un invité du débat télé
1980 Je vais craquer!!! Maxence, le critique littéraire
1984 Le Bon Plaisir Lawyer

Director

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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.)[15]
  • 1981: Les Fiancées de l'Empire (TV series, 6 episodes)[16]
  • 1982: Lorelei (film)
  • 1982: Venise en hiver (film)[17]
  • 1984: Un seul être vous manque (TV series, 8 episodes, 52 min.)[18]
  • 1988: Nick, chasseur de têtes (film)[19]
  • 1989: Nick, chasseur de têtes (TV series)[20]

1989: La Vie en couleurs (film)

Novels

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  • Les portes du baptistère, 1955, Editions Denoël
  • Les fiancées de l'Empire, vol. 1: Les hauteurs de Wagram, 1980, Editions JC Lattès[21]
  • Les fiancées de l'Empire, vol. 2: La route d'Espagne, 1981, Editions JC Lattès[22]

References

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  1. ^ "Florence Doniol-Valcroze".
  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. ^ Lewis, Zach (1 April 2014). "Blu-ray Review: 'L'immortelle' a forgotten staple of French arthouse". PopOptiq. Retrieved 13 March 2017.
  6. ^ François Truffaut by Diana Holmes, Robert Ingram, pg 38
  7. ^ Brion, F. (1972) "[Interview with André Gardies]", in: Gardies, A. Alain Robbe-Grillet. Paris: Seghers; pp. 166–68
  8. ^ "Cannes Film Festival Films: Director's Fortnight". cannesguide.com.
  9. ^ "– IMDb". IMDb.
  10. ^ "L'EAU À LA BOUCHE | Il Cinema Ritrovato Festival".
  11. ^ "Notre librairie". October 2002.
  12. ^ "Le coeur battant (1960) – IMDb". IMDb.
  13. ^ "Le viol". IMDb.
  14. ^ "The House of the Bories (1970) – IMDb". IMDb.
  15. ^ "Le tourbillon des jours". IMDb.
  16. ^ "Les fiancées de l'empire". IMDb.
  17. ^ "Venise en hiver (TV Movie 1982) – IMDb". IMDb.
  18. ^ "Un seul être vous manque". IMDb.
  19. ^ "Nick, chasseur de tête". IMDb.
  20. ^ "Nick chasseur de têtes (TV Series 1989– ) – IMDb". IMDb.
  21. ^ "Bibliographie de la France. Livres : Notices établies par la Bibliothèque nationale". 22 April 1981.
  22. ^ "Bibliographie de la France. Livres : Notices établies par la Bibliothèque nationale". 15 December 1982.