Michel Deville (13 April 1931 – 16 February 2023) was a French film director and screenwriter.

Michel Deville
Born(1931-04-13)13 April 1931
Died16 February 2023(2023-02-16) (aged 91)
Occupation(s)Film director
Screenwriter
Years active1958–2023

Deville started his filmmaking career in the late 1950s, paralleling the emergence of the French New Wave directors. He never achieved the level of critical and international recognition of some of his contemporaries such as François Truffaut, Jean-Luc Godard and Claude Chabrol, possibly because of his more conventional filmmaking style. Nevertheless, his films, especially his comedies from the 1970s and 1980s, were popular in his native France. [citation needed]

One of Deville's comedies, La Lectrice (The Reader) was probably his biggest success with international audiences. La Lectrice is about a woman (played by Miou-Miou), who finds work reading novels for the blind but gradually finds herself unwittingly attracting a clientele of fetishists who enjoyed being read to. At one time his films were difficult to find in North America but presently (2007) seven of his films are available in DVD in the U.S.

His 1980 film Le Voyage en douce was entered into the 30th Berlin International Film Festival.[1] Five years later, his film Death in a French Garden was entered into the 35th Berlin International Film Festival.[2]

A clip from his 1968 film Benjamin is included in Robert Bresson's Une Femme Douce (1969).

Deville died on 16 February 2023, at the age of 91.[3]

Filmography

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Year Title Credited as Notes
Director Screenwriter
1958 A Bullet in the Gun Barrel Yes Yes
1961 Tonight or Never Yes Yes
1962 Adorable Liar Yes Yes
1963 Because, Because of a Woman Yes Yes Also as producer
1963 Girl's Apartment Yes Yes
1964 Les Petites Demoiselles Yes Yes Telefilm
1964 Lucky Jo Yes Yes
1966 The Mona Lisa Has Been Stolen Yes Yes
1966 Martin Soldat Yes Yes
1967 Zärtliche Haie Yes
1968 Benjamin Yes Yes Louis Delluc Prize for Best Film
1969 Bye bye, Barbara Yes Yes
1970 The Bear and the Doll Yes Yes
1971 Raphael, or The Debauched One Yes Nominated—1971 Cannes Film Festival - Palme d'Or
1973 The Woman in Blue Yes
1974 Love at the Top Yes
1977 The Apprentice Heel Yes Yes
1978 Dossier 51 Yes Yes César Award for Best Writing
French Syndicate of Cinema Critics - Best French Film
Nominated—1978 Cannes Film Festival - Prix Un certain regard
Nominated—César Award for Best Film
Nominated—César Award for Best Director
1980 Le Voyage en douce Yes Yes Nominated—30th Berlin International Film Festival - Golden Bear
1981 Eaux profondes Yes Yes
1983 The Little Bunch Yes
1984 Les Capricieux Yes Telefilm
1985 Death in a French Garden Yes Yes César Award for Best Director
Nominated—35th Berlin International Film Festival - Golden Bear
Nominated—César Award for Best Film
Nominated—César Award for Best Writing
1986 Paltoquet Yes Yes
1988 The Reader Yes Yes French Syndicate of Cinema Critics - Best French Film
Louis Delluc Prize for Best Film
Montreal World Film Festival - Grand Prix des Amériques
Nominated—César Award for Best Film
Nominated—César Award for Best Director
Nominated—César Award for Best Writing
1990 Summer Night in Town Yes
1991 Lest We Forget Yes Segment: "Pour Nguyen Chi Thien, Vietnam"
1992 Toutes peines confondues Yes
1994 Aux petits bonheurs Yes
1997 La Divine Poursuite Yes Yes
1999 Sachs' Disease Yes Yes Chicago International Film Festival - Gold Hugo
French Syndicate of Cinema Critics - Best French Film
San Sebastián International Film Festival - Silver Shell for Best Director
San Sebastián International Film Festival - Best Screenplay
San Sebastián International Film Festival - Solidarity Award
Nominated—César Award for Best Director
Nominated—César Award for Best Writing
2002 Almost Peaceful Yes Yes Nominated—59th Venice International Film Festival - Golden Lion
2005 The Art of Breaking Up Yes

References

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  1. ^ "IMDB.com: Awards for Le Voyage en douce". imdb.com. Retrieved 21 August 2010.
  2. ^ "Berlinale: 1985 Programme". berlinale.de. Retrieved 12 January 2011.
  3. ^ Le cinéaste Michel Deville est mort (in French)
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