Film Forum

Claude Lelouch's passion for cinema was born during the Occupation while hiding in movie theaters. In 1957, as a news cameraman, he secretly filmed moments of daily life in the USSR. During this assignment, he found himself on the set of THE CRANES ARE FLYING by Mikhail Kalatozov, which inspired his interest in directing. After completing his military service in the Army Cinematographic Service, Lelouch founded his production company, Les Films 13, in 1960. His first feature film, LE PROPRE DE L'HOMME, was both a critical and commercial failure. Lelouch financed his projects through Scopitones (a precursor to music videos) and commercials. In 1966, A MAN AND A WOMAN won the Palme d’Or at Cannes, two Academy Awards®, and around forty international prizes. Since then, Lelouch has pursued his highly personal approach to filmmaking, alternating between successes and setbacks while remaining committed to his vision of popular auteur cinema. Over his career, he has directed around fifty films, including LIVE FOR LIFE (1967), THE CROOK (1970), MONEY MONEY MONEY (1972), LA BONNE ANNÉE (1973), TOUTE UNE VIE (1974, Academy Award® nominee for Best Writing, Original Screenplay), CAT AND MOUSE (1975), RENDEZVOUS (1976), LES UNS ET LES AUTRES (1981, winner of the Cannes Film Festival Technical Grand Prize), PARTIR REVINIR (1985), LES MISÉRABLES (1995, Golden Globe Award winner for Best Foreign Language Film, César Award winner for Best Supporting Actress), and THE BEST YEARS OF A LIFE (2019). His latest film, FINALEMENT, premiered at the 2024 Venice Film Festival. Claude Lelouch has also been a producer and distributor, contributing to projects such as BONAPARTE AND THE REVOLUTION (1970) by Abel Gance, and IT ONLY HAPPENS TO OTHERS (1971) by Nadine Trintignant.

Villa Albertine, a new French institution for arts and ideas in the United States, builds on the bold and innovative programs that have been the hallmark of the French cultural network abroad for more than a century. Created by the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, and supported by the French Ministry of Culture, Villa Albertine offers a novel artists’ residency model in which residents choose the location best suited to their work within the host country. With a permanent presence in 10 major US cities, it aims to foster in-depth exploratory residencies for artists, thinkers, and culture professionals hailing from all creative disciplines. In its inaugural year, Villa Albertine will host 80 residents for one- to three-month customized residencies.

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