François Ozon
François Ozon | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Ozon in 2025 | |
| Born | 15 November 1967 Paris, France |
| Education | La Fémis, Panthéon-Sorbonne University |
| Occupation | Filmmaker |
| Years active | 1988–present |
| Website | www |
François Ozon (French: [fʁɑ̃swa ozɔ̃]; born 15 November 1967) is a French film director and screenwriter.
Ozon is considered one of the most important modern French filmmakers.[1] His films are characterized by aesthetic beauty, sharp satirical humor and a free-wheeling view of human sexuality. Recurring themes in his films are friendship, sexual identity, different perceptions of reality, transience and death.[2][3]
Ozon has achieved international acclaim for his films 8 femmes (2002) and Swimming Pool (2003). He is considered one of the most important directors in the new "New Wave" in French cinema, along with Jean-Paul Civeyrac, Philippe Ramos, and Yves Caumon, as well as a group of French filmmakers associated with a cinema du corps ("cinema of the body").[4]
Life and career
Ozon was born in Paris, France.[5] Having studied directing at the French film school La Fémis, Ozon made several short films such as A Summer Dress (1996) and Scènes de lit (1998). His motion picture directing debut was Sitcom (also 1998), which was well received by both critics and audiences.
After an adaptation of a Rainer Werner Fassbinder play in Water Drops on Burning Rocks (2000), Ozon achieved international recognition. 8 Women (2002), starring Catherine Deneuve, Fanny Ardant, Isabelle Huppert and Emmanuelle Béart, a quirky mix of musical numbers and murder mystery and a production design harking back to 1950s Hollywood melodramas such as those directed by Douglas Sirk, was his first commercial success.
His English-language debut, Swimming Pool (2003), starring Charlotte Rampling and Ludivine Sagnier, was considered by Ozon a very personal film that gives insight into the difficult process of writing a novel or screenplay. Time to Leave (2004) selected for the Un Certain Regard section of the 2005 Cannes Film Festival, marked his first entry at the festival.[6]
Angel (2007), starring Romola Garai Sam Neill, Michael Fassbender and Charlotte Rampling, was selected for the main competition of the 57th Berlin International Film Festival, where it was nominated for the Golden Bear. The film, based on a novel by British writer Elizabeth Taylor, follows the story of a poor girl who climbs Edwardian England's social ladder by becoming a romance writer. The film was shot at Tyntesfield House and Estate near Bristol, at other UK locations and in Belgium. While filming Angel, Ozon developed a strong friendship with Garai and called her his "muse".
In 2009, Ozon released two films, Ricky, which had its world premiere at the main competition of the 59th Berlin International Film Festival, and The Refuge, which had its world premiere at the 2009 Toronto International Film Festival.
Potiche (2010), starring Catherine Deneuve, Gérard Depardieu, Fabrice Luchini, Karin Viard, Judith Godrèche and Jérémie Renier, had its world premiere in the main competition of the 67th Venice International Film Festival, where it was nominated for the Golden Lion. Marked another huge box office hit for Ozon.
At the 62nd Berlin International Film Festival, Ozon served as a member of the main competition jury.[7] Later that year, he released the comedy film In the House, which had its world premiere at the 2012 Toronto International Film Festival, and won the the Golden Shell at the 2012 San Sebastián International Film Festival. For the film, he won the European Film Award for Best Screenwriter at the 26th ceremony.[8]
Young & Beautiful (2013) had its world premiere in the main competition of the 2013 Cannes Film Festival, marking his first film nominated for the Palme d'Or.[9] It received positive reviews from critics.
His erotic-drama film The New Girlfriend (2014) had its world premiere at the 2014 Toronto International Film Festival.[10] It stars Romain Duris, Anaïs Demoustier, Raphaël Personnaz, and Isild Le Besco.
Frantz (2016), starring Paula Beer and Pierre Niney, follows the aftermath of the World War I, had its world premiere in the main competition of the 73rd Venice International Film Festival, where Beer won the the Marcello Mastroianni Award.
The eroctic thriller L'Amant double (2017), based on the 1987 novel Lives of the Twins (also known as Kindred Passions) by Joyce Carol Oates, stars Jérémie Renier, in the dual twin roles, alongside Marine Vacth. It was selected for the main competition of the 2017 Cannes Film Festival, where it was nominated for the Palme d'Or.
Peter von Kant (2022), a gender-flipped reinterpretation of Rainer Werner Fassbinder's 1972 film The Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant, has its world premiere in the main competition of the 72nd Berlin International Film Festival, where it was nominated for the Golden Bear.[11]
Filmography
Feature films
| † | Denotes films that have not yet been released |
| Year | English title | Original title | Director | Writer | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | See the Sea | Regarde la mer | Yes | Yes | Medium-length film |
| 1998 | Sitcom | Yes | Yes | ||
| 1999 | Criminal Lovers | Les amants criminels | Yes | Yes | |
| 2000 | Water Drops on Burning Rocks | Gouttes d'eau sur pierres brûlantes | Yes | Yes | |
| Under the Sand | Sous le sable | Yes | Yes | ||
| 2002 | 8 Women | 8 femmes | Yes | Yes | |
| 2003 | Swimming Pool | Yes | Yes | ||
| 2004 | 5x2 | Cinq fois deux | Yes | Yes | |
| 2005 | Time to Leave | Le Temps qui reste | Yes | Yes | |
| 2007 | Angel | Yes | Yes | ||
| 2009 | Ricky | Yes | Yes | ||
| The Refuge | Le refuge | Yes | Yes | ||
| 2010 | Potiche | Yes | Yes | ||
| 2012 | In the House | Dans la maison | Yes | Yes | |
| 2013 | Young & Beautiful | Jeune & Jolie | Yes | Yes | |
| 2014 | The New Girlfriend | Une nouvelle amie | Yes | Yes | |
| 2016 | Frantz | Yes | Yes | ||
| 2017 | Double Lover | L'Amant double | Yes | Yes | |
| 2019 | By the Grace of God | Grâce à Dieu | Yes | Yes | |
| 2020 | Summer of 85 | Été 85 | Yes | Yes | |
| 2021 | Everything Went Fine | Tout s'est bien passé | Yes | Yes | |
| 2022 | Peter von Kant | Yes | Yes | ||
| 2023 | The Crime Is Mine | Mon crime | Yes | Yes | |
| 2024 | When Fall Is Coming | Quand vient l'automne | Yes | Yes | |
| 2025 | The Stranger | L'Étranger | Yes | Yes | |
| 2027 | Summer of Fire | Le Mal Est Fait | Yes | Yes | Post-production[12] |
Short film
| Year | Title | Director | Writer | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 | Photo de famille | Yes | Yes | Also editor and cinematographer |
| Les Doigts dans le ventre | Yes | Yes | Also editor, cinematographer and producer | |
| 1990 | Mes parents un jour d'été | Yes | Yes | Also producer |
| 1991 | Une goutte de sang | Yes | ||
| Deux plus un | Yes | |||
| 1992 | Thomas reconstitué | Yes | Yes | |
| 1993 | Victor | Yes | Yes | |
| 1994 | Une rose entre nous | Yes | Yes | Also actor |
| Truth or Dare | Yes | Yes | Also editor French Syndicate of Cinema Critics - Best Short Film | |
| 1995 | Little Death | Yes | Yes | |
| 1996 | A Summer Dress | Yes | Yes | L.A. Outfest - Audience Award for Outstanding Narrative Short Film Nominated—César Award for Best Short Film |
| 1998 | Scènes de lit (Le trou noir ~ Monsieur propre ~ Madame ~ Tête-bêche ~ L'homme idéal ~ Love in the dark ~ Les puceaux) | Yes | Yes | Also editor Avignon Film Festival - Prix Panavision |
| X2000 | Yes | Yes | Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival - Special Mention of the Jury | |
| 2006 | A Curtain Raiser | Yes | Yes | |
| 2007 | Quand la peur dévore l'âme | Yes | Also editor |
Documentary shorts
| Year | Title | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | Peau contre peau (les risques inutiles) | |
| Le Trou madame | ||
| 1995 | Jospin s'éclaire | Also editor |
Accolades
- 1999: Seattle International Film Festival - Emerging Masters Showcase Award
- 2004: Filmfest Hamburg - Douglas-Sirk-Award
- 2006: Frameline Film Festival - Frameline Award
- 2011: Jameson Dublin International Film Festival - Career Achievement Award
References
- ↑ "François Ozon: France's most prolific directors - France Today". francetoday.com. Retrieved 2025-08-31.
- ↑ "Francois Ozon – Museum of the Moving Image". Archived from the original on 2024-05-25. Retrieved 2025-08-31.
- ↑ ""The Sensual, the Monstrous, and the Everyday in the Cinemas of Claire " by Amy E. Bertram". trace.tennessee.edu. Retrieved 2025-08-31.
- ↑ Palmer, Tim. "Style and Sensation in the Contemporary French Cinema of the Body" (PDF). Journal of Film and Video (Fall 2006). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2010-06-02. Retrieved 2010-05-17.
- ↑ Schneider, Steven Jay, ed. (2007). 501 Movie Directors. London: Cassell Illustrated. p. 621. ISBN 9781844035731. OCLC 1347156402.
- ↑ Thomas, Christopher (2006). "Director François Ozon discusses his summer release". V Magazine. Archived from the original on 2007-01-08. Retrieved 20 June 2024.
- ↑ "Berlinale 2012: International Jury". berlinale.de. 2011-12-19. Archived from the original on 2012-01-18. Retrieved 2011-12-21.
- ↑ "Winners 2013". European Film Awards. European Film Academy. Archived from the original on 24 February 2014. Retrieved 9 December 2013.
- ↑ "2013 Official Selection". Cannes. 18 April 2013. Retrieved 18 April 2013.
- ↑ "Toronto film festival 2014 unveils first wave; Little Chaos to close". Screen Daily. Retrieved 22 July 2014.
- ↑ Manori Ravindran, "Francois Ozon’s ‘Peter Von Kant’ to Open Berlin Film Festival". Variety, January 12, 2022.
- ↑ Leffler, Rebecca. "Gaumont ignites sales on Francois Ozon's 'Summer Of Fire'". Screen. Retrieved 2026-08-26.
- ↑ "PRIZES & HONOURS 2000". berlinale.de. Archived from the original on 15 October 2013. Retrieved 9 June 2014.
- ↑ "Official Selection 2003: All the Selection". festival-cannes.fr. Archived from the original on 14 December 2013.
- ↑ "PROGRAMME 2009". berlinale.de. Archived from the original on 9 November 2013. Retrieved 10 June 2014.
- ↑ Reynolds, Simon (12 February 2012). "Orange BAFTA Film Awards 2012 winners list - in full". Digital Spy. Retrieved 25 June 2021.
- ↑ "Cannes Film Festival line-up is announced". BBC News. 18 April 2013. Retrieved 26 May 2017.
- ↑ "Amour among contenders for 2013 Cesar Awards". BBC News. 25 January 2013. Retrieved 26 January 2013.
- ↑ "Venice Film Festival 2016". Deadline. 28 July 2016. Retrieved 28 July 2016.
- ↑ "The 2017 Official Selection". Cannes. 13 April 2017. Retrieved 25 May 2017.
- ↑ Tartaglione, Nancy (24 January 2017). "César Awards Nominations: Verhoeven's 'Elle', Ozon's 'Frantz' In The Lead". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 24 January 2017.
- ↑ "European Film Awards Nominations: 'The Square', 'Loveless', 'On Body And Soul' & More". Deadline. 4 November 2017.
- ↑ "AWARDS AND JURIES IN THE GENERATION SECTION". Retrieved 16 February 2019.
- ↑ "Roman Polanski's 'An Officer and a Spy' Leads France's Cesar Awards Nominations". The Hollywood Reporter. 29 January 2020. Retrieved 29 January 2020.
- ↑ "European Film Academy : Nominations for the European Film Awards 2020". www.europeanfilmacademy.org. Retrieved 2020-11-10.
- ↑ "Emmanuel Mouret's 'Love Affairs' Leads France's Cesar Nominations". Variety. 10 February 2021. Retrieved 10 February 2021.
- ↑ "Sean Penn, Wes Anderson, Ildikó Enyedi Join 2021 Cannes Lineup". The Hollywood Reporter. 3 June 2021. Retrieved 3 June 2021.
Further reading
- Asibong, Andrew, François Ozon, Manchester University Press (2008) ISBN 0-7190-7423-1
- Badt, Karin, "Francois Ozon's New Thriller Gains Applause at Cannes Despite Shallowness," Huffington Post (2017). http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/592736c8e4b03296e2d11342
- Cavitch, Max, "Sex After Death: François Ozon's Libidinal Invasions," Screen 48.3 (2007), 313-26
- Padva, Gilad. "Undressed Masculinities and Disrupted Sexualities in Une Robe d'été" in Grandena, Florian and Johnston, Cristina (Eds.). Cinematic Queerness: Gay and Lesbian Hypervisibility in Contemporary Francophone Feature Films, vol. 2 (Modern French Identities 98) (pp. 215–225). Oxford and New York: Peter Lang (2011).
- Palmer, Tim, "Style and Sensation in the Contemporary French Cinema of the Body," Journal of Film and Video 58.3 (2006), 22-32
- Rees-Roberts, Nick. French Queer Cinema, Edinburgh University Press (2008) ISBN 0-7486-3418-5
- Schilt, Thibaut. François Ozon, University of Illinois Press (2011) ISBN 0-252-07794-6
- Wende, Johannes (Ed.), François Ozon, edition text + kritik (2016) ISBN 978-3-86916-511-0
External links
- 1967 births
- Living people
- Best Director Lumières Award winners
- Best Screenwriter European Film Award winners
- Film directors from Paris
- French film editors
- French film producers
- French male non-fiction writers
- French male screenwriters
- French gay writers
- French LGBTQ film directors
- French LGBTQ screenwriters
- French-language film directors
- German-language film directors
- Gay screenwriters
- LGBTQ film producers
- Officers Crosses of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany
- Officiers of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres
- 20th-century French male writers
- 21st-century French male writers
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- 21st-century French LGBTQ people
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