Bertrand Tavernier (; 25 April 1941 – 25 March 2021) was a French film director, screenwriter, and producer.
Life and career
Tavernier was born in Lyon, France, the son of Geneviève (née Dumond) and René Tavernier, a publicist and writer, several years president of the French PEN club. He said his father's publishing of a wartime resistance journal and aid to anti-Nazi intellectuals shaped his moral outlook as an artist. According to Tavernier, his father believed that words were "as important and as lethal as bullets".
Tavernier's politics were influenced by the 1968 general strike in France. He entered the film industry as a publicist, where he worked for Jean-Pierre Melville and Jean-Luc Godard. Later, his first film (The Clockmaker, 1974) won the Prix Louis Delluc and the Silver Bear – Special Jury Prize award at the 24th Berlin International Film Festival.
In 1995, his film L'Appât won the Golden Bear Award at the 45th Berlin International Film Festival. Four years later, his film It All Starts Today won an Honourable Mention at the 49th Berlin International Film Festival.
His film The Princess of Montpensier competed for the Palme d'Or at the 2010 Cannes Film Festival.
Tavernier was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 42nd International Film Festival of India in Goa for his outstanding achievements and work in the film industry.
Personal life
Tavernier was married to screenwriter Colo Tavernier O'Hagan from 1965 to 1981. They had two children. Their son, Nils Tavernier (born 1 September 1965), works as both a director and actor. Their daughter, Tiffany Tavernier (born in 1967), is a novelist, screenwriter and assistant director.
Death
Tavernier died on 25 March 2021 at age 79.
Filmography
Short film
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Year
! Title
! Director
! Writer
|-
| rowspan=2|1964
| Les baisers
|
|
|-
| La chance et l'amour
|
|
|-
| rowspan=2|1983
| La 8ème génération
|
|
|-
| Ciné citron
|
|
|-
| 1991
| Contre l'oubli
|
|
|}
Documentary film
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Year
! Title
! Director
! Producer
! Writer
! Notes
|-
| 1982
| Philippe Soupault
|
|
|
|
|-
| 1983
| Mississippi Blues
|
|
|
| Co-directed with Robert Parrish
|-
| 1988
| Lyon, le regard intérieur
|
|
|
|
|-
| 1991
| Der grüne Berg
|
|
|
|
|-
| 1992
| La guerre sans nom
|
|
|
|
|-
| 1994
| Veillées d'armes
|
|
|
| Co-directed by Marcel Ophüls
|-
| 1997
| De l'autre côté du périph
|
|
|
|rowspan=2|Co-directed with Nils Tavernier
|-
| 2001
| Histoires de vies brisées
|
|
|
|-
| rowspan=2|2016
| Voyage à travers le cinéma français
|
|
|
|
|-
| Lumière ! L'aventure commence
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|
|
|
|}
TV movie
- Les enfants de Thiès (2001)
Feature film
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Year
! Title
! Director
! Writer
! Producer
! Notes
|-
| 1967
| Mexican Slayride
|
|
|
| Also press attache
|-
| 1968
| Captain Singrid
|
|
|
|
|-
| 1974
| The Clockmaker
|
|
|
|
|-
| 1975
| Let Joy Reign Supreme
|
|
|
|
|-
| 1976
| The Judge and the Assassin
|
|
|
|
|-
| rowspan=2|1977
| Spoiled Children
|
|
|
|
|-
| La question
|
|
|
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|-
| 1979
| Death Watch
|
|
|
|
|-
| 1980
| A Week's Vacation
|
|
|
|
|-
| 1981
| Coup de Torchon
|
|
|
|
|-
| 1983
| La trace
|
|
|
|
|-
| 1984
| A Sunday in the Country
|
|
|
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|-
| 1986
| Round Midnight
|
|
|
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|-
| rowspan=2|1987
| Beatrice
|
|
|
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|-
| Les mois d'avril sont meurtriers
|
|
|
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|-
| 1989
| Life and Nothing But
|
|
|
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|-
| 1990
| Daddy Nostalgie
|
|
|
| Also narrator
|-
| 1992
| L.627
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|
|
|
|-
| 1994
| Revenge of the Musketeers
|
|
|
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|-
| 1995
| The Bait
|
|
|
|
|-
| 1996
| Captain Conan
|
|
|
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|-
| 1999
| It All Starts Today
|
|
|
|
|-
| 2001
| Mon père, il m'a sauvé la vie
|
|
|
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|-
| 2002
| Safe Conduct
|
|
|
|
|-
| 2004
| Holy Lola
|
|
|
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|-
| 2008
| Lucifer et moi
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|
|
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| 2009
| In the Electric Mist
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|
|
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|-
| 2010
| The Princess of Montpensier
|
|
|
|
|-
| 2013
| The French Minister ()
|
|
|
| Also actor
|-
|}
Other credits
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Year
! Title
! Role
! Notes
|-
| 1960
| Wen kümmert's?
| Assistant Director
|rowspan=2|Short film
|-
| 1962
| The Bakery Girl of Monceau
| Narrator
|-
| rowspan=2|1963
| Contempt
| Publicist
|
|-
| Le Doulos
| Production publicist
|
|-
| 1964
| The Terror of Rome Against the Son of Hercules
| Assistant Director
|
|-
| 1965
| The 317th Platoon
| Press attache
|
|-
| 1966
| A Question of Honour
|rowspan=2|Assistant Director
|
|-
|rowspan=2|1969
| Orgasmo
|
|-
| Tout peut arriver
| Actor
|
|-
| 1970
| Last Known Address
| Press attache
|
|-
| 1981
| Le petit Mitchell illustré
| Actor
| Short film
|-
| 1990
| Un été après l'autre
|rowspan=3|Technical advisor
|
|-
|rowspan=2|1991
| Ragazzi
|
|-
| Jalousie
|
|-
|rowspan=2|1997
| Fred
| Executive producer
|
|-
| Quand le chat sourit
| Actor
| Short film
|-
| 2001
| Pas d'histoires !
| Co-Producer
|
|-
|}
Awards and nominations
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Year
! Title
! Award/Nomination
|-
| 1974
| The Clockmaker
| Berlin International Film Festival - OCIC Award<br />Berlin International Film Festival - Silver Berlin Bear<br />National Board of Review Award - Top Foreign Films<br />Louis Delluc Prize for Best First Film<br />Nominated - Berlin International Film Festival - Golden Berlin Bear
|-
| 1975
| Let Joy Reign Supreme
| César Award for Best Director<br />César Award for Best Screenplay, Dialogue or Adaptation<br />French Syndicate of Cinema Critics - Best Film<br />Nominated - César Award for Best Film
|-
| 1976
| The Judge and the Assassin
| César Award for Best Screenplay, Dialogue or Adaptation<br />Nominated - César Award for Best Film<br />Nominated - César Award for Best Director
|-
| 1979
| Death Watch
| Nominated - César Award for Best Screenplay, Dialogue or Adaptation<br />Nominated - Berlin International Film Festival - Golden Berlin Bear<br />Nominated - Chicago International Film Festival - Best Feature
|-
| 1980
| A Week's Vacation
| Nominated - Cannes Film Festival - Palme d'Or<br />Nominated - Chicago International Film Festival - Best Feature
|-
| 1981
| Coup de Torchon
| French Syndicate of Cinema Critics - Best Film<br />Nominated - Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film<br />Nominated - César Award for Best Film<br />Nominated - César Award for Best Director<br />Nominated - César Award for Best Screenplay, Dialogue or Adaptation
|-
| 1984
| A Sunday in the Country
| Boston Society of Film Critics Award for Best Director<br />Boston Society of Film Critics Award for Best Foreign Language Film<br />Cannes Film Festival - Best Director<br />César Award for Best Adaptation<br />London Film Critics' Circle Award for Foreign Language Film of the Year<br />Mainichi Film Award for Foreign Film Best One Award<br />National Board of Review Award - Top Foreign Films<br />New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Foreign Language Film<br />Kansas City Film Critics Circle Award for Best Foreign Film<br />Nominated - Golden Globe Award for Best Foreign Language Film<br />Nominated - BAFTA Award for Best Film Not in the English Language<br />Nominated - Cannes Film Festival - Palme d'Or<br />Nominated - César Award for Best Film<br />Nominated - César Award for Best Director<br />Nominated - National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Film<br />Nominated - National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Director<br />Nominated - National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Screenplay<br />Nominated - New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Director
|-
| 1986
| Round Midnight
| Bodil Award for Best Non-American Film<br />Italian National Syndicate of Film Journalists - Best Foreign Director<br />Venice Film Festival - Pasinetti Award<br />Nominated - National Board of Review: Top Ten Films<br />Nominated - New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Foreign Language Film<br />Nominated - Venice Film Festival - Golden Lion
|-
| 1989
| Life and Nothing But
| BAFTA Award for Best Film Not in the English Language<br />European Film Award - Special Prize of the Jury<br />Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award for Best Foreign Language Film<br />Tokyo International Film Festival - Best Artistic Contribution Award<br />Viareggio EuropaCinema - Best Film<br />Nominated - César Award for Best Film<br />Nominated - César Award for Best Director<br />Nominated - César Award for Best Original Screenplay or Adaptation<br />Nominated - David di Donatello for Best Foreign Film<br />Nominated - National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Foreign Language Film<br />Nominated - Tokyo International Film Festival - Tokyo Grand Prix
|-
| 1990
| Daddy Nostalgie
| Nominated - Cannes Film Festival - Palme d'Or<br />Nominated - Chicago Film Critics Association Award for Best Foreign Language Film
|-
|rowspan=2|1992
| L.627
| Nominated - César Award for Best Film<br />Nominated - César Award for Best Director<br />Nominated - César Award for Best Original Screenplay or Adaptation<br />Nominated - Venice Film Festival - Golden Lion
|-
| La guerre sans nom
| Bergamo Film Meeting - Special Mention
|-
| 1995
| The Bait
| Berlin International Film Festival - Golden Bear<br />Nominated - Gramado Film Festival - Best Latin Film<br />Nominated - Italian National Syndicate of Film Journalists - European Silver Ribbon
|-
| 1996
| Captain Conan
| César Award for Best Director<br />Denver Film Festival - Krzysztof Kieslowski Award<br />Denver Film Festival - People's Choice Award<br />French Syndicate of Cinema Critics - Best Film<br />San Sebastián International Film Festival - FIPRESCI Prize<br />San Sebastián International Film Festival - Solidarity Award<br />Nominated - César Award for Best Film<br />Nominated - César Award for Best Original Screenplay or Adaptation<br />Nominated - San Sebastián International Film Festival - Golden Seashell
|-
| 1999
| It All Starts Today
| Berlin International Film Festival - FIPRESCI Prize<br />Berlin International Film Festival - Honorable Mention<br />Berlin International Film Festival - Prize of the Ecumenical Jury<br />Norwegian International Film Festival - Ecumenical Film Award<br />San Sebastián International Film Festival - Audience Award<br />Fotogramas de Plata - Best Foreign Film<br />Sant Jordi Award for Best Foreign Film<br />Turia Award for Audience Award<br />Turia Award for Best Foreign Film<br />Nominated - Berlin International Film Festival - Golden Bear<br />Nominated - Goya Award for Best European Film<br />Nominated - Political Film Society Award for Democracy<br />Nominated - Political Film Society Award for Exposé<br />Nominated - Political Film Society Award for Human Rights<br />Nominated - Cinema Writers Circle Award for Best Foreign Film
|-
| 2002
| Safe Conduct
| Ft. Lauderdale International Film Festival - Best Film<br />Ft. Lauderdale International Film Festival - Best Director<br />Ft. Lauderdale International Film Festival - Best Screenplay<br />Nominated - Berlin International Film Festival - Golden Bear
|-
| 2004
| Holy Lola
| San Sebastián International Film Festival - Audience Award
|-
| 2009
| In the Electric Mist
| Nominated - Berlin International Film Festival - Golden Bear
|-
| 2010
| The Princess of Montpensier
| Philadelphia Film Festival - Audience Award - Honorable Mention<br />Nominated - Cannes Film Festival - Palme d'Or<br />Nominated - Chicago International Film Festival - Best Feature<br />Nominated - César Award for Best Adaptation
|-
| 2013
| The French Minister ()<br />Nominated - César Award for Best Adaptation<br />Nominated - Lumière Award for Best Film<br />Nominated - Lumière Award for Best Director<br />Nominated - Lumière Award for Best Screenplay<br />Nominated - San Sebastián International Film Festival - Best Film
|-
| 2016
| Voyage à travers le cinéma français
| Nominated - Cannes Film Festival - L'Œil d'or
|-
|}
References
External links
- Senses of Cinema: Great Directors Critical Database
- Emily Zants (1999). "Bertrand Tavernier: Fractured Narrative and Bourgeois Values", The Scarecrow Press, Inc., Lanham, MD, and London. The Table of Contents and Introductory Chapter
- An interview with Bertrand Tavernier: "My job is to dream and invent, and out of this produce something that will change the world" - World Socialist Web Site
- Bertrand Tavernier speaks with the World Socialist Web Site
- An interview with Bertrand Tavernier on his film The Princess of Montpensier at subtitledonline.com
- Bertrand Tavernier in Conversation with Melinda Camber Porter PDF
- Veteran French filmmaker Bertrand Tavernier (1941–2021): In genuine appreciation - World Socialist Web Site