# Bertrand Tavernier

Bertrand Tavernier (French pronunciation:; 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 wanted to become a filmmaker from the age of 13 or 14 years. He said that his cinematic influences included filmmakers John Ford, William Wellman, Jean Renoir, Jean Vigo and Jacques Becker.
Tavernier was influenced by the 1968 general strike in France. He associated with the OCI between 1973 and 1975, and was particularly struck by the writing of Leon Trotsky. The first film director with whom he worked was Jean-Pierre Melville. 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.
His early work was dominated by mysteries, but his later work is characterized by a more overt social commentary, highlighting his left-wing views (Life and Nothing But, Captain Conan) and presenting a critical picture of contemporary French society (It All Starts Today, Histoires de vies brisées : les double-peine de Lyon).

## Honours and Awards

In 1986, his film Round Midnight won two César Awards (Best Original Music and Best Sound), the Best Film Award at the Venice Film Festival and the Oscar for Best Music (Original Score) at the 1987 Academy Awards.
He won the BAFTA for best film in a language other than English in 1990 for Life and Nothing But and a total of four César Awards and was joint winner of another.
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

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1960 | Wen kümmert's? | Assistant Director | Short directed by Volker Schlöndorff |
| 1962 | The Bakery Girl of Monceau | Narrator | Short directed by Éric Rohmer |
| 1963 | Contempt | Publicist | Le Mépris, directed by Jean-Luc Godard |
| 1963 | Le Doulos | Production publicist | Directed by Jean-Pierre Melville |
| 1964 | The Terror of Rome Against the Son of Hercules | Assistant Director | Directed by Mario Caiano |
| 1964 | Les baisers | Director | Short |
| 1964 | La chance et l'amour | Director | Short |
| 1965 | The 317th Platoon | Press attache | Directed by Pierre Schoendoerffer |
| 1966 | A Question of Honour | Assistant Director | Directed by Luigi Zampa |
| 1967 | Mexican Slayride | Writer & Press attache | Directed by Riccardo Freda |
| 1968 | Captain Singrid | Writer | Directed by Jean Leduc |
| 1969 | Orgasmo | Assistant Director | Directed by Umberto Lenzi |
| 1969 | Tout peut arriver | Actor | Directed by Philippe Labro |
| 1970 | Last Known Address | Press attache | Directed by José Giovanni |
| 1974 | The Clockmaker | Director & Writer | L'Horloger de Saint-Paul Berlin International Film Festival - OCIC Award Berlin International Film Festival - Silver Berlin Bear National Board of Review Award - Top Foreign Films Louis Delluc Prize for Best First Film Nominated - Berlin International Film Festival - Golden Berlin Bear |
| 1975 | Let Joy Reign Supreme | Director & Writer | Que la fête commence... César Award for Best Director César Award for Best Writing French Syndicate of Cinema Critics - Best Film Nominated - César Award for Best Film |
| 1976 | The Judge and the Assassin | Director & Writer | César Award for Best Writing Nominated - César Award for Best Film Nominated - César Award for Best Director |
| 1977 | Spoiled Children | Director & Writer | Des enfants gâtés |
| 1977 | La question | Producer | Directed by Laurent Heynemann |
| 1979 | Death Watch | Director, Writer & Producer | La mort en direct Nominated - César Award for Best Writing Nominated - Berlin International Film Festival - Golden Berlin Bear Nominated - Chicago International Film Festival - Best Feature |
| 1980 | A Week's Vacation | Director, Writer & Producer | Nominated - Cannes Film Festival - Palme d'Or Nominated - Chicago International Film Festival - Best Feature |
| 1981 | Coup de Torchon | Director & Writer | French Syndicate of Cinema Critics - Best Film Nominated - Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film Nominated - César Award for Best Film Nominated - César Award for Best Director Nominated - César Award for Best Writing |
| 1981 | Le petit Mitchell illustré | Actor | TV movie directed by Gérard Jourd'hui |
| 1982 | Philippe Soupault | Director | Documentary |
| 1983 | La trace | Writer & Associate producer | Directed by Bernard Favre |
| 1983 | Mississippi Blues | Director & Producer | Documentary directed with Robert Parrish |
| 1983 | La 8ème génération | Director & Writer | Short |
| 1983 | Ciné citron | Director & Writer | Short |
| 1984 | A Sunday in the Country | Director, Writer & Producer | Boston Society of Film Critics Award for Best Director Boston Society of Film Critics Award for Best Foreign Language Film Cannes Film Festival - Best Director César Award for Best Adaptation London Film Critics' Circle Award for Foreign Language Film of the Year Mainichi Film Award for Foreign Film Best One Award National Board of Review Award - Top Foreign Films New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Foreign Language Film Kansas City Film Critics Circle Award for Best Foreign Film Nominated - Golden Globe Award for Best Foreign Language Film Nominated - BAFTA Award for Best Film Not in the English Language Nominated - Cannes Film Festival - Palme d'Or Nominated - César Award for Best Film Nominated - César Award for Best Director Nominated - National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Film Nominated - National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Director Nominated - National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Screenplay Nominated - New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Director |
| 1986 | Round Midnight | Director & Writer | Bodil Award for Best Non-American Film Italian National Syndicate of Film Journalists - Best Foreign Director Venice Film Festival - Pasinetti Award Nominated - National Board of Review: Top Ten Films Nominated - New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Foreign Language Film Nominated - Venice Film Festival - Golden Lion |
| 1987 | Beatrice | Director | |
| 1987 | Les mois d'avril sont meurtriers | Writer | Directed by Laurent Heynemann (2) |
| 1988 | Lyon, le regard intérieur | Director & Writer | Documentary |
| 1989 | Life and Nothing But | Director & Writer | BAFTA Award for Best Film Not in the English Language European Film Award - Special Prize of the Jury Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award for Best Foreign Language Film Tokyo International Film Festival - Best Artistic Contribution Award Viareggio EuropaCinema - Best Film Nominated - César Award for Best Film Nominated - César Award for Best Director Nominated - César Award for Best Writing Nominated - David di Donatello for Best Foreign Film Nominated - National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Foreign Language Film Nominated - Tokyo International Film Festival - Tokyo Grand Prix |
| 1990 | Daddy Nostalgie | Director, Writer & Narrator | Nominated - Cannes Film Festival - Palme d'Or Nominated - Chicago Film Critics Association Award for Best Foreign Language Film |
| 1990 | Un été après l'autre | Technical advisor | Directed by Anne-Marie Etienne |
| 1991 | Contre l'oubli | Director | Short |
| 1991 | Der grüne Berg | Writer | Documentary directed by Fredi M. Murer |
| 1991 | Ragazzi | Technical advisor | Directed by Mama Keïta |
| 1991 | Jalousie | Technical advisor | Directed by Kathleen Fonmarty |
| 1992 | L.627 | Director & Writer | Nominated - César Award for Best Film Nominated - César Award for Best Director Nominated - César Award for Best Writing Nominated - Venice Film Festival - Golden Lion |
| 1992 | La guerre sans nom | Director & Writer | Documentary Bergamo Film Meeting - Special Mention |
| 1994 | Revenge of the Musketeers | Director & Writer | |
| 1994 | Veillées d'armes | Producer | Documentary directed by Marcel Ophüls |
| 1995 | The Bait | Director & Writer | Berlin International Film Festival - Golden Bear Nominated - Gramado Film Festival - Best Latin Film Nominated - Italian National Syndicate of Film Journalists - European Silver Ribbon |
| 1996 | Captain Conan | Director & Writer | César Award for Best Director Denver Film Festival - Krzysztof Kieslowski Award Denver Film Festival - People's Choice Award French Syndicate of Cinema Critics - Best Film San Sebastián International Film Festival - FIPRESCI Prize San Sebastián International Film Festival - Solidarity Award Nominated - César Award for Best Film Nominated - César Award for Best Writing Nominated - San Sebastián International Film Festival - Golden Seashell |
| 1997 | De l'autre côté du périph | Director | Documentary directed with Nils Tavernier |
| 1997 | Fred | Executive producer | Directed by Pierre Jolivet |
| 1997 | Quand le chat sourit | Actor | TV movie directed by Sabine Azéma |
| 1999 | It All Starts Today | Director & Writer | Berlin International Film Festival - FIPRESCI Prize Berlin International Film Festival - Honorable Mention Berlin International Film Festival - Prize of the Ecumenical Jury Norwegian International Film Festival - Ecumenical Film Award San Sebastián International Film Festival - Audience Award Fotogramas de Plata - Best Foreign Film Sant Jordi Award for Best Foreign Film Turia Award for Audience Award Turia Award for Best Foreign Film Nominated - Berlin International Film Festival - Golden Bear Nominated - Goya Award for Best European Film Nominated - Political Film Society Award for Democracy Nominated - Political Film Society Award for Exposé Nominated - Political Film Society Award for Human Rights Nominated - Cinema Writers Circle Award for Best Foreign Film |
| 2001 | Histoires de vies brisées | Director | Documentary directed with Nils Tavernier (2) |
| 2001 | Mon père, il m'a sauvé la vie | Writer | Directed by José Giovanni |
| 2001 | Les enfants de Thiès | Director | TV movie directed with Nils Tavernier (3) |
| 2001 | Pas d'histoires ! | Co-Producer | Directed by 13 directors |
| 2002 | Safe Conduct | Director & Writer | Ft. Lauderdale International Film Festival - Best Film Ft. Lauderdale International Film Festival - Best Director Ft. Lauderdale International Film Festival - Best Screenplay Nominated - Berlin International Film Festival - Golden Bear |
| 2004 | Holy Lola | Director & Writer | San Sebastián International Film Festival - Audience Award |
| 2008 | Lucifer et moi | Writer | Directed by Jean-Jacques Grand-Jouan |
| 2009 | In the Electric Mist | Director | Nominated - Berlin International Film Festival - Golden Bear |
| 2010 | The Princess of Montpensier | Director & Writer | Philadelphia Film Festival - Audience Award - Honorable Mention Nominated - Cannes Film Festival - Palme d'Or Nominated - Chicago International Film Festival - Best Feature Nominated - César Award for Best Adaptation |
| 2013 | The French Minister (French: Quai d'Orsay) | Director, Writer & Actor | San Sebastián International Film Festival - Best Screenplay Nominated - César Award for Best Adaptation Nominated - Lumières Award for Best Film Nominated - Lumières Award for Best Director Nominated - Lumières Award for Best Screenplay Nominated - San Sebastián International Film Festival - Best Film |
| 2016 | My Journey Through French Cinema (French: Voyage à travers le cinéma français) | Director & Producer | Documentary Nominated - Cannes Film Festival - L'Œil d'or |
| 2016 | Lumière ! L'aventure commence | Producer | Documentary |