Babette Mangolte facts for kids

Babette Mangolte is a famous French artist. She is known for her work as a cinematographer, film director, and photographer. A cinematographer is the person who operates the camera and decides how a film looks. Babette moved to the United States in 1970. She has lived and worked there ever since.

Babette Mangolte's Journey into Film

Babette Mangolte was born and grew up in France. She moved to New York City in 1970. She went to a special film school in France. It was called L'Ecole Nationale de la Photographie et de la Cinematographie. She finished her studies there in 1966.

Babette chose to move to New York for a few reasons. She felt that the French film industry was mostly run by men. She was also very interested in new and experimental films. These were movies made by American filmmakers. Some of these filmmakers were Jonas Mekas and Stan Brakhage.

Working with Other Artists and Directors

In the 1970s, Babette started filming performances. These were often by famous dancers and choreographers. Some of these artists included Trisha Brown and Yvonne Rainer. During this time, she also worked with film director Chantal Akerman. They made several movies together.

Two of their most famous films are Jeanne Dielman, 23 quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles (1975) and News from Home (1977). Babette filmed her first full-length movie, L'Automne, in 1970. It was directed by Marcel Hanoun.

How One Movie Inspired Her Career

Babette Mangolte says that the film Man with a Movie Camera (1929) inspired her. This movie made her want to become a cinematographer. She watched this film many times. This was between 1961 and 1964. It helped her decide to go to film school.

She chose a life of adventure. She did not choose a predictable life studying mathematics. In the 1960s, it was unusual for women to work with film cameras. People warned her not to follow her dream. But the joy and hope in Man with a Movie Camera made her brave.

Her Unique Filmmaking Style

Babette is known for her experimental filmmaking. This means she tries new and different ways to make movies. Her style is influenced by the French New Wave. This was a new way of making films in France. It is also influenced by Structural film. This type of film focuses on the basic elements of film.

She has made many films about dancers and performance artists. She has also made documentaries. These are films that show real events or people. She has also made story-based films. Her films include both short and long movies. One of her recent films is Seven Easy Pieces (2007). This is a documentary about the performance artist Marina Abramović.

Today, Babette Mangolte is a professor. She teaches at the University of California, San Diego.

Notable Films by Babette Mangolte

Babette Mangolte has directed, produced, photographed, or edited many films. Here are a few examples:

• 1975 What Maisie Knew
• 1977 The Camera: Je (La Camera: I)
• 1978 Water Motor (with choreography by Trisha Brown)
• 1982 The Sky on Location
• 2007 Seven Easy Pieces by Marina Abaramović
• 2012 Roof Piece on the High Line

See also

In Spanish: Babette Mangolte para niños