Catherine Breillat facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Catherine Breillat
Breillat in 2023
Born	(1948-07-13) 13 July 1948 (age 77) Bressuire, Deux-Sèvres, France
Occupation	Film director, screenwriter, novelist

Catherine Breillat (born 13 July 1948) is a French filmmaker, novelist, and professor. She is known for making films that explore deep and sometimes difficult ideas. She teaches about auteur cinema at the European Graduate School. An auteur is a director who has a very personal and unique style, like an author of a book.

Early Life and Career

Catherine Breillat was born in Bressuire, France, and grew up in the nearby town of Niort. When she was twelve years old, she watched the film Sawdust and Tinsel by the famous director Ingmar Bergman. The movie had a big impact on her. She felt a strong connection to one of the characters and decided that she wanted to become a writer and director.

She began her career by studying acting in Paris with her sister, Marie-Hélène Breillat. Catherine was also a talented writer from a young age. Her first novel, L'homme facile (A Man for the Asking), was published when she was only 17. Because it dealt with mature topics, the French government said it was only for readers over 18.

A Career in Filmmaking

Breillat is famous for her films that look closely at relationships, growing up, and conflicts between people. Her work often sparks discussion because she is not afraid to show challenging situations. Because of her unique style, her work is sometimes linked with a French film movement called the cinéma du corps, or "cinema of the body," which focuses on human experience in a very direct way.

Although she usually works behind the camera, Breillat has also acted in a few movies. She appeared in the 1972 film Last Tango in Paris with her sister.

Overcoming a Health Challenge

In 2004, Breillat had a serious health problem called a intracerebral hemorrhage, which is a type of stroke. It affected the left side of her body. After spending five months in the hospital and going through a long recovery, she slowly returned to her work. In 2007, she directed the film The Last Mistress (Une vieille maîtresse). The film was a great success and was chosen to be shown at the famous Cannes Film Festival.

A Difficult Personal Experience

In 2007, Breillat met a man named Christophe Rocancourt. She planned to have him star in a movie based on her novel Bad Love. Over the next year and a half, she gave him a large amount of money for various projects.

Later, Breillat felt that Rocancourt had taken advantage of her while she was still recovering from her stroke. In 2009, she wrote a book about this experience called Abus de faiblesse, which is a French legal term for "abuse of weakness." In 2012, a court found that Rocancourt had taken her money unfairly. Breillat later directed a film based on her book, also called Abus de faiblesse.

Themes in Breillat's Films

Breillat's films often explore the journey from being a girl to becoming an adult. Her female characters are often trying to find their own way in the world and understand themselves. Breillat uses her films to tell stories from a female point of view, showing characters who have experiences that are just as complex and important as those of male characters.

Her filmmaking style is also notable. She often uses very long takes, where the camera keeps rolling for several minutes without cutting. This technique allows the actors to give powerful performances and helps the audience focus on the important ideas and feelings in the scene.

Works

Filmography

Here is a list of some of the films Catherine Breillat has directed or written.

Books

• Abus de faiblesse
• Le Soupirail
• L'homme facile
• Tapage Nocturne