Jean Vigo facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jean Vigo
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Vigo, 1930s
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| Born | 26 April 1905 Paris, France
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| Died | 5 October 1934 (aged 29) Paris, France
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| Occupation | Film director |
| Years active | 1930–1934 |
Jean Vigo (born April 26, 1905 – died October 5, 1934) was a French film director. He helped create a style of filmmaking called poetic realism in the 1930s. His movies later inspired the French New Wave cinema movement in the late 1950s and early 1960s.
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Jean Vigo's Early Life
Jean Vigo was born in Paris, France. His parents were Emily Clero and Miguel Almereyda, who was a political activist. Jean spent much of his early life moving around with his parents. His father died under mysterious circumstances when Jean was young. After this, Jean was sent to a boarding school. He used a different name, Jean Sales, to keep his identity a secret.
Vigo later got married and had a daughter named Luce Vigo in 1931. Luce later became a film critic. Jean Vigo died in 1934 from problems caused by tuberculosis. He had been sick with this illness for eight years.
Jean Vigo's Film Career
Jean Vigo is famous for two films that greatly influenced French and world cinema. These films are Zero for Conduct (made in 1933) and L'Atalante (made in 1934).
Zero for Conduct (1933)
Zero for Conduct is a short film, about 44 minutes long. It shows a rebellious and energetic story about students in a boarding school. A film critic named David Thomson called it "forty-four minutes of sustained, if roughly shot anarchic crescendo." This film was known for its wild and free style.
L'Atalante (1934)
L'Atalante was Jean Vigo's only full-length movie. It tells a simple story about a newly married couple. They separate and then find each other again. The movie mixes real-life scenes with dream-like parts. David Thomson described it as "not so much a masterpiece as a definition of cinema." This means the film was very important in showing what cinema could be.
Other Early Films
Vigo started his career with two other films. The first was À propos de Nice (1930). This was a silent film about social inequality in the city of Nice. It was inspired by Soviet newsreels. The second film was Jean Taris, Swimming Champion (1931). This movie was a study of the swimmer Jean Taris.
None of Vigo's four films made a lot of money. At one point, he had to sell his camera because he and his wife were sick and needed money. Even though his films were not financial successes at the time, they became very important later.
Film Recognition and Restoration
Both Zero for Conduct and L'Atalante are now highly praised. L'Atalante was chosen as one of the greatest films of all time in polls by Sight & Sound magazine. In the late 1980s, an original copy of L'Atalante was found. This helped restore the film to its first version.
Film critic Andrew Johnston wrote about Vigo in The New York Times. He said that Vigo was like other young artists who died too soon. Vigo left behind a few great works that showed what an amazing director he could have become.
Jean Vigo's Filmography
- 1930: À propos de Nice
- 1931: La Natation par Jean Taris or Taris, roi de l'eau
- 1933: Zéro de conduite
- 1934: L'Atalante
Awards and Honors
In 2011, Jean Vigo was honored with the Parajanov-Vartanov Institute Award. This award was given after his death for his film Zero for Conduct. His daughter, Luce Vigo, accepted the award. Famous director Martin Scorsese wrote a letter praising Vigo for his work.
Jean Vigo's Legacy
Jean Vigo's work continues to inspire filmmakers today.
- The Prix Jean Vigo is an award given every year since 1951 to great French film directors.
- The Jean Vigo Award is a yearly prize for Best Director at a film festival in Spain.
- There is a play about Vigo called Jean Vigo by Paulo Emilio Salles Gomez.
- Another play, Love's A Revolution, is based on Gomez's play.
- Vigo: Passion for Life is a 1998 British movie about Vigo's life.
See also
In Spanish: Jean Vigo para niños
