Patrice Leconte facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Patrice Leconte
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Patrice Leconte in 2018
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| Born | 12 November 1947 Paris, France
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| Occupation | Film director, screenwriter, comic strip writer |
| Years active | 1969–present |
Patrice Leconte (born 12 November 1947) is a famous French film director, screenwriter, and comic strip writer. He is known for making many different kinds of movies, from funny comedies to serious dramas.
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From Cartoons to Cameras
Patrice Leconte was born in Paris but grew up in the city of Tours. He loved movies from a young age and started making his own short films with a small camera when he was only 15. In 1967, he moved back to Paris to study at a famous film school called the Institut des hautes études cinématographiques.
While he was in school, Leconte also had another creative job: he was a cartoonist! He drew for a popular French comics magazine called Pilote. This experience with storytelling and art would help him later in his film career.
First Steps in Filmmaking
In 1976, Leconte directed his first full-length movie, called Les vécés étaient fermés de l'intérieur. It was a comedy that made fun of crime movies. He worked with famous French actors like Jean Rochefort and Coluche. Unfortunately, the movie was not a success at the box office.
But Leconte didn't give up. Two years later, in 1978, he directed a comedy called French Fried Vacation (Les Bronzés). The movie starred a popular comedy group called Le Splendid. This time, the film was a huge hit in France and made Leconte a well-known director. He quickly made a sequel, French Fried Vacation 2, which was also very successful.
A Director of Many Styles
After his early success with comedies, Leconte wanted to try making different types of films. He proved he could direct more than just funny movies.
Exploring New Genres
In 1985, he directed an action movie called Les Spécialistes, which was another big hit. Then, in 1987, he made Tandem, a movie that was both funny and sad. It starred Gérard Jugnot, an actor from the Le Splendid comedy group, in his first serious role.
In 1989, Leconte directed Monsieur Hire, a serious crime drama. This film was shown at the famous 1989 Cannes Film Festival and brought him attention from all over the world. Many critics outside of France had not seen his earlier comedies, so they thought he was a new director. From then on, Leconte became known for making both popular French movies and artistic films that were loved internationally.
International Success
In the 2000s, many of Leconte's films became popular in the United States. Movies like Girl on the Bridge, The Widow of Saint-Pierre, and Man on the Train were successful in American movie theaters that show artistic or foreign films.
His work was so well-liked that Hollywood studios decided to remake some of his movies in English. These include Man on the Train, Intimate Strangers, and My Best Friend.
In 2013, Leconte directed his first movie in English, called A Promise.
Notable Films
Patrice Leconte has directed dozens of films throughout his long career. Here are some of his most famous ones:
- French Fried Vacation (1978) - A classic French comedy about a group of friends on a beach holiday.
- Tandem (1987) - A touching story about the friendship between a radio host and his sound engineer.
- Monsieur Hire (1989) - A dark and serious crime film that earned him international praise.
- The Hairdresser's Husband (1990) - A unique love story about a man who marries his childhood crush, a hairdresser.
- Ridicule (1996) - A historical film set in the 18th century French court. It won many awards, including the César Award (the French Oscar) for Best Film.
- Girl on the Bridge (1999) - A black-and-white film about a knife-thrower and his assistant.
- The Man on the Train (2002) - A story about an unlikely friendship between a retired teacher and a bank robber.
- Maigret (2022) - A detective film featuring the famous fictional French detective, Jules Maigret.
Awards and Recognition
Patrice Leconte's films have won many awards around the world.
- His film Ridicule was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. It won the César Award for Best Film and the BAFTA Award for Best Film not in the English Language.
- Monsieur Hire won the Best Foreign Language Film award from the Boston Society of Film Critics.
- The Hairdresser's Husband won the prestigious Louis Delluc Prize in France.
- Several of his other films, including Girl on the Bridge and The Widow of Saint-Pierre, were nominated for Golden Globe Awards.
See also
In Spanish: Patrice Leconte para niños
