Roland Joffé facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Roland Joffé
Joffé in 2012
Born	(1945-11-17) 17 November 1945 (age 79) London, England
Education	Lycée Français Charles de Gaulle Carmel College, Oxfordshire
Alma mater	University of Manchester
Occupation	Film director, producer, screenwriter
Years active	1960–present
Spouse(s)	Jane Lapotaire ​ ​ (m. 1974; div. 1980)​
Children	Rowan Joffé Nathalie Lunghi

Roland Joffé (born 17 November 1945) is an English film and television director. He is also a producer, which means he helps manage the making of films. Sometimes, he writes the stories for movies too.

He is famous for directing two highly praised films: The Killing Fields (1984) and The Mission (1986). Both movies earned him nominations for the Best Director award. The Mission also won the top prize, the Palme d'Or, at the 1986 Cannes Film Festival.

Joffé started his career working in television. He directed episodes for popular shows like Coronation Street. He also became known for making TV dramas that explored important social and political topics.

Early Life and School Days

Roland Joffé was born in London, England. His family had roots in France and a Jewish background.

He went to two special schools. One was the Lycée Français Charles de Gaulle in London. The other was Carmel College in Wallingford, Oxfordshire. This was a Jewish boarding school, which means students lived there. He later studied at the University of Manchester.

Roland Joffé's Career

Working in Television

After finishing university, Roland Joffé joined Granada Television in 1973. He started as a trainee director. He directed episodes for many TV shows. These included Coronation Street, Sam, and The Stars Look Down.

He also directed a play called The Spongers for the BBC's Play for Today series. This play won a major award called the Prix Italia. Joffé directed two more plays for Play for Today later on.

Directing Movies

Roland Joffé's first two movies were very successful. They were The Killing Fields (1984) and The Mission (1986). Both films earned him nominations for the Best Director award.

• The Killing Fields tells the story of a friendship between an American journalist and his translator. The story takes place during a difficult time in Cambodia. The film won three Academy Awards.
• The Mission is about Jesuit missionaries in South America. They try to help the native Guaraní people. The film shows the conflict between the missionaries and European colonizers. The Mission won the top prize at the 1986 Cannes Film Festival. It also received six Academy Award nominations and won one for its amazing camera work.

Later, Joffé directed other films. In 1993, he helped produce a movie based on the video game Super Mario Bros.. His 1995 movie, The Scarlet Letter, was not as successful. His 2007 horror film Captivity also caused some debate.

In 2011, he released There Be Dragons. This movie was about faith and forgiveness. Joffé said he was very proud of the message in this film. In 2013, he directed The Lovers, which was a historical adventure movie.

Personal Life and Interests

Roland Joffé by Jacob Epstein, around 1949

From 1974 to 1980, Roland Joffé was married to actress Jane Lapotaire. They have a son named Rowan Joffé, who is also a screenwriter and director. Later, he had a long-term relationship with actress Cherie Lunghi. They have a daughter, Nathalie Lunghi, who is an actor.

Joffé is involved with a group called Operation USA. This group helps people in need around the world. He also supports the Valletta Film Festival in Malta, where he lives.

When it comes to his beliefs, Joffé has said he is a "wobbly agnostic." This means he is not sure about the existence of a God.

Filmography

Movies Directed

Movies Produced Only

Television Shows Directed

Awards and Nominations