Jean-Luc Godard, famous Franco-Swiss director, died at the age of 91.
He is dead “peacefully” surrounded by his relatives on Tuesday at his home in the small town of Rolle in Switzerland, his family said in a press release.
His family’s adviser confirmed to AFP that Jean-Luc Godard had recourse to assisted suicide.
“Mr. Godard had recourse to legal assistance in Switzerland for voluntary departure following multiple disabling pathologies according to the terms of the medical report”explained Patrick Jeanneret, confirming information published by the newspaper Liberation.
His relatives indicate that no official ceremony will take place. He will be “cremated”indicates the brief press release sent to AFP.
Jean-Luc Godard, figure of the New Wave, left behind him many masterpieces including Breathless, Pierrot Le Fou.
He is considered a monument of French cinema.
He has played the greatest French actors: Gerard Depardieu, Brigitte Bardot, Michel Piccoli, Yves Montant, Jean-Paul Belmondo, Alain Delon, Jane Fonda, without forgetting Ana Karina (who was briefly his wife).
He has received just about every possible cinema accolade:
- Golden Bear at the Berlin Festival in 1965 for Alphaville
- Honorary Golden Lion in 1982 at the Venice Film Festival and the Golden Lion for Best Film for Name Carmen in 1983
- Cannes Film Festival Jury Prize for Farewell to language in 2014
- Honorary César, in 1987 and 1998, and an Honorary Oscar in 2010 for his entire career.
- Special Palme d’Or in 2018 for The picture book and all his work at the 71st Cannes Film Festival.
Some important dates of Jean-Luc Godard
– December 3, 1930: birth in Paris.
– 1960: “A bout de souffle”, first feature film, Jean-Vigo Prize and Best Director Prize at the Berlin Festival.
– March 2, 1961: marries Anna Karina, actress who plays in seven of his films (they divorced in 1964).
– 1963: “Contempt” with Brigitte Bardot.
– 1965: “Pierrot le fou” with Jean-Paul Belmondo. “Alphaville, a strange adventure of Lemmy Caution” wins the Golden Bear in Berlin.
– 1967: “La Chinoise” with Anne Wiazemsky whom he married in 1967 (separation in 1970), special prize at the Venice Film Festival.
– June 9, 1971: serious motorcycle accident. Six months in hospital and long rehabilitation. Bonds with the Swiss screenwriter Anne-Marie Miéville.
– 1977: moved to Rolle, Switzerland, with Anne-Marie Miéville.
– The 80s: return to big-budget fiction with “Sauve qui peut (la vie)”, “Passion”, “Detective” (with Johnny Hallyday), “Hail Mary”…
– 1987: César of honor for his entire career, coupled with a second exceptional César of honor for his work in 1998.
– 1998: “History(ies) of cinema”, monumental fresco of four volumes made up of collages and quotes.
– 2010: Honorary Oscar for his entire career.
– 2014: “Farewell to language”, jury prize at Cannes (his only award in this Festival where eight of his films were in competition).
– 2018: Special Palme d’Or for “The Image Book” and all of his work.
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Cinema: death of Franco-Swiss director Jean-Luc Godard