Bertrand Tavernier


Bertrand Tavernier is a French director, screenwriter, actor and producer.

Life and career

Tavernier was born in Lyon, the son of Geneviève and René Tavernier, a publicist and writer, several years president of the French PEN club. He says that his father's publishing of a wartime resistance journal and aid to anti-Nazi intellectuals shaped his moral outlook as an artist. According to Tavernier, his father believed that words were "as important and as lethal as bullets". Tavernier wanted to become a filmmaker since the age of 13 or 14 years. He has said that his cinematic influences include filmmakers John Ford, William Wellman, Jean Renoir, Jean Vigo and Jacques Becker. Tavernier was influenced by the 1968 general strike in France. He associated with the OCI between 1973 and 1975, and was particularly struck by the writing of Leon Trotsky. The first film director with whom he worked was Jean-Pierre Melville. Later, his first film won the Prix Louis Delluc and the Silver Bear – Special Jury Prize award at the 24th Berlin International Film Festival.
His early work was dominated by mysteries, but his later work is characterized by a more overt social commentary, highlighting his left-wing views and presenting a critical picture of contemporary French society.
He won the BAFTA for best film in a language other than English in 1990 for Life and Nothing But and a total of four César Awards.
In 1995, his film L'Appât won the Golden Bear Award at the 45th Berlin International Film Festival. Four years later, his film It All Starts Today won an Honourable Mention at the 49th Berlin International Film Festival.
His film The Princess of Montpensier competed for the Palme d'Or at the 2010 Cannes Film Festival.
Tavernier was married to screenwriter Claudine O'Hagen from 1965 to 1980. They have two children. Their son, Nils Tavernier, works as both a director and actor. Their daughter, Tiffany Tavernier, is a novelist, screenwriter and assistant director.
He was honored with Lifetime Achievement Award at 42nd International Film Festival of India in Goa for his outstanding achievements and work in film industry.

Filmography