Cyril Collard


Cyril Collard was a French author, filmmaker, composer, musician and actor. He is known for his unapologetic portrayals of bisexuality and HIV in art, particularly his autobiographical novel and film Les Nuits Fauves. Openly bisexual, Collard was also one of the first French artists to speak openly about his HIV-positive status.

Early life

Collard was born into a liberal, middle-class family in France. He attended Lycée Hoche in Versailles, and pursued an engineering degree at Institut Industriel du Nord in Villeneuve d'Ascq, later known as École centrale de Lille before deciding to drop out.

Books

The semi-autobiographical Savage Nights, finished in 1992, was Collard's first and only feature film. It won four Césars in 1993. Unfortunately, Collard did not live to accept his award; he had died three days earlier.

Other directing credits

Early in his career, Collard assisted fellow director Maurice Pialat and directed six music videos, as well as several television programs. Among the music videos he directed were those of French-Algerian band Carte de Séjour, whose lead singer Rachid Taha was one of the most famous rock-ethnic musicians in France.
Collard's own experiences with AIDS undoubtedly influenced his work. He died of AIDS-related illness aged 35.