Director, actor Mathieu Kassovitz: biography, filmography

2024 Author: Leah Sherlock | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 05:25

Mathieu Kassovitz is a popular French producer, actor, screenwriter and director, winner of two awards at the Cannes Film Festival. He is known primarily as the director of the thriller Crimson Rivers, in which Jean Reno and Vincent Cassel played.

Childhood

Mathieu was born on 1967-03-08 in the capital of France, Paris. His father is the famous director Peter Kassovitz. The boy has been on the set since childhood and the future in the world of cinema was prepared for him from childhood. Even in his school years, young Kassovitz began acting in films.

In 1980, the film "The Party" was released, where Mathieu played with Sophie Marceau.

The beginning of a directorial career

In 1990, Kassovitz began his career as a director, shooting a short film "Fierro Louse" - a parody of the famous tape of the great director Godard "Mad Pierrot" in 1965. Kassovitz is immediately included in the cohort of French new wave directors such as Chabrol, Rohmer, Godard, Varda and others.

This category of French filmmakers is vehemently interested inpostmodernism, is distinguished by a bright existential content of screen time, is famous for the excessive visuality of his works.

Mathieu Kassovitz started making feature films in 1993. The debut work of the director was the dramatic comedy film Metiska. Mathieu himself played one of the main roles in it. The plot is based on the story of a mestizo girl who is raised by a Jew, a mulatto and a black man in a large city. French rap sounds in the picture, a lot of street shooting. The film is often compared to the work of director Woody Allen.

In 1995, the young director shoots the film "Hatred", which received many positive reviews from film critics. The film received an award at the Cannes International Film Festival, as well as a Cesar award. The plot of this black and white drama is based on violence, bloody showdowns between guys of different ethnic groups in Paris. One of the main roles in the film was played by actor Vincent Cassel. The film "Hatred" brought recognition to Kassovitz and made him a fashionable director in France.

In 1997, the filmography of Mathieu Kassovitz was replenished with the tape "Killer(s)", in which Michel Kassovitz played professional killers of different ages. The picture was presented at the Cannes Film Festival and received many positive reviews.

Thriller Crimson Rivers

In 2000, the film adaptation of the novel-thriller by Jean-Christophe Grange "Purple Rivers" was released, which was called "Crimson Rivers" in the Russian box office. Kassovitz became the director and screenwriter of the project. ATStarring Vincent Cassel, Jean Reno and Nadia Fares. Such a stellar cast immediately attracted a lot of spectators to the cinemas. The film was very warmly received by the public, and in 2004 the second part of the film "Crimson Rivers 2" was released.

War drama "Order and Morality"

In 2011, the historical thriller "Order and Morality" was released on the screens of French cinemas. The working title of the film is "Rebellion". Mathieu Kassovitz, the director of this picture, cast himself in the title role, in addition, he invited actors Yab Lapakas, Malik Zidi, Daniel Martin, Alexander Steiger and others.

Kassowitz also contributed to the writing and production of the tape.

The plot is based on a real story about how separatists from the island of New Caledonia captured a group of gendarmes. The elite gendarmerie unit released the prisoners in cooperation with the military.

The film was nominated for a César in 2012 in the Best Adapted Screenplay category.

Acting career

In 1994, Michel Audiard's dramatic film "Look how people fall" was released. In addition to Mathieu Kassovitz, famous French actors J. Yann and J. L. Trintignant starred in this thriller.

In 1996, Mathieu again starred in the film Odiar. The provocative work "A Very Humble Hero" tells the story of a guy who fakes his participation in the Resistance movement with the help of deceit and undeservedly becomes a national hero.

Mathieu often appears in small cameos by famous French directors. It can be seen in Luc Besson's The Fifth Element and Bertrand Blier's My Man.

Private life

Mathieu is married to artist and actress Julia Maudouet. They currently have one child.

Director's filmography

Mathieu Kassovitz directed the following films:

• in 1991 - "White Nightmare";
• in 1993 - Metiska;
• in 1995 - "Hatred";
• in 1997 - "Killer(s)";
• in 2000 - "Crimson Rivers";
• in 2003 - "Gothic";
• in 2008 - "Babylon N. E".
• in 2009 - "Order and Morality".