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Early life
Denis was born in Paris, France, and raised in colonial Africa, where her father was a French official. She moved houses every two years because her father wanted them to know about geography. She used to watch the old damaged copies of war films that America would send when she was growing up in Africa. As an adolescent she loved to read. She would read all the required material in school, but would then sneak her mother's detective stories at night.[1]
Career
Denis initially studied economics, but, she has said, "It was completely suicidal. Everything pissed me off."[1] She then went to the IDHEC, the French film school, at the encouragement of her husband. He told her she needed to figure out what she wanted to do.[1] She graduated from the IDHEC, and served as assistant to Jacques Rivette, Costa-Gavras, Jim Jarmusch, and Wim Wenders.
Her debut feature film Chocolat (1988), a semi-autobiographical meditation on African colonialism, won her critical acclaim. With films such as US Go Home (1994), Nénette et Boni (1996), Beau travail (1999), Trouble Every Day (2001), and Vendredi soir (2002) she established a reputation as a filmmaker who "has been able to reconcile the lyricism of French cinema with the impulse to capture the often harsh face of contemporary France."[2]
Denis was a band leader, worked as an actress, notably in Venus Beauty Institute (2000), and directed for French TV. Two of her movies (L'Intrus and her contribution to Ten Minutes Older: The Cello) were inspired by the French philosopher Jean-Luc Nancy.citation needed
Style
She prefers location work over studio work. She sometimes places her actors as if they were positioned for still photography. She uses longer takes with a stationary camera and frames things in long shot, resulting in fewer close ups. This is most likely from the influence of Wenders and Jarmusch.
Filmography
Feature films
- Chocolat / Chocolate (1988)
- S'en fout la mort / No Fear, No Die (1990)
- J'ai pas sommeil / I Can't Sleep (1994)
- Nénette et Boni / Nenette and Boni (1996)
- Beau travail / Good Work (1998)
- Trouble Every Day (2001)
- Vendredi soir / Friday Night (2002)
- L'intrus / The Intruder (2004)
- 35 rhums / 35 Shots of Rum (2008)
- Matériel blanc / White Material (2009) (completed)
Short films
- Keep It for Yourself (1991)
- Contre l'oubli / Against Oblivion (1991)
- segment: Pour Ushari Ahmed Mahmoud, Soudan
- Boom-Boom (1994)
- Tous les garçons et les filles de leur âge / All the Boys and the Girls of Their Age (1994)
- segment: US Go Home
- À propos de Nice, la suite (1995)
- segment: Nice, Very Nice
- Ten Minutes Older: The Cello (2002)
- segment: Vers Nancy
Documentary films
- Man No Run (1989)
- Jacques Rivette, le veilleur / Jacques Rivette, the Watchman (1990)
- Vers Mathilde / Towards Mathilde (2005)
Additional reading
- "L'intrus: An Interview with Claire Denis" by Damon Smith (Senses of Cinema).
- Martine Beugnet, Claire Denis, 2004, Manchester University Press, Manchester and New York.
- Judith Mayne, Claire Denis, 2005, University of Illinois Press, Urbana and Chicago.
References
- ^ a b c Ancian, Aimé (2002). ""Claire Denis: An Interview"", Senses of Cinema. Retrieved on 26 November, 2006.
- ^ Taylor, Charles (2000-03-31). ""Beau Travail"", Salon.com. Retrieved on 13 June, 2006.
External links
