Alain Corneau

Alain Corneau (7 August 1943 – 30 August 2010) was an exceptional French film director and writer. Originally a musician, Corneau found his true calling in the realm of motion pictures, beginning his journey alongside Costa-Gavras as an assistant. This dynamic period in his life also marked the initiation of his recurrent collaboration with acclaimed actor Yves Montand, with whom he would team up for three more spellbinding cinematic experiences such as Police Python 357 (1976) and La Menace (1977). His directorial prowess was remarkably portrayed when he assiduously directed Gérard Depardieu in the screen adaptation of Tous les matins du monde in 1991. His contribution to the French cinema extended far beyond his directorial ventures, adding timeless classics such as Série noire (1979), Choice of Arms (1981), and New World (1995), among others, to his expansive filmography. The thriving city of Paris was witness to Corneau's final moments when he succumbed to cancer at the age of 67 on 30 August 2010. His legacy as an esteemed filmmaker was preserved at Père Lachaise Cemetery. In 2024, posthumously, Corneau was named by Sarah Grappin who claimed he groomed her at 16.