Alice Winocour

Alice Winocour (born 13 January 1976) is a French film director and screenwriter whose work is marked by psychological depth and meticulous visual storytelling. She was raised in Paris within a Jewish family, an upbringing that subtly informs the themes of identity and resilience that surface in her narratives. After completing her studies in screenwriting at the prestigious La Fémis school, Winocour swiftly moved into short‑form cinema, directing three acclaimed shorts that demonstrated an early mastery of tension and character focus. Her breakthrough came when she co‑wrote the script for Vladimir Perišić’s 2009 drama Ordinary People, forging industry connections that would later support her own directorial ambitions. In 2012, her debut feature Augustine—a haunting exploration of the relationship between neurologist Jean‑Marie Charcot and his patient Augustine—premiered in the Critics’ Week section of the Cannes Film Festival, earning critical praise for its elegant period recreation and nuanced performances. The success of Augustine paved the way for her sophomore effort Maryland (2015), which was selected for the Un Certain Regard programme at Cannes and solidified her reputation for crafting suspenseful, character‑driven stories. Continuing her collaborative spirit, Winocour co‑wrote Mustang with Deniz Gamze Ergüven, a film that screened in the Directors’ Fortnight at Cannes and was later chosen as France’s official submission for the Best Foreign Language Film category at the 88th Academy Awards. In 2016 she served on the Critics’ Week jury, reflecting her growing influence within the festival circuit. Her 2019 science‑fiction drama Proxima premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival, where it received an honourable mention from the Platform Prize jury, underscoring her ability to blend intimate human drama with speculative settings. Across her career, Winocour has consistently demonstrated a commitment to exploring complex emotional landscapes, making her one of the most compelling contemporary voices in European cinema.