Alain Corneau was a renowned French writer-director who made a lasting impact on the French cinema scene. He was born on August 7, 1943, in Meung-sur-Loire, Loiret, and initially pursued a career in music before switching to film. Corneau began his journey in the film industry as an assistant director, working on the 1970 film "The Confession" alongside Costa-Gavras.
Corneau's breakthrough as a director came in 1974 with the film "France, Incorporated," a crime drama that tackled the topic of drug dealers. He continued to explore the crime genre with his next two films, "Police Python 357" (1976) and "La Menace" (1977),both of which starred the legendary French actor Yves Montand.
In the early 1980s, Corneau wrapped up his crime cycle with "Choice of Arms" (1981),a film that starred Montand, Gérard Depardieu, and Catherine Deneuve. The movie was released in the United States under the title "Choice of Arms."
Corneau's next project was the French Foreign Legion drama "Fort Saganne" (1984),which was set in 1911 and starred Depardieu and Deneuve. He went on to direct the internationally acclaimed costume drama "Tous les matins du monde" (1991),which earned him the prestigious César Award for direction.
Tragically, Alain Corneau passed away at the age of 67 on August 30, 2010, in Paris after a long battle with cancer. He was laid to rest at the historic Père Lachaise Cemetery.
