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Director of Hate
Background:
“I don't know if it's really important, or intelligent even,
when people say to me I'm a white Spike Lee, because they said to
Spike Lee you're a black Woody Allen.” Mathieu Kassovitz
Entering showbiz with a part in father director Peter Kassovitz's
movie, “Make Room for Tomorrow” (1979), three-time
César-winning actor, director, writer and producer Mathieu
Kassovitz won the Perspectives du Cinéma Award at the 1991
Cannes Film Festival for his second short, “Cauchemar Blanc”
(1991), but it was “Metisse/Café au lait” (1993),
his feature directorial debut, that really brought him first
remarkable recognition. The actor-director was handed two César
nominations and two Paris Film Festival awards. After picking up a
César Award for his acting in the noted “Regarde les
Hommes Tomber” (1994), Kassovitz enjoyed his big breakthrough
as director with the masterpiece “Hate/La Haine” (1995),
from which he nabbed his next two César Awards, a Cannes Film
Festival award, a European Film Award and two Lumiere awards. Since
then, one of the most intriguing directors in France, Kassovitz has
added the controversial “Assassin(s)” (1997), the
well-accepted “The Crimson Rivers” (2000), the Halle
Berry thriller “Gothika” (2003) and “Babylon A.D.”
(2008) to his impressive resume. Kassovitz has maintained his acting
career with roles in “The Fifth Element” (1997), “Jakob
the Liar” (1999), Jean-Pierre Jeunet's international hit
“Amelie” (2001), “Birthday Girl” (2001),
Steven Spielberg's “Munich” (2005) and others.
The forty-something filmmaker will direct, write, produce and star
in the 2009 film “Ordre et la morale, L'.”
5' 9½” Kassovitz, who direced and appeared in TV
commercial for Lancôme's Miracle in 2001, became member of the
jury at the 2001 Cannes Film Festival.
Kassovitz and his estranged wife, actress-turned-costume designer
Julie Mauduech, have one child. He is now romantically linked with
Aurore Lagache.
Father of 1
Childhood and Family:
Born on August 3, 1967, in Paris, France, Mathieu Kassovitz is the
son of director-writer Peter Kassovitz and film editor Chantal Rémy.
His father is a Jew from Hungary who departed his native country
during the 1956 Hungarian Revolution, and his mother is French
Catholic.
Mathieu has been separated from his wife, former French actress
Julie Mauduech. She starred as Lola in his 1993 comedy/romance
“Métisse,” in which Mathieu also played the
character Felix. They have a daughter named Carmen.
Métisse
Career:
Born to a filmmaker, Mathieu Kassovitz had his first taste in
front of the film camera at age 12 when his father directed him in
1979's “Make Room for Tomorrow/Au bout du bout du banc.”
Playing Mathias Oppenheim, his costars also included Jane Birkin and
Victor Lanoux. Young Kassovitz continued to appear in the movie “Next
Year If All Goes Well/ L'Année Prochaine....Si Tout Va Bien”
(1981), opposite Isabelle Adjani, and the TV miniseries “Vie de
Berlioz, La” (1983) before starting his journey in the world of
filmmaking with his first short, “Fierrot le Pou” (1990).
His next film, “Cauchemar Blanc”(1991), a 9-minute drama
starring Yvan Attal, won the Perspectives du Cinéma Award at
the 1991 Cannes Film Festival. Prior to making short movies,
Kassovitz worked as assistant director in “Rumba, La”
(1987) and second assistant director in Paul Boujnah's
“Moitie-Moitie” (1989).
Kassovitz had a small role in the Martin Sheen vehicle “Touch
and Die” in 1991 and made his third short, “Assassins,”
the following year, in which he also starred in along side Marc
Berman and Robert Gendreu. Eventually, in 1993, the Paris native made
his feature directorial debut with “Metisse/Café au
lait,” a contemporary classic known for its touching yet
mirthful consideration of Parisian race relations. Also starring in
the movie as Felix, Kassovitz received significant notice at the
César Awards when he was handed nominations for Best First
Work and Most Promising Actor. He also won a Special Jury Prize and
a Best Actor honor at the 1993 Paris Film Festival.
Kassovitz next could be seen acting in the documentary “3000
Scenarios Contre un Virus” (1994), the adventure “The
City of Lost Children” (1995, starred Ron Perlman) and was
handed a César for Most Promising Actor for his performance
opposite Jean-Louis Trintignant in the acclaimed black comedy “See
How They Fall/Regarde les Hommes Tomber” (1994). The
multi-faceted artist gained even more attention with “Hate/La
Haine” (1995), which he wrote and directed. The French drama
was a success among critics and won two Césars for Best Film
and Best Editing, a Lumiere for Best Film and a European Film for
Best Young Film. It also received a César nomination for Best
Writing - Original or Adaptation and a Golden Palm nomination at the
Cannes. For his bright directorial effort, Kassovitz took home the
Best Director prize at the Cannes, a Lumiere award and a César
nomination.
Two years after the huge breakthrough, Kassovitz directed and
penned the drama “Assassin(s),” in which he cast himself
as Max, a young and cold thief chose to be the successor of old
professional killer Wagner (played by Michel Serrault). The
controversial film earned a Golden Palm nomination at the Cannes Film
Festival, an accomplishment that further cemented his status in the
industry.
In between, “Hate” and “ Assassin(s),”
Kassovitz starred as a dull but pleasing aspirant war hero, Albert
Dehousse, in the Jacques Audiard film “Un héros très
discret/A Self-Made Hero,” had an uncredited part in the comedy
“My Man/Mon Homme” and supported Marie Trintignant and
Christian Charmetant in “Des nouvelles du bon Dieu/“News
from the Good Lord” (all 1996). He went on to appear in Luc
Besson's “The Fifth Element” (1997), Nicolas Boukhrief's
“Le Plaisir” (1998, starred with Vincent Cassel) and his
father's comedy “Jakob the Liar” (1999, starred Robin
Williams).
Returning to the director's chair, Kassovitz made “Les
Rivieres Pourpres/The Crimson Rivers” (2000), a thriller
starring Jean Reno and Vincent Cassel. Adapted from Jean-Christophe
Grange's best-selling novel, the movie was well-received by French
audience and received five César nominations, including one
for Best Director. A year later, he impressed American public with
fine turn as Nino in the critically-acclaimed French film “Amelie,”
directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet and starring Audrey Tautou in the
title role, and costarred with Nicole Kidman in the Toronto-screened
“Birthday Girl.” After two more acting assignments: the
Gérard Depardieu-Christian Clavier vehicle “Asterix and
Obelix Meet Cleopatra” and the Costa-Gavras-helmed
controversial drama “Amen/ Eyewitness” (both 2002),
Kassovitz helmed Halle Berry, Robert Downey Jr. and Charles S. Dutton
for his first Hollywood movie, “Gothika” (2003). The
film netted a 2004 Golden Trailer nomination for Best Horror/Thriller
and a Teen Choice nomination for Choice Movie – Thriller.
Back to acting after three years absence, Kassovitz took on the
important role of Robert in the Steven Spielberg-directed “Munich”
(2005), which focuses on the outcome of the sad massacre of 11
Israeli athletes at the 1972 Munich Olympics . Also starring in the
five-time Oscar-nominated history/thriller were Eric Bana, Daniel
Craig and Ciarán Hinds. He then acted in the French movies
“Avida” (2006) and “Louise Michel” (2008).
It was also in 2008 that Kassovitz resumed his directorial career
with “Babylon A.D.,” an action film which he also
scripted. The film stars Vin Diesel, Michelle Yeoh, Mélanie
Thierry and Gérard Depardieu, among others, and was produced
through his company, MNP. Other projects MNP has produced include
David Tessier's “Chepor, La” (2004), Daniel Cohen's “Deux
mondes, Les” (2007) and Jean-Stéphane Sauvaire's “Johnny
Mad Dog” (2008).
Kassovitz will play Philippe Legorjus in the upcoming history film
“Ordre et la morale, L'” (2009). In addition to acting,
he also serves as director, writer and producer.
Awards:
Cabourg Romantic Film Festival: Best Actor, “Fabuleux
destin d'Amélie Poulain, Le,” 2001
César: Best Editing (Meilleur montage), “Hate/
Haine, La,” 1996
César: Best Film (Meilleur film), “Hate/Haine,
La,” 1996
Lumiere: Best Director (Meilleur réalisateur),
“Hate/Haine, La,” 1996
Lumiere: Best Film (Meilleur film), “Hate/Haine, La,”
1996
Cannes Film Festival: Best Director, “Hate/Haine, La,”
1995
European Film: Best Young Film, “Hate/Haine, La,”
1995
César: Most Promising Actor (Meilleur espoir
masculin), “Regarde les hommes tomber,” 1995
Prix Jean Gabin: 1995
Paris Film Festival: Best Actor, “Métisse,”
1993
Paris Film Festival: Special Jury Prize, “Métisse,”
1993
Cannes Film Festival: Perspectives du Cinéma Award,
“Cauchemar blanc,” 1991
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