Mathieu KassovitzBirth Place: Paris, France Date of Birth: August 3, 1967 Heritage: French Famous for: His role in 'Metisse' (1993) Contact Mathieu Kassovitz | 
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Director of Hate Background: Entering show business with a part in his father’s (Peter Kassovitz) 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 the short film “Cauchemar Blanc” (1991). However, it was “Metisse/Café au lait” (1993), his feature directorial debut, that really brought him recognition when Kassovitz 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 a director with “Hate/La Haine” (1995), from which he nabbed his next two César Awards, a Cannes Film Festival award, an European Film Award and two Lumiere awards. Since then, 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 also 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 directed and appeared in a TV commercial for Lancôme's Miracle in 2001, became a 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 to Aurore Lagache.
Childhood and Family: Born on August 3, 1967, in Paris, France, Mathieu Kassovitz is the son of director and writer Peter Kassovitz and film editor Chantal Rémy. His father is Jewish and from Hungary and left his native country during the 1956 Hungarian Revolution. Mathieu’s mother is French Catholic. Mathieu is separated from his wife, former French actress Julie Mauduech. She starred as Lola in his 1993 romantic comedy “Métisse,” in which Mathieu also played the character of Felix. They have a daughter named Carmen.
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 included Jane Birkin and Victor Lanoux. Young Kassovitz next appeared in the movie “Next Year If All Goes Well/L'Année Prochaine....Si Tout Va Bien” (1981), opposite Isabelle Adjani, and in the TV miniseries “Vie de Berlioz, La” (1983) before directing 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 an assistant director for “Rumba, La” (1987) and second assistant director for 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 alongside Marc Berman and Robert Gendreu. In 1993, the Paris native made his feature directorial debut with “Metisse/Café au lait.” 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 was next 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 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 César awards 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 directorial effort, Kassovitz took home the Best Director prize at the Cannes, a Lumiere award and a César nomination. Two years after the breakthrough, Kassovitz directed and penned the drama “Assassin(s),” in which he cast himself as Max. The controversial film earned a Golden Palm nomination at the Cannes Film Festival. In between “Hate” and “Assassin(s),” Kassovitz starred as Albert Dehousse in the Jacques Audiard film “Un héros très discret/A Self-Made Hero,” had an unaccredited 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 audiences and received five César nominations, including one for Best Director. A year later, he impressed the American public as Nino in the critically acclaimed French film “Amelie,” which was directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet and starred Audrey Tautou in the title role. He then 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 directed Halle Berry, Robert Downey Jr. and Charles S. Dutton in 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 a three year absence, Kassovitz took on the important role of Robert in the Steven Spielberg-directed “Munich” (2005), which focused on the massacre of 11 Israeli athletes at the 1972 Munich Olympics. Also starring in the Oscar nominated historical 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 starred 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 the director, writer and producer.
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