Encyclopedia of French Film Directors

tion with screenwriter Pierre Christin and established
himself as a master of his art. In the early
1980s, he began working for cinema as costume
and production designer (1983 La Vie est un Roman
/ USA: Life Is a Bed of Roses, Alain Resnais), creator
of the demon seen in The Keep (Michael Mann,
1984), and graphic researcher (1986 Le Nom de la
Rose / Il nome della rosa / Der Name der Rose / USA:
The Name of the Rose, Jean-Jacques Annaud, France
/ Italy / West Germany). He sporadically directed
movies that were cinematographic illustrations of
his drawing work.
Filmography
1989 Bunker Palace Hôtel (also co-screenwriter, codialogist)
1997 Tykho Moon (also co-screenwriter, co-dialogist;
France / Germany / UK; shot in 1995)
2004 Immortel (ad vitam) / Immortal (ad vitam)
(also co-screenwriter, co-adapter, co-dialogist;
France / Italy / UK)
BILLETDOUX, RAPHAËLE (February 28, 1951,
Paris, France–)
The daughter of playwright-novelist François Billetdoux
(1927–1991), she was a trainee and then
assistant editor at age eighteen and played in Antoine
Léonard’s TV programs. In 1971, she published her fi rst
novel (Jeunes Filles en Silence, Editions du Seuil). Andrzej
Zulawski brought to the screen another of his books
(1988 Mes Nuits sont plus belles que vos Jours).
Filmography
1980 La Femme Enfant / Die Kindfrau—Stumme Liebe
(also screenwriter, dialogist)
BILLON, PIERRE (February 7, 1901, Saint-Hippolyte-du-Fort,
Gard, France–August 31, 1981, Paris,
France)
A former assistant director (1928 Madame Récamier,
also actor; Gaston Revel, Tony Lekain; 1929
Le Collier de la Reine / L’Affaire du Collier de la Reine,
also co-screenwriter, Gaston Ravel, Tony Lekain), he
made his directing debut shooting French-language
versions of German star Anny Ondra’s vehicles.
Other credits (as supervisor): 1949 Du Guesclin
(also producer, Bertrand de La Tour); 1957 L’Auberge
en Folie (Pierre Chevalier).
BILLON, PIERRE • 101
Filmography
1931 Une Nuit au Paradis (French-language version
of Carl Lamac’s Eine Nacht im Paradies; also
dialogist; Germany)
Nuits de Venise (French-language version of
Robert Wiene’s Der Liebesexpress / Acht Tage
Glück; Germany)
La Chauve-Souris (French-language version of
Carl Lamac’s Die Fledermaus; also dialogist;
Germany)
Bombance (short)
Route Nationale No. 13 (short)
1932 Baby (French-language version of Carl Lamac’s
Baby; Germany)
Faut-il les marier? (French-language version of
Carl Lamac’s Die grausame Freundin; Germany)
Kiki (French-language version of Carl Lamac’s
Kiki; Germany)
1933 La Fille du Régiment (French-language version
of Carl Lamac’s Die Tochter des Regiments / Die
Regimentstochter; Germany)
Une Femme au Volant (co-director with Kurt
Gerron; Germany / France)
1934 Le Fakir du Grand Hôtel
La Maison dans la Dune / USA: The House on
the Dune
1935 Bourrasque / Moghreb
Deuxième Bureau
1936 L’Argent
Au Service du Tsar
1937 Courrier-Sud
adapter)
(also co-screenwriter, co-
La Bataille silencieuse (also screenwriter)
1938 La Piste du Sud
1943 Le Soleil a toujours raison (also co-screenwriter,
co-adapter, co-dialogist; shot in 1941)
L’Inévitable Monsieur Dubois (also co-screenwriter,
co-adapter)
1944 Vautrin / USA: Vautrin the Thief (also screenwriter,
adapter, co-dialogist)
1945 Mademoiselle X (also co-screenwriter)
1946 L’Homme au Chapeau rond / USA: The Eternal
Husband
1948 Ruy Blas
1950 Au Revoir, Monsieur Grock / Manege Frei (France
/ West Germany)
Agnès de Rien (also screenwriter, adapter)
Chéri
1951 Min vän Oscar / Akes lilla felsteg (co-director
with Ake Ohberg; Sweden)