Encyclopedia of French Film Directors

2007 Une Vieille Maîtresse / USA: The Last Mistress /
Australia: An Old Mistress (also screenwriter,
adapter, dialogist; France / Italy)
BREITMAN, ZABOU (Isabelle Breitman / October
30, 1959, Paris, France–)
The daughter of French screenwriter-actor-playwright
Jean-Claude Deret (b. 1921) and Canadian actress
Céline Léger, she made her acting debut at age four
in “Les Héros,” an episode of a TV series written by
her father (Thierry la Fronde). After studying dance and
music, she hosted a children’s TV program (Récré A2)
in 1980 under the pseudonym of Zabou. The following
year, she entered fi lms playing the leading role in Elle
voit des Nains partout (Jean-Claude Sussfeld). Seen in
more than sixty movies, she directed shorts, feature
fi lms, and plays.
Filmography
2002 Se souvenir des belles Choses (also co-screenwriter,
co-dialogist; shot in 2000)
2003 Bien joué (short; also screenwriter, dialogist)
Bien entendu (short; also screenwriter, dialogist)
Bien dit (short; also screenwriter, dialogist)
2006 L’Homme de sa Vie (also co-screenwriter, codialogist;
France / Italy)
2007 10 Films pour en parler (short, one segment)
2009 Je l’aimais (also co-screenwriter, co-adapter,
co-dialogue writer)
BREL, JACQUES (April 8, 1929, Schaerbeek, Brussels,
Belgium–October 9, 1978, Bobigny, Seine-Saint-
Denis, France)
Of Flemish descent, he was the son of the co-owner
of a cardboard factory. One of the most talented
French-speaking songwriter-singers, he started out in
Brussels cabarets in 1952. The following year, he settled
in France, where he dedicated himself to a singing
career until 1966. Then he switched to cinema, starring
in ten fi lms, including the two he directed (1967
Les Risques du Métier, André Cayatte; 1968 La Bande
à Bonnot / La banda bonnot, also composer, Philippe
Fourastié, France / Italy; 1969 Mon Oncle Benjamin
/ Mio zio Beniamino / UK: The Adventures of Uncle
Benjamin / USA: My Uncle Benjamin, also composer,
Edouard Molinaro, France / Italy; 1970 Mont-Dragon,
Jean Valère; 1971 Les Assassins de l’Ordre / Inchiesta
su un delitto della polizia / UK and USA: Law Breakers,
Marcel Carné, France / Italy; 1972 L’Aventure, c’est
BRÉNÉOL, ANNE-LAURE • 145
l’Aventure / L’avventura è l’avventura / UK and USA:
Money Money Money, Claude Lelouch, France / Italy;
Le Bar de la Fourche, also composer, Alain Levent; 1973
L’Emmerdeur / Il romoballe / UK and USA: A Pain in the
A . . . , Edouard Molinaro, France / Italy). He already had
performed in a Belgian short (1956 La Grande Peur de
Monsieur Clément, Paul Diebens). In 1973, he was diagnosed
with lung cancer. After completing treatment
for his illness, he settled on the Marquesas Islands,
where he died and was buried at age forty-nine. He
co-wrote and briefl y appeared as himself in Jacques
Brel Is Well and Alive and Living in Paris (Denis Héroux,
Canada / France, 1975) and had recorded his last
album in 1977. His songs were interpreted by such
famous British and American singers as Scott Walker,
Judy Collins, David Bowie, Frank Sinatra, Dusty
Springfi eld, Ray Charles, and Nina Simone. Frédéric
Rossif directed an archival documentary on him in
1982 (Jacques Brel). Other credits (as composer, songwriter):
1960 Le Panier à Crabes (Joseph Lisbona); Le
Petit Jour (short, songs only, Jacques Pierre); 1963 Un
Roi sans Divertissement (co-composer only, François
Leterrier); 1967 Un Idiot à Paris (song only, Serge
Korber); 1969 Tintin et le Temple du Soleil (animation,
songs only, Raymond Leblanc, Belgium).
Filmography
1972 Franz (also co-screenwriter, co-dialogist, actor,
composer; France / Belgium)
1973 Le Far West (also co-screenwriter, co-dialogist,
actor, composer; France / Belgium)
BRÉNÉOL, ANNE-LAURE (1970, France–)
She directed her fi rst documentary short in 1991.
From 1999 to 2002, she taught aesthetics and editing
at the University of Paris VIII. Other credit (as actress):
1994 La Manche (short, Sébastien Fonséca).
Filmography
1991 Jean-Marie Binoche, Sculpteur (documentary;
short)
1993 La Ballade d’un Condamné (short; also screenwriter)
1995 Jérôme Mesnager, Peintre des Rues (video documentary;
short)
2005 En plein Caubère (documentary; shot in 1993)
Television Filmography
1996 La Madone et les Gitans (video documentary)
1997 Ecole qui roule (video documentary)
2000 Au Bord de l’Ecole (video documentary)