Claude Zidi

Claude Zidi (born 25 July 1934) is a French film director and screenwriter. From 1971, he became known as a director of comedies, the majority of which were box-office hits in France. He was one of France's most commercially successful directors between the 1970s and the 1990s. In 1985, he won the César Award for Best Director for his film My New Partner (Les Ripoux).

Early life Claude Raymond Djemil Zidi was born in Paris to a father of Algerian descent and a French mother. He graduated from the École nationale de photographie et cinématographie. Following his studies, he was drafted to the Algerian War, during which he worked in the French Armed Forces' audiovisual service.

Career

After returning to civilian life, he began his career in the film industry as a cinematographer and a cameraman. The directors he worked with include Jacques Demy (Bay of Angels, 1963) and Claude Chabrol (Line of Demarcation, 1966).

In 1970, Zidi worked as a cameraman on La Grande Java, the first film starring the comedy team Les Charlots (known in the English-speaking world as The Crazy Boys). He befriended the group of actors, to whom he submitted a synopsis for what would become their next film, Les Bidasses en folie (1971). Les Charlots specifically requested that Zidi be the director of that picture. Les Bidasses en folie was an immense and unexpected box-office success, turning Les Charlots into France's new comedy stars. Zidi directed three more films with Les Charlots, produced by Christian Fechner and Claude Berri, which were also commercial hits: Les Fous du stade (1972), Le Grand Bazar (1973) and Les Bidasses s'en vont en guerre (1974), the latter being a sequel to their first film together.

Now known as a specialist of mainstream burlesque comedies, Zidi continued his association with Fechner by directing Pierre Richard, also at the time one of France's new comedy stars, in La Moutarde me monte au nez (Lucky Pierre, 1974) and La Course à l'échalote (1975). Both films paired Richard with Jane Birkin. Zidi next directed Louis de Funès and Coluche in L'Aile ou la cuisse (The Wing or the Thigh, 1976) which was a great box-office success and came to be regarded as a comedy classic in France. The next year, Zidi directed L'Animal, starring Jean-Paul Belmondo and Raquel Welch; in 1978, he directed Louis de Funès again in La Zizanie.

Zidi's next directed La Boîte (2001) and Ripoux 3 (2003), a new sequel to My New Partner with Noiret and Lhermitte again reprising their roles. One of his sons, Julien Zidi, had a career as an assistant director, then as a television director: Julien died in 2021 following a motorcycle accident. Another son, Claude Zidi Jr., is also a film director. One daughter, Hélène Zidi, is an actress and acting coach. His granddaughter Lola Zidi (Hélène's daughter) is also an actress.

Filmography as director Year Original title English title Notes 1971 Les Bidasses en folie Rookies Run Amok / The Five Crazy Boys Featuring Les Charlots 1972 Les Fous du Stade Stadium Nuts Featuring Les Charlots 1973 Le Grand bazar The Big Store Featuring Les Charlots 1974 Les Bidasses s'en vont en guerre Featuring Les Charlots 1974 La Moutarde me monte au nez Lucky Pierre 1975 La Course à l'échalote 1976 L'Aile ou la cuisse The Wing or the Thigh 1977 L'Animal Animal / Stuntwoman 1978 La Zizanie The Spat 1979 Bête mais discipliné 1980 Les Sous-doués The Under-Gifted 1980 Inspecteur la Bavure Inspector Blunder 1982 1983 Banzaï 1984 Les Ripoux My New Partner César Award for Best FilmCésar Award for Best Director 1985 Les Rois du gag 1987 Association de Malfaiteurs Association of Wrongdoers 1989 1989 Ripoux contre ripoux My New Partner II 1991 La Totale! Remade as True Lies 1993 Profil bas 1997 Arlette 1999 Astérix et Obélix contre César Asterix and Obelix vs Caesar 2001 La Boîte 2003 Ripoux 3 My New Partner III 2011 Les Ripoux anonymes TV movie, co-director with Julien Zidi