Guy Gilles

Guy Gilles (born Guy Chiche; 25 August 1938 – 3 February 1996) was a French film director.

Biography He directed his first short film, Soleil éteint, in 1958. He changed his surname to Gilles based on the name of his mother (Gilette) to create a pseudonym. After studying at the Beaux-Arts, he moved to Paris, where he worked as an assistant to François Reichenbach in 1964.

His first feature film, L'Amour à la mer (1962), starred Daniel Moosmann and Geneviève Thénier, with guest appearances by Juliette Gréco, Alain Delon and Jean-Pierre Léaud. Patrick Jouan featured in many of his films. He also worked for television with productions such as Dim Dam Dom and Pour le plaisir.

His romantic relationship with Jeanne Moreau seemed to inspire the movie Absences répétées which received the Prix Jean-Vigo in 1973.

Hélène Martin requested him to make a documentary about Jean Genet Saint, poète et martyr. It was released at a gay film festival organized by Lionel Soukaz in 1978, and the film was troubled by a fascist group that injured the director.

His latest films include Le Crime d'amour (1982), with Richard Berry and Jacques Penot, and Nuit docile (1987). He contracted AIDS in the late 1980s, and in experiencing difficulties with production, he struggled to complete Néfertiti, la fille du soleil in 1994 which was released in 1996 on the year of death.

A retrospective was presented at the 31st International Film Festival of La Rochelle in July 2003.

Filmography

Film 1956 : Les chasseurs d'autographes 1958 : Soleil éteint 1959 : Au biseau des baisers 1961 : Mélancholia 1964 : Journal d'un combat 1964 : L'Amour à la mer 1965 : Paris un jour d'hiver 1966 : Les cafés de Paris 1966 : Chanson de geste 1966 : Le jardin des Tuileries 1966 : Les cafés de Paris 1967 : Un dimanche à Aurillac 1968 : Au pan coupé 1970 : Le clair de terre 1971 : Côté cour, côté champs 1972 : Absences répétées 1974 : Le Jardin qui bascule 1976 : Montreur d'images 1982 : Le Crime d'amour 1987 : La Nuit docile 1994 : Néfertiti, la fille du soleil

Television 1965 : Ciné Bijou 1966 : Pop'âge 1967 : Festivals 1966 Cinémas 1967 1969 : Vie retrouvée 1969 : Le Partant 1971 : Proust, l'art et la douleur 1974 : Saint, poète et martyr (about Jean Genet) 1975 : La Loterie de la vie 1975 : La Vie filmée : 1946-54 1983 : Où sont-elle donc ? 1984 : Un garçon de France, based on Pascal Sevran's novel 1992 : Dis papa, raconte-moi là-bas about Algeria 1994 : La Lettre de Jean about toxicomania