Jean-Paul Rappeneau

Jean-Paul Rappeneau (; 8 April 1932 – 1 September 2026) was a French film director and screenwriter.

Career Rappeneau started out in film as an assistant and screenwriter collaborating with Louis Malle on Zazie dans le métro in 1960 and Vie privée in 1961. In 1964, he was co-screenwriter for L'Homme de Rio, which starred Jean-Paul Belmondo.

The first film that he both wrote and directed was A Matter of Resistance in 1965. Although it was a great critical and popular success, he did not make another film until 1971, when he directed Les Mariés de l'an II, again starring Belmondo and Marlène Jobert.

From 1975, Rappeneau wrote only for his own films, including Le Sauvage, starring Yves Montand and (1981), again with Montand, who co-starred with Isabelle Adjani.

In 1990, Rappeneau directed a deluxe Technicolor film version of Cyrano de Bergerac, his adaptation of the classic French play by Edmond Rostand, starring Gérard Depardieu. Rappeneau's film version is the most elaborate film version of the play ever made, and one of the most expensive French films ever produced. It is the only rendition of the play in the original French to be released widely. At the 1991 César Awards, Rappeneau won the César Award for Best Director and César Award for Best Film.

The 2003 comedy Bon voyage, co-written with Patrick Modiano, again starred Depardieu, this time with Isabelle Adjani. The film was nominated 11 times at the 2004 César Awards.

Death Rappeneau died on 1 September 2026, at the age of 94.

Filmography Year Title Credited as NotesDirectorScreenwriter 1958 Chronique provinciale Short film 1959 Signé Arsène Lupin 1960 Zazie dans le Métro 1962 A Very Private Affair 1962 Le Combat dans l'île 1964 That Man from Rio Nominated—Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay1965 Marco the Magnificent 1965 Les Survivants TV series 1966 A Matter of Resistance Louis Delluc Prize 1971 The Married Couple of the Year Two Nominated—Palme d'Or (1971 Cannes Film Festival) 1971 Le Magnifique 1975 Lovers Like Us Nominated—César Award for Best Director 1982 All Fired Up 1990 Cyrano de Bergerac César Award for Best FilmCésar Award for Best DirectorDavid di Donatello for Best Foreign FilmGolden Globe Award for Best Foreign Language FilmLondon Film Critics' Circle Award for Foreign Language Film of the YearNational Board of Review Award for Best Foreign Language FilmPeople's Choice Award (1990 Toronto International Film Festival)Nominated—BAFTA Award for Best Film Not in the English LanguageNominated—BAFTA Award for Best Adapted ScreenplayNominated—César Award for Best Original Screenplay or AdaptationNominated—European Film Award for Best FilmNominated—Palme d'Or (1990 Cannes Film Festival) 1995 The Horseman on the Roof Nominated—César Award for Best FilmNominated—César Award for Best Director 2003 Bon Voyage Swann d'Or for Best DirectorNominated—César Award for Best FilmNominated—César Award for Best DirectorNominated—César Award for Best Original Screenplay or Adaptation 2015 Families