Stéphane Brizé (born 18 October 1966) is a French filmmaker and actor. Most known for his social realist drama films, which usually follows 21st century French working class.
He regularly collaborates with Vincent Lindon, including in: Mademoiselle Chambon (2009), A Few Hours of Spring (2012), The Measure of a Man (2015), At War (2018), Another World (2021), and Good Little Soldier (2026).
Early life Stéphane Brizé was born on 18 October 1966 in Rennes, France, from a mail carrier father and a stay-at-home mother.
After completing a university diploma in electronics at the University of Rennes, he undertook a final-year internship at France 3 Rennes that steered him toward the audiovisual sector.Interview de Stéphane Brizé par Bruno Cras, émission « Secrets de tournage » sur Europe 1, 18 août 2015, 6 min 40 s. He became a television technician in Paris and took drama classes; he subsequently directed several plays.
Career In cinema, he directed his first short film in 1993, Bleu dommage, followed by a medium-length film in 1996, L'Œil qui traîne, before moving on to feature films in 1999 with Le Bleu des villes.
His sophomore feature film, Not Here to Be Loved (2005), starring Patrick Chesnais, received positive reviews, and solidified his career as an emerging filmmaker in the French industry.
Mademoiselle Chambon (2009), marked his first collaboration with the former couple Vincent Lindon and Sandrine Kiberlain. It follows a middle-aged man affair with his infant son teacher. At the 35th César Awards, it won the César Award for Best Adaptation.
His second collaboration with Lindon, A Few Hours of Spring (2012), premiered at the main competition of the 65th Locarno Film Festival, and follows an ex-convict return to his mother's home, during her final days of life due to a terminal cancer.
The Measure of a Man (2015) marked his first film selected to the main competition of the Cannes Film Festival at the 68th edition, where Vincent Lindon won the Best Actor prize. It follows an unemployed middle-aged man new position as security guard in a small supermarket. At the 41st César Awards, Brizé received his first Best Director nomination.
His drama film A Woman's Life (2016), premiered at the main competition of the 73rd Venice International Film Festival, where it won the FIPRESCI Prize. Starring Judith Chemla, it follows the decline of the French aristocracy during the 19th century, through the point of view of an innocent noblewoman. At War (2018), premiered at the main competition of the 71st Cannes Film Festival, where it competed for the Palme d'Or. It follows the leader of a strike who must protect his 1,100 colleague jobs.
His drama film Another World (2021), starring once again the former couple Vincent Lindon and Sandrine Kiberlain, follows the troubled separation of a middle-aged couple. It premiered at the main competition of the 78th Venice International Film Festival, where it competed for the Golden Lion.
Out of Season (2023), premiered at the main competition of the 80th Venice International Film Festival, where it competed for the Golden Lion. Starring Guillaume Canet and Alba Rohrwacher, it follows a former couple reconnecting their relationship after fifteen years. It received positive reviews.
His upcoming drama film Good Little Soldier (2026), will premiere at the main competition of the 83rd Venice International Film Festival, where it will compete for the Golden Lion. Marking his sixth collaboration with Vincent Lindon.
Filmography
Feature films YearEnglish titleOriginal titleNotes1999Hometown BlueLe Bleu des villes2005Not Here to Be LovedJe ne suis pas là pour être aiméCo-written with Juliette Sales2006Entre adultes2009Mademoiselle ChambonCo-written with Florence Vignon2012A Few Hours of SpringQuelques heures de printemps2015The Measure of a ManLa Loi du marchéCo-written with Olivier Gorce2016A Woman's LifeUne vieCo-written with Florence Vignon2018At WarEn Guerre2021Another WorldUn autre mondeCo-written with Olivier Gorce2023Out of SeasonHors-saisonCo-written with Marie Drucker2026Good Little SoldierUn bon petit soldatCo-written with Coralie Amedeo and Olivier Gorce
Short films YearEnglish titleOriginal titleNotes1993Bleu dommageAlso actor1996L'Œil qui traîne
Other credits Year Title Credited as NotesDirectorScreenwriterActor 1995 Au petit Marguery 1995 Ada sait pas dire non Short film 1999 Our Happy Lives 1999 Le Premier Pas Short film 2008 The New Protocol
Awards 1999Hometown BluePrix Michel d'Ornano (Deauville American Film Festival)Youth Jury Emile Cantillon Award - Honorable Mention (Festival International du Film Francophone de Namur)2005Not Here to Be LovedCEC Award for Best Film (San Sebastián International Film Festival)2009Mademoiselle ChambonCésar Award for Best AdaptationFIPRESCI Prize (29th International Istanbul Film Festival)Nominated—Independent Spirit Award for Best Foreign Film2012A Few Hours of SpringNominated—César Award for Best DirectorNominated—César Award for Best Original Screenplay2015The Measure of a ManCannes Film Festival - Prize of the Ecumenical Jury (special mention) Nominated—Cannes Film Festival - Nominated—César Award for Best FilmNominated—César Award for Best DirectorNominated—Prix Jacques Prévert du Scénario for Best Original ScreenplayNominated—Louis Delluc Prize for Best Film2016A Woman's LifeLouis Delluc Prize for Best FilmVenice Film Festival - FIPRESCI PrizeNominated—Lumière Award for Best FilmNominated—Lumière Award for Best Director2018At WarNominated—Cannes Film Festival - 2021Another WorldNominated—78th Venice International Film Festival - Golden Lion2023Out of SeasonNominated—80th Venice International Film Festival - Golden Lion
References
External links