Sadly, great French director Alain Resnais died on March 1st aged 91.

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He was part of the astonishing French New Wave movement, but he was more than that also. He was born on June 3, 1922 in Vannes, Morbihan, France as Alain Pierre Marie Jean Georges Resnais. He was a director and editor, he was the recipient of 50 International Film Awards, BAFTA, Golden Globe, Golden Bear from Berlin, Silber Bear, Bodil Award, Cannes Palm D’Or nominee, Cesar winner among many others.

Here are just a few highlights in a wonderful career.

1959: Hiroshima Mon Amour.

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A French actress filming an anti war film in Hiroshima falls for a married Japanese architect as the filming unfolds as does their differing opinions on war. The wonderful Emmanuelle Riva, recently seen searing our screens in the astonishing Amour plays Elle with Eiji Okada is the man she falls for.

Trailer

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zjGdLZNAdRc

 

1961: Last Year In Marienbad.

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Oscar nominated for Best Screenplay by Alain Robbe-Grillet. This dream like movie takes place in a beautiful chateau where a man and a woman may or may not have met the year before.

Trailer

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yc6n2McMAnY

1968: La Guerre est Finie.

A much overlooked filmstarring Yves Montand, Ingrid Thulin and Genevieve Bujold.  Oscar nominated for Best Screenplay this anti Franco story is more linear than many of Renais early work.

Trailer

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rk2XiRk6FPE

 

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1974: Stavisky

Starring Jean-Paul Belmondo, Michael Lonsdale a young Gerard Depardieu and Charles Boyer this is set in the 1930’s as Stavisky (Belmondo) plays both ends against the middle in a scam that almost caused a civil war.

Trailer

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GTYcCYBjW6A

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and finally, the wondrous Private Fears in Public Places (2006). With long time love Sabine Azema, Andre Dussollier, Lambert Wilson and the devastatingly gorgeous Laura Morant. Adapted from the Alan Ayckbourn play this is a real delight.

Trailer

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PDWZjwR6Bzw

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A director of some wonderful films. Thank you Alain. RIP.