Balasko, Josiane

(Josiane Balskovich / April 15, 1950, Paris, France - )

   The daughter of Parisian innkeepers, she intended to dedicate herself to painting before switching to acting and attending Tania Balachova's drama courses. She made her stage debut performing sketches she wrote in café theaters. In 1975, she joined the Splendid group and played in successful shows (1976 Le Pot de Terre contre le Pot de Vin; 1977 Coquillages et Crustacés . . . ). From 1973 (L'An 0/, Jacques Doillon, Alain Resnais, Jean Rouch) to 2008 (Musée haut, Musée bas, Jean-Michel Ribes), she played supporting and leading roles in more than sixty films, including those she directed. She also worked as costume designer (1976 L'Affiche rouge, Frank Cassenti); dialogist (1978 Pauline et l'OrdinateurF also actor, Francis Fehr); co-adapter and dialogist (1980 Retour en Force, also actor, Jean-Marie Poiré); co-screenwriter, co-adapter, and co-dialogist (1978 Les Bronzés / USA: French Fried Vacation, also actor, Patrice Leconte; 1979 Les Bronzés font du Ski, also actor, Patrice Leconte; 1981 Les Hommes préfèrent les Grosses, also original idea, actor, Jean-Marie Poiré; 1982 Le Père Noël est une Ordure, also actor, Jean-Marie Poiré; 2006 Les Bronzés 3:Amis pour la Vie / US festival: Friends Forever, also actor, Patrice Leconte); co-adapter (1981 L'Année prochaine . . . si tout va bien / UK and USA: Next Year If All Goes Well, Jean-Loup Hubert); co-screenwriter, co-adapatator, and dialogist (1986 Nuit d'Ivresse, also author of original play, actor, Bernard Nauer); and uncredited co-dialogist (1994 Grosse Fa­tigue, also actor, Michel Blanc).

 Filmography

1985 ◘ Sac de Noeuds / UK and USA: All Mixed Up (also co-screenwriter, dialogist, actor)

1987 ◘ Les Keufs (also adapter, dialogist, actor)

1991 ◘ Ma Vie est un Enfer (also original idea, co-screenwriter, dialogist, actor)

1995 ◘ Gazon maudit / UK: Bushwacked / USA: French

        ◘ Twist (also screenwriter, co-adapter, dialogist, actor)

1998 ◘ Un Grand Cri d'Amour (also original play, screenwriter, actor)

2004 ◘ L'Ex-Femme de ma Vie / USA: The Ex-Wife of My Life (also original play, screenwriter, actor)

2008 ◘ Cliente (also author of original novel, screenwriter, actor)