Annaud, Jean-Jacques

(October 1, 1944, Juvisy-sur-Orge, Essonne, France - )

   After graduating from Vaugirard film school (B.T.S. cinema) in 1962, he shot an amateur short (Les 7 Pé­chés capitaux du Cinéaste) and completed a degree in letters before completing his training at the IDHEC directing section (1964). He landed a job of assistant on a commercial and hardly earned his living as a messenger for Paris-Match magazine. During his mili­tary service in Cameroon, he reorganized the cinema department and trained technicians. In Africa, he also directed educational films. Back to Paris, he became one of the busiest and most rewarded international directors of commercials (about eighty films a year from 1966 to 1976). His first feature film was a com­mercial failure in France until it won the Academy Award as best foreign film for 1977 and was released again under a new title. He co-wrote the dialogue of a Pierre Richard's comedy (1978 Je suis timide . . . mais je me soigne) and co-authored the original story of Running Free (Sergei Bodrov, USA, 1999).

 Filmography

1976 ◘ La Victoire en chantant / Noirs et Blancs en Couleurs / Sehnsucht nach Afrika / USA: Black and White in Color (also co-screenwriter, co-dialogist; France / Ivory Coast)

1979 ◘ Coup de Tête / UK and USA: Hothead (also co-screenwriter)

1981 ◘ La Guerre du Feu / Quest for Fire / The War of Fire (France / Canada)

1986 ◘ Le Nom de la Rose / Der Name der Rose / Il nome della rosa / USA: The Name of the Rose L France / West Germany / Italy)

1988 ◘ L'Ours / The Bear (also co-screenwriter; France / USA)

1992 ◘ L'Amant / UK: The Lover (also co-screenwriter; France / UK / Vietnam)

1995 ◘ Wings of Courage / Les Ailes du Courage / Guillaumet, les Ailes du Courage (short; also co-screenwriter, producer; USA / France)

1997 ◘ Seven Years in Tibet (USA)

2001 ◘ Enemy of the Gates / Duell—Enemy at the Gates (USA / Germany / UK / Ireland; shot in 1999-2000)

2004 ◘ Deux Frères / Two Brothers (also co-screenwriter; France / UK)

2007 ◘ Sa Majesté Minor / Su Majestad Minor (France / Spain)