Jean-Pierre Jeunet
Jeunet is a self-taught French film director whose propensity towards a world of whimsy and fantasy makes him one of the most playfully original directors working today. Starting a career as a director of TV commercials and music videos, Jeunet soon delved into cinema after striking up a widely successful partnership with a comic book artist/animator, Marc Caro. Jeunet and Caro soon made a name for themselves with their rather bizarre, dark comedies comprising post-apocalyptic worlds, eccentric characters and a regimented approach to filmmaking wherein form takes precedence over subject matter.
Notable works:
1. Delicatessen (1991).
Surreal, post-apocalyptic dark comedy about the landlord of an apartment building who occasionally prepares a delicacy for his bizarre, eccentric tenants. With his idiosyncratic, character-based film style, this will not disappoint.
2. The City of Lost Children (1995).
A twisted scientist in a surrealist, dystopian society abducts children to steal their dreams. He hopes that these children will slow his ageing process. The mise en scene is nothing short of spectacular.
3. Amelie (2001).
Amelie is a beautiful yet naive girl living in Paris. On a whim, she decides to start helping the people around her and along the way, she ultimately discovers love. With the fetching and charismatic Audrey Tautou, the beautiful Paris backdrop and the array of colourful characters, this is a must-see for serious filmgoers.
4. Micmacs (2009).
A man and his newly formed group of strange friends hatch an originally intricate plan to take down two large weapons manufacturers. Despite not being as widely received as previous works, the originality alone is enough to keep you entertained.
5. A Very Long Engagement (2004).
We are introduced to a young woman’s unrelenting search for her fiancé. He has disappeared from the trenches of the Somme during the First World War. Being the most down-to-earth of Jeunet’s films, he certainly proved that he can tackle many different genres.
