Director Alain Corneau (1943)

Love Crime (2010), is a French thriller, featuring Ludivine Sagnier and Kristin Scott Thomas. Directed by the late Alain Corneau, it revolves around Isabelle, an ambitious and talented executive at an American corporation’s Paris office. Her boss, Christine, is equally driven and has a habit of taking credit for Isabelle’s work to secure a promotion to the New York branch. Feeling frustrated with this dynamic, Isabelle teams up with her colleague Daniel to surprise Christine with a successful project that ...

The French crime film, The Second Wind (2007), helmed by Alain Corneau, follows the story of Gu – a notorious gangster who has recently broken out of prison. With all of the French police hot on his trail, Gu must make a swift exit from the country with Manouche, his beloved. In order to fund their escape, Gu seeks out one last job. However, things take a turn when a corrupt police officer sets him up and makes it seem like he betrayed his own team. Determined to clear his name and restore his honour, Gu will stop at nothing to achieve justice.

Adapted from Dominique Mainard’s novel Leur histoire, the French drama film Some Kind of Blue (2005) was brought to life by Alain Corneau. The story follows Clara, a woman who works at a bird shop and is sole caretaker of her deaf-mute daughter Anna. Despite her concerns for Anna, who has never spoken, Clara herself is unable to read and write due to a traumatic incident in her past. After her beloved grandmother Baba was attacked while reading to her, Clara developed a strong aversion to learning literacy skills. As a ...

Fear and Trembling (2003) is a French film adapted from Amélie Nothomb’s novel of the same name. The story follows Amélie, a young Belgian woman who spent her childhood in Japan, as she returns to live and assimilate into Japanese society. Despite her determination to fully embrace the culture and become a ‘real Japanese’ before her one year contract expires, her strong will clashes with the humble nature of Japanese society. She secures a prestigious role as a translator at an import/export company, but her lack of understanding of Japanese customs and unsuitable work assignments lead to demotions ...

The film, The Prince of the Pacific (2000), takes place on the island of Fenua Poerava, also known as ‘Pearl Island’, during the year 1918. A French military ship arrives with Captain Alfred de Morsac, a decorated soldier who has been awarded the Croix de Guerre. He has come to create a battalion of Ocean Skirmishers. Morsac embodies the bravery and resilience of a true hero, surviving for twelve days on nothing but a seagull carcass. His unwavering courage and sense of duty often lead him into reckless situations, though he remains immune to ridicule. Upon reaching the island, he encounters the Hiva people, ancient warriors under the oppressive rule of ...

Le Cousin (1997) is a French film directed by Alain Corneau. The film follows the story of Nounours, an informer with a special arrangement with the police. He is nicknamed ‘cousin’ and receives 10% of the drugs seized due to his assistance. However, after inspector Maurin, Nounours’s personal contact, tragically takes his own life, inspector Gérard Delvaux takes over the case. Meanwhile, judge Lambert is conducting investigations into the illegal practices of the police force. Her persistent efforts have led her to Gérard and also to Nounours as the source of heroin in recent deadly overdose cases. ...

New World (1995) is a French drama film directed by Alain Corneau, portraying post-World War II France. Patrick Carrion, a young boy in the 1950s, is enamored with all things American and resides in a small village near a U.S. military base. Surrounded by his loving family and girlfriend, Marie-José Vire, Patrick’s life is idyllic until he meets American soldier Will Caberra. The soldier exposes Patrick to American culture, including music, fun, freedom, and relationships with women. With Will’s guidance, Patrick pursues his passion for drumming and falls for an American girl named Trudy Wadd. However, as ...

The French film All The Mornings of the World (1991) is an adaptation of Pascal Quignard’s book of the same name. It tells the story of aging court composer Marin Marais, who reflects on his former master, Monsieur de Sainte-Colombe – an unmatched viol player and strict Jansenist. Following his wife’s death, Sainte-Colombe finds solace in his music, raising his two daughters on his own and teaching them to play instruments. They form a consort and perform for nobles in their local area. Eventually, word of Sainte-Colombe’s talent reaches King Louis XIV and an envoy named Caignet is sent to ...

The film Nocturne indien (1989), helmed by director Alain Corneau, is an adaptation of Italian author Antonio Tabucchi’s novel Notturno Indiano. It follows the story of a Frenchman who embarks on a journey in India to find his missing friend, encountering intriguing characters and discovering the wonders of this captivating country along the way.

Fort Saganne (1984) is a French war film directed by Alain Corneau and starring Gérard Depardieu. Set in 1911, it follows the story of Charles Saganne, a determined man from peasant stock who enthusiastically enlists in the military. Assigned to the Sahara Desert under Colonel Dubreuilh, Saganne catches the eye of Madeleine, daughter of the regional administrator. As he earns the admiration of Arab warrior Amajan, Saganne also embarks on a passionate affair with a journalist while on a diplomatic mission to Paris. However, his focus ultimately returns to Africa where he ...

Choice of Arms (1981) is a French crime film directed by Alain Corneau. Noël, a former gangster now breeding horses on his large estate outside Paris with his beautiful wife Nicole, has his tranquil life turned upside down when two wanted crooks arrive in a stolen car. One is an old accomplice known as Serge, who is fatally shot, while the other is a young psychotic named Mickey. Upon Serge’s death, Noël performs a burial for him. However, Mickey soon makes his way to Noël’s house and confronts two police detectives, Bonnardot and Sarlat. After threatening them, he flees to the city and takes refuge with ...

Série noire (1979), a French crime film directed by Alain Corneau, is based on Jim Thompson’s novel A Hell of a Woman. In the outskirts of Paris, Franck Poupart sells goods door to door on commission, living in a rundown apartment with his despondent wife. Struggling with alcohol and withdrawal symptoms, Franck seeks out a man named Tikides who owes him money. His search leads him to an old woman’s dilapidated house, where he learns that Tikides can be found at the gym. Despite being drawn to a girl he meets there, Franck manages to control his impulses and departs.

La Menace (1977), a French-Canadian film by Alain Corneau, follows the story of Henri Savin, the supervisor of a large carrier company. He resides with Dominique Montlaur, who owns the truck company and is also his lover. After making the decision to leave both Dominique and the company for his pregnant mistress Julie Manet, Henri finds himself dealing with Dominique’s stalking behavior towards Julie. In one instance, Dominique tries to bribe Julie and ends up getting into a physical altercation with her at an abandoned fort. Despite managing to escape in her car, Julie is later arrested for murder when Dominique ...

Police Python 357 (1976) is a French crime-thriller film penned and helmed by Alain Corneau. Based on Kenneth Fearing’s 1946 novel, The Big Clock, it tells the tale of an inspector entangled in a clandestine romance. However, when his higher-up murders his lover, all evidence points towards him.