François Truffaut
Biography
François Truffaut was a French film director, screenwriter, producer, actor, and film critic. He was one of the founders of the French New Wave and an influential figure in the French film industry. Truffaut's film career spanned over a quarter of a century and he worked on over twenty-five films. He was also a significant influence on several prominent directors, including Steven Spielberg, Quentin Tarantino, Brian De Palma, Martin Scorsese, and Wes Anderson. Truffaut was born in Paris, France on February 6, 1932, and died on October 21, 1984, at the age of 52.
Career overview
François Truffaut was a film director who was one of the founders of the French New Wave. He was an influential figure in the French film industry and his career lasted over a quarter of a century. Truffaut was also a screenwriter, producer, and actor, working on numerous films.
As a director, Truffaut was known for his contributions to the French New Wave movement. He was a key figure in this movement, which aimed to bring about a new style of filmmaking in France. Truffaut's work had a significant impact on the film industry, inspiring many other directors. He was one of the most influential figures of the French New Wave, alongside Jean-Luc Godard.
Truffaut's influence extended beyond the French film industry, with many international directors citing him as an inspiration. He worked on over twenty-five films, and his legacy continues to be felt in the world of cinema.
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Career timeline
Full filmography
- Determination (2026) as Self (archival footage)
- Being Bo Widerberg (2025) as Self (archive footage)
- Postface à l’Atalante (2025) as Self
- Short Cuts : Stolen Kisses (2024) Original Film Writer
- François Truffaut: My Life, a Screenplay (2024) as Self (archive footage)
- Passion Fanny Ardant (2023) as Self - Filmmaker (archive footage)
- Godard by Godard (2023) as Self (archive footage)
- Short cuts : François Truffaut's The Woman Next Door (2023) Original Film Writer
- Godard Cinema (2023) as Self (archive footage)
- Catherine Deneuve, in the eye of the camera (2023) as Self (archive footage)
- Deneuve, la reine Catherine (2022) as Self (archive footage)
- Jim Morrison: The End (2021) as Self - Filmmaker (archive footage)
- Morceaux de Cannes (2021)
- Sous le soleil de Pialat (2021) as Self (archive footage)
- Les cahiers du cinéma, la création d'une empreinte (2021) as Self (archive footage)
- Françoise Dorléac, from The Man from Rio to The Young Girls of Rochefort (2021) as archive footage
- Les secrets de François Truffaut (2020) as Self (archive footage)
- François Truffaut: Des films d'amour ! (2020) as Self
- When Hitchcock met O'Casey (2019) as Self (archive footage)
- Introducing My Father, François Truffaut (2019) as Self (Archive Footage)
- André Malraux: Writer, Politician, Adventurer (2019) as Self - Filmmaker (archive footage)
- Jeanne Moreau: Free Spirit (2018) as Self - Filmmaker (archive footage)
- Françoise Dorléac, une promesse (2018) as Self (archive footage)
- John Travolta, le miraculé d'Hollywood (2017) as Self - Filmmaker (archive footage)
- Bernadette Lafont: And God Created the Free Woman (2016)
- Vadim Mister Cool (2016) as Self (archive footage)
- Truffaut / Godard, scénario d'une rupture (2016) as Self (archive footage)
- François Truffaut l'insoumis (2014) as Self (archive footage)
- Ain't Misbehavin (2013) as Self (archive footage)
- To Be... A Classic (2012) as Self (archive footage)
- The Magic Skin (2011) Idea
- Catherine Deneuve, belle et bien là (2010) as Self (archive footage)
- Two in the Wave (2010) as Self (archive footage)
- Looking for Truffaut (2009) as Self (archive footage)
- On the Trail of the New Wave (2009) as Self (archive footage)
- Once Upon a Time... 'Notorious' (2009) as Self (archive footage)
- Once Upon a Time... 'Rome, Open City' (2006) as Self (archive footage)
- Alfred Hitchcock: The Early Years (2004) as Self (audio archival footage)
- Their First Films (2004) Director
- Un film et son époque (2003) as Self (archive footage)
- The Truth About Charlie (2002) Original Film Writer
- Heart of the Festival (2002) as Self (archive footage)
- Léaud l'unique (2001) as Self (archive) - filmmaker
- Nouvelle Vague : El cine sin dogmas (2000) as Self
- Monsieur Truffaut Meets Mr. Hitchcock (1999) as Self (archive footage)
- Roberto Rossellini: Il mestiere di uomo (1997) as Self (archive footage)
- Rossellini, un Prométhée franciscain (1996) as Self (archive) - film critic, filmmaker
- François Truffaut: The Man Who Loved Cinema - Love & Death (1996) as Self (archive footage)
- François Truffaut: The Man Who Loved Cinema - The Wild Child (1996) as Self (archive footage)
- Belle Époque (1995) Writer
- The World of Jacques Demy (1995) as Self (archive footage)
- The Secret of the Wild Child (1994) as Self
- François Truffaut: Stolen Portraits (1993) as Self (archive footage)
- Cinéma! Cinéma! The French New Wave (1992) as Self (archive footage)
- The Little Thief (1988) Story
- Wings of Desire (1987) In Memory Of
- Breathless (1983) Author
- The Man Who Loved Women (1983) Original Film Writer
- Confidentially Yours (1983) Director
- Confidentially Yours (1983) Screenplay
- Confidentially Yours (1983) Producer
- Confidentially Yours (1983) Adaptation
- Confidentially Yours (1983) Dialogue
- The Woman Next Door (1981) Screenplay
- The Woman Next Door (1981) Director
- The Woman Next Door (1981) Producer
- The Last Metro (1980) Screenplay
- The Last Metro (1980) Producer
- The Last Metro (1980) Director
- The Last Metro (1980) Dialogue
- Love on the Run (1979) Director
- Love on the Run (1979) Producer
- Love on the Run (1979) Screenplay
- Ciné regards (1978) as Self
- The Green Room (1978) as Julien Davenne
- The Green Room (1978) Producer
- The Green Room (1978) Director
- The Green Room (1978) Screenplay
- Catherine Deneuve by Chance, or, A Certain Blondeness (1978) as Self
- Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977) as Claude Lacombe
- François Truffaut (1977) as Self
- The Man Who Loved Women (1977) as Un homme aux fénérailles (uncredited)
- The Man Who Loved Women (1977) Screenplay
- The Man Who Loved Women (1977) Director
- The Man Who Loved Women (1977) Producer
- That Kid (1976) Producer
- Small Change (1976) as Martine's father
- Small Change (1976) Screenplay
- Small Change (1976) Director
- Small Change (1976) Producer
- Apostrophes (1975) as Self
- Les Rendez-vous du dimanche (1975) as Self
- The Story of Adèle H. (1975) as Officer (uncredited)
- The Story of Adèle H. (1975) Director
- The Story of Adèle H. (1975) Screenplay
- I'm a Stranger Here Myself (1975) as Self
- Spécial cinéma (1974) as Self
- Les Musiciens de la pellicule (1974) as lui-même
- Day for Night (1973) as Ferrand, the Director
- Day for Night (1973) Screenplay
- Day for Night (1973) Director
- Omnibus: François Truffaut (1973) as Self
- Le Grand Échiquier (1972) as Self
- A Gorgeous Girl Like Me (1972) as Journalist (voice) (uncredited)
- A Gorgeous Girl Like Me (1972) Director
- A Gorgeous Girl Like Me (1972) Writer
- Two English Girls (1971) as Narrator (voice) (uncredited)
- Two English Girls (1971) Director
- Two English Girls (1971) Writer
- Bed and Board (1970) as Le Marchand de Journaux (voice) (uncredited)
- Bed and Board (1970) Director
- Bed and Board (1970) Producer
- Bed and Board (1970) Dialogue
- Bed and Board (1970) Screenplay
- Langlois (1970) as Self
- The Wild Child (1970) as Le Dr Jean Itard
- The Wild Child (1970) Director
- The Wild Child (1970) Screenplay
- The Wild Child (1970) Adaptation
- The Wild Child (1970) Dialogue
- Cinéastes de notre temps : François Truffaut : Dix ans, dix films (1970) as Self
- Mississippi Mermaid (1969) Producer
- Mississippi Mermaid (1969) Director
- Mississippi Mermaid (1969) Adaptation
- Naked Childhood (1969) Producer
- Stolen Kisses (1968) Director
- Stolen Kisses (1968) Producer
- Stolen Kisses (1968) Dialogue
- Stolen Kisses (1968) Screenplay
- The Bride Wore Black (1968) Director
- The Bride Wore Black (1968) Adaptation
- Omnibus (1967) as Self
- The Birth of Children of Paradise (1967) as Self
- Fahrenheit 451 (1966) Director
- Fahrenheit 451 (1966) Screenplay
- Carl Th. Dreyer (1966) as Self
- Filmmakers of Our Time: François Truffaut or the Critical Spirit (1965) as Self
- Pour le plaisir (1964) as Self
- The Soft Skin (1964) as Le Pompiste (voice) (uncredited)
- The Soft Skin (1964) Producer
- The Soft Skin (1964) Director
- The Soft Skin (1964) Screenplay
- Mata Hari, Agent H21 (1964) Screenplay
- La Nouvelle Vague par elle-même (1964) as Self
- Take It All (1963) as Self (uncredited)
- The Merv Griffin Show (1962) as Self
- Jules and Jim (1962) Producer
- Jules and Jim (1962) Director
- Jules and Jim (1962) Adaptation
- Antoine and Colette (1962) Director
- Antoine and Colette (1962) Writer
- Los 4 Golpes (1962) as The Assassin
- Los 4 Golpes (1962) Director
- Love at Twenty (1962) Director
- Love at Twenty (1962) Writer
- A Swelled Head (1962) Writer
- Portrait of François Truffaut (1961) as Self
- Le scarabée d'or (1961) Producer
- A Story of Water (1961) Writer
- A Story of Water (1961) Director
- Breathless (1960) Original Story
- Breathless (1960) Story
- Shoot the Piano Player (1960) Director
- Shoot the Piano Player (1960) Adaptation
- Shoot the Piano Player (1960) Dialogue
- Testament of Orpheus (1960) Associate Producer
- The Army Game (1960) as Le taulard passionné de lecture
- The Army Game (1960) Adaptation
- The Army Game (1960) Producer
- The Army Game (1960) Co-Director
- The Army Game (1960) Screenplay
- The 400 Blows (1959) as Homme dans une fête foraine (non crédité)
- The 400 Blows (1959) Producer
- The 400 Blows (1959) Director
- The 400 Blows (1959) Adaptation
- The 400 Blows (1959) Screenplay
- Anna the Maid (1958) Producer
- The Overworked (1958) Writer
- The Mischief Makers (1957) Director
- The Mischief Makers (1957) Screenplay
- Cinépanorama (1956) as Self
- The Kreutzer Sonata (1956) as Cameo (uncredited)
- Fool’s Mate (1956) as Party guest (uncredited)
- Reflets de Cannes (1954) as Self