One of the key figures to emerge as part of a new wave of French directors of the 1990s, Francois Ozon is a filmmaker who refuses to be pegged into a certain genre or persona. Arriving in the 1990s as an openly-gay bad boy who would later become one of France’s top filmmakers who would explore themes on death, feminism, and ambition. Ozon would continuously refine his approach to storytelling while going back-and-forth from making serious films to something more lively while not being afraid to acknowledge his influences in such filmmakers as Douglas Sirk and Rainer Werner Fassbinder. With a new film set to come out in 2014, Ozon is already a filmmaker who has cultivated a devoted following as he continuously reinvents himself with every film he does.
Born on November 15, 1967 in Paris, France, Ozon arrived into the film world in the mid-1980s at the prestigious La Femis film school in Paris at a time when French cinema was still thriving but hasn’t managed to create some excitement in the aftermath of the French New Wave. During his studies at La Femis, Ozon discovered the films of such filmmakers as Douglas Sirk and Rainer Werner Fassbinder as they would be profound influences into his work. Aware of the emergence of gay and lesbian cinema that was coming out of the U.S. independent film scene as well as the controversial work of Spain’s Pedro Almodovar. Ozon would finally would begin honing his craft through a series of short films that he would make for a good part of the decade.
More can be read at this link at Cinema Axis.
© thevoid99 2014
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