World famous French director and screen-writer Jean-Luc Godard has died at the age of 91. He was born December 3, 1930, in Paris, France. He died September 13, 2022, in Rolle, Switzerland.
Godard died by way of assisted suicide, which is legal in Switzerland under certain circumstances. Godard’s legal advisor Patrick Jeanneret told the AFP news agency that the Franco-Swiss filmmaker “had recourse to legal assistance in Switzerland for a voluntary departure as he was stricken with ‘multiple invalidating illnesses’.”
M. Godard was better known in the United States mostly to film students and serious film critics, but in Europe he was widely known and respected. French President Emmanuel Macron said, “We have lost a national treasure, a man who had the vision of a genius.”
A film critic himself as well as a director and a screenwriter, M. Godard redefined cinema for a generation. He greatly influenced directors Martin Scorsese and Quentin Tarantino, among others. From 1955 to 2018, Godard directed 131 films. He wrote and/or produced dozens of films. Like Alfred Hitchcock, he often gave himself minor roles in his own films. He revelled in creating films about human relationships, but in 1955 dipped his toes into the waters of science fiction with his now classic Alphaville.
Although born in France, of a French father, his mother was of Swiss heritage. During World War II he became a naturalized citizen of Switzerland and attended school there.
Jean-Luc Godard was nominated for the Palme D’or at the Cannes Film Festival nine times. He won in 2014 with Goodbye to Language (Adieu au langage), which also was nominated for the International Panorama Award at the Cairo Film Festival. He won an honorary Oscar in 2011. Other awards over the years included the French Cesar Award, the German Golden Berlin Bear and the Silver Berlin Bear, and the Sutherland Trophy from the British Film Institute.
Jean-Luc Godard was married and divorced twice His first wife was actress Anna Karina; they were married from 1961 to 1967. His second wife was actress Anne Wiazemsky: they were married from 1967 to 1979. Both of his ex-wives predeceased him.
-30-
Susan Macdonald is the author of the children’s book “R is for Renaissance Faire”, as well as 26 short stories, mostly fantasy in “Alternative Truths”, “Swords and Sorceress #30”, Swords &Sorceries Vols. 1, 2, & 5, “Cat Tails” “Under Western Stars”, and “Knee-High Drummond and the Durango Kid”. Her articles have appeared on SCIFI.radio’s web site, in The Inquisitr, and in The Millington Star. She enjoys Renaissance Faires (see book above), science fiction conventions, Highland Games, and Native American pow-wows.
