What's After the Movie
François Truffaut
François Truffaut was a seminal French filmmaker, actor, and critic whose work helped define the French New Wave of the late 1950s and 1960s. Born in Paris on 6 February 1932, he grew up shuffled between nannies and his grandmother, an early love of cinema sparked when he sneaked into the Cinémathèque Française and watched American classics by Hitchcock, Ford, and Hawks. His passion for movies turned into a fierce critical voice after meeting André Bazin, leading him to write for Cahiers du Cinéma where he championed the auteur theory and helped shape modern film criticism. Truffout’s directorial debut, The 400 Blows (1959), drew on his own troubled childhood and introduced the world to the iconic Antoine Doinel, portrayed by Jean‑Pierre Léaud, a character who would reappear in several sequels and cement Truffaut’s reputation as a master storyteller. Over the next two decades he produced a string of landmark films—Shoot the Piano Player, Jules and Jim, The Soft Skin, Day for Night—each showcasing his fluid blend of narrative empathy, formal innovation, and reverence for cinema history; Day for Night even earned him an Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film and a BAFTA for Best Film.
Beyond directing, Truffaut appeared on screen in roles such as the scientist in Spielberg’s Close Encounters of the Third Kind and the doctor in his own The Wild Child. His love for Alfred Hitchcock inspired the seminal book Hitchcock/Truffaut and later homages like The Bride Wore Black and Confidentially Yours. A devoted family man, he married Madeleine Morgenstern in 1957, fathered three children, and later shared his life with actress Fanny Ardant. Truffaut’s untimely death on 21 October 1984 at age 52 left an indelible legacy; his ideas on authorship, his emotive visual style, and his endless enthusiasm for film continue to influence directors worldwide.
Biography, Career & Filmography
Learn more about François Truffaut, including a detailed biography, career timeline, personal life insights, and complete filmography. Discover how François Truffaut rose to fame, their major roles, industry impact, and personal milestones in the world of film.
Given Name: François Roland Truffaut
Born: Paris, France
Citizenship: French
Birthday: February 6, 1932
Occupations: filmmaker, actor, critic
Years Active: 1955-1984
Children: 3
Spouses: Madeleine Morgenstern
External Links and Streaming Options
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Awards and Nominations Received by François Truffaut
Explore the awards, honors, and nominations François Truffaut has earned across their acting career. From prestigious wins to critical acclaim, see how their talent has been recognized by the film industry and major award bodies.
Movies Featuring François Truffaut
The Wild Child
Close Encounters of the Third Kind
Catherine Deneuve, belle et bien là
Two in the Wave
François Truffaut l’insoumis
Vadim Mister Cool
Jeanne Moreau: Free Spirit
Truffaut / Godard, scénario d’une rupture
John Travolta, le miraculé d’Hollywood
Françoise Dorléac, une promesse
Once Upon a Time… ‘Rome, Open City’
The Woman Next Door
Confidentially Yours
François Truffaut: Des films d’amour !
Les cahiers du cinéma, la création d’une empreinte
Sous le soleil de Pialat
Antoine and Colette
The Secret of the Wild Child
François Truffaut: The Man Who Loved Cinema - The Wild Child
Fool’s Mate
Small Change
Day for Night
Carl Th. Dreyer
À tout prendre
I’m a Stranger Here Myself
The Man Who Loved Women
La Nouvelle Vague par elle-même
Jim Morrison: The End
Love on the Run
Mississippi Mermaid
Once Upon a Time… ‘Notorious’
Portrait of François Truffaut
François Truffaut: The Man Who Loved Cinema - Love & Death
Shoot the Piano Player
Fahrenheit 451
The Bride Wore Black
Stolen Kisses
A Gorgeous Girl Like Me
The Kreutzer Sonata
Postface à l’Atalante
The Story of Adele H.
The Green Room
Love at Twenty
Langlois
François Truffaut: My Life, a Screenplay
The Mischief Makers
Passion Fanny Ardant
Two English Girls
Catherine Deneuve, in the eye of the camera
Monsieur Truffaut Meets Mr. Hitchcock
Godard Cinema
A Visit
Los 4 Golpes
A Story of Water
The Army Game
The 400 Blows
Career Timeline
Track the complete movie timeline of François Truffaut, including all film releases, career breakthroughs, and notable roles. Follow their journey from early performances to recent blockbusters and upcoming projects.
2023
Passion Fanny Ardant
Self - Filmmaker (archive footage)
Catherine Deneuve, in the eye of the camera
Self (archive footage)
2021
Les cahiers du cinéma, la création d’une empreinte
Sous le soleil de Pialat
Self (archive footage)
Jim Morrison: The End
Self - Filmmaker (archive footage)
2018
Jeanne Moreau: Free Spirit
Self - Filmmaker (archive footage)
Françoise Dorléac, une promesse
Self (archive footage)
2016
Vadim Mister Cool
Self (archive footage)
Truffaut / Godard, scénario d’une rupture
Self (archive footage)
2010
Catherine Deneuve, belle et bien là
Self (archive footage)
Two in the Wave
Self (archive footage)
1996
François Truffaut: The Man Who Loved Cinema - The Wild Child
Self (archive footage)
François Truffaut: The Man Who Loved Cinema - Love & Death
Self (archive footage)
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