Michel Hazanavicius was born and raised in Paris, France. His grandparents were originally from Lithuania, but relocated to France in the 1920s. Hazanavicius attended art school, and moved on to work as a director for commercials and television projects. In 1999, he wrote and directed his first feature film Mes amis (1999), which featured his broth...
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Michel Hazanavicius was born and raised in Paris, France. His grandparents were originally from Lithuania, but relocated to France in the 1920s. Hazanavicius attended art school, and moved on to work as a director for commercials and television projects. In 1999, he wrote and directed his first feature film Mes amis (1999), which featured his brother Serge Hazanavicius. His next feature film, spy parody, OSS 117: Le Caire, nid d'espions (2006) was a success at the French box office, and warranted a sequel, OSS 117: Rio ne répond plus (2009), which was also a hit. Hazanavicius came to the attention of international audiences with the release of an almost wordless film, The Artist (2011), which starred his wife, Bérénice Bejo and OSS 117 star Jean Dujardin. The film was a critical and popular hit, garnering many major nominations and awards. Show less «
[on receiving an Oscar nomination for The Artist (2011)] The happy ending is a matter of politeness....Show more »
[on receiving an Oscar nomination for The Artist (2011)] The happy ending is a matter of politeness. I asked people to watch this, so that I could do something other than a happy ending. It's a way of saying thank you to the audience because they went to something that's not so easy to see. Show less «
I love silent cinema but don't hold it sacred. Like any branch of film there are some very boring fi...Show more »
I love silent cinema but don't hold it sacred. Like any branch of film there are some very boring films alongside the masterpieces. These films are old because of the era they're from, not specifically the format they're made in. It was important not think of [The Artist (2011)] as an "old movie". It's now, it's new. But you have the benefit of this neglected format which gives you some exciting options as a storyteller. Show less «
