The news of beloved and revered French filmmaker Bertrand Tavernier’s death has struck a chord in France and around the world with a flurry of cinephiles, filmmakers, critics, industry figures and talents remembering him on social media on Thursday.
Aside from his prolific career as filmmaker, Tavernier (“Round Midnight,” “Coup de Torchon,” “A Sunday in the Country”), was also a driving force behind the Institut Lumiere and its annual heritage film festival in Lyon which he ran alongside Cannes artistic director Thierry Fremaux. Tavernier brought tremendous support to film preservation and livened up the cultural life of Lyon, his hometown, through his dedicated work at the Institut Lumiere.
“We would have soon celebrated our 40 years of friendship and common work, since he reached out a helping hand when I was a student,” Fremaux told Variety. “And we had many adventures together, including the Lumiere festival and his last documentary [‘Journey Through French Cinema’]. He was a great cinephile, and a great human being,” said Fremaux.
Tavernier was known for his insatiable curiosity, passion, lifelong enthusiasm for sharing ideas and kindness.
The legendary filmmaker was also passionate about America and wrote several books about U.S. films. He had just finished the book “100 Years of American Cinema” which will come out in the fall. He was also working on a film adaptation of a book by Russel Banks.
Amazon Studios’ Scott Foundas, a former Variety critic, said Tavernier “embodied the spirit of cinema as robustly as anyone ever has, and who leaves behind a filmography rich in humanistic masterworks.”
Farewell to a dear friend, Bertrand Tavernier, who embodied the spirit of cinema as robustly as anyone ever has, and who leaves behind a filmography rich in humanistic masterworks (THE CLOCKMAKER, A SUNDAY IN THE COUNTRY, LIFE AND NOTHING BUT) as well as a definitive survey of
— Scott Foundas (@foundasonfilm) March 25, 2021
Canal Plus Group’s CEO Maxime Saada described Tavernier as a “great filmmaker” who was “so cultured, curious, engaged, generous,” and said his passing was a “massive shock for the cinema” world.
Énorme choc pour le Cinéma que la perte de #bertrandtavernier, grand Cinéaste devant l’éternel, si cultivé, si curieux, si engagé et si généreux. @canalplus lui rendra bien entendu hommage et adresse ses sincères condoléances à sa famille et à ses proches.
— Maxime Saada (@maxsaada) March 25, 2021
Jean Labadie, the founder of the French distribution company Le Pacte who collaborated with Tavernier on several films including “L’Appat,” said his death was “so sad, so tragic.”
La disparition de Bertrand Tavernier est tellement triste ,tellement dramatique!Il luttait contre une pancréatique depuis des années , sans se plaindre , en continuant à travailler avec une energie extraordinaire!
Son projet sur le western qui a été son inspiration n’existes pas— JeanLabadie (@LabadieLePacte) March 25, 2021
British filmmaker Mark Cousins described Tavernier as a “mighty keeper of the flame of cinema.”
#BertrandTavernier was a mighty keeper of the flame of cinema.
To have dinner and talk movies – I recall a long conversation about Jean Grémillon’ Remorques – was a joy and honour.
So sad pic.twitter.com/syS5XZTJYD— mark cousins (@markcousinsfilm) March 25, 2021
More tributes:
So shocked at this. Always thought there would be one more meal with Bertrand, one more email recommending some obscure but wonderful American movie only he knew about, one more superb documentary about film history as only he could present it. Such a great, great loss. https://t.co/5rT0t66xP3
— Kenneth Turan (@KennethTuran) March 25, 2021
Con Bertrand Tavernier scompare una delle figure più prestigiose e influenti della cultura cinematografica francese della seconda metà del Novecento. La cinefilia d’Oltralpe perde uno dei suoi simboli più rappresentativi, il cinema uno degli autori più originali e apprezzati.
— Alberto Barbera (@AlbertoBarbera2) March 25, 2021
UniFrance mourns veteran director #BertrandTavernier, who passed away at 79. Warm-heartedly passionate about film, history, music and society, he analyzed all of those on over 25 films, features and docs, winning 4 César awards and worldwide acclaim. A sad day for #FrenchCinema pic.twitter.com/BQOgeVfg6U
— UniFrance (@uniFrance) March 25, 2021
Tristesse infinie d’adresser un dernier salut à #BertrandTavernier, grand cinéaste et brillant passeur. Il nous avait emballé avec des films aussi divers que « Coup de torchon» et «Un dimanche à la campagne» + ses docs et ses écrits. Il venait de finir 100 ans de cinéma américain pic.twitter.com/4b3edJMScF
— Philippe Rouyer (@philippe_rouyer) March 25, 2021
#BertrandTavernier nous a quitté. Le cinéma français est en deuil. Il était sa mémoire, sa vie, son enthousiasme. Il a donné leurs plus beaux rôles à Noiret, Rochefort, Marielle, Torreton et tant d’autres. Sa passion, son génie nous manqueront. Mais ses films sont immortels.
— Christophe Tardieu (@TardieuCh) March 25, 2021
Pour #bertrandtavernier le plus grand cinéaste cinéphile avec Scorcese. Merci 🙏 pic.twitter.com/MWDQYf0HGQ
— stephane foenkinos officiel (@foenkinos) March 25, 2021
Bertrand Tavernier : un amour si fort et si pur pour le cinéma …une vie dédiée à une passion, une culture enflammée et infinie, une œuvre immense…un géant ❤️🙏 pic.twitter.com/eU0pP2cXNa
— Stephane Celerier (@stephanecel) March 25, 2021