2024-01-12 00:00:00
At the ripe old age of 93, Clint Eastwood returned to a film set last year to direct a new film, the 40th of his long and prolific career. The legendary Hollywood cowboy is far from the only director of his generation to push back retirement age. Here are 15 filmmakers who continue to shoot after turning 80.
Martin Scorsese (81 years old)
Photo AFP
At 81, the famous American filmmaker still has projects in his head. Currently engaged in a promotional campaign aimed at promoting the candidacy of his latest film, The American noteat the Oscars, the director of Taxi Driver and Freed is preparing a new feature film about Jesus.
Clint Eastwood (93 ans)
AFP
A key figure in American cinema for nearly 70 years, the legendary actor and filmmaker filmed the legal drama last year Juror #2, his 40th feature film as director, announced as his last film. Starring Toni Collette, Nicholas Hoult and Kiefer Sutherland, Juror #2 should hit theaters later in 2024.
Ridley Scott (86 ans)
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Even though he celebrated his 86th birthday last November, the veteran British filmmaker doesn’t seem ready to slow down. In addition to recently launching the historical drama Napoleonthe director of Blade Runner et Alien is currently filming the sequel to his film Gladiatorexpected in theaters next November.
Denys Arcand (82 years old)
Photo Agence QMI, Martin Alarie
First Quebec filmmaker to win the Oscar for best foreign language film (in 2004 for Barbarian Invasions), the director of Decline of the American Empire launched last October a new satirical comedy, Testament, which achieved great success at the box office. In the interviews he gave last fall, Denys Arcand did not close the door to the idea of possibly shooting another film.
Paul Verhoeven (85 ans)
AFP
After the sulfurous Blessedreleased in 2021, the director of Basic Instinct et Total Recall recently announced that he was preparing a new erotic thriller, Young Sinner, with his former accomplice RoboCop, screenwriter Ed Neumeier. This would be his first film shot in the United States since Hollow Man, in 2000.
Alanis Obomsawin (91 ans)
AFP
In more than 50 years of career, the filmmaker and multidisciplinary artist of Abenaki origin has made 65 films in which she has documented the hopes and historical struggles of indigenous peoples. Last fall, she launched a 12-disc DVD box set bringing together 28 of her most notable films. The fact that she’s the only woman on our list proves just how male-dominated the industry used to be.
David Cronenberg (80 ans)
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Two years after the release of his science fiction thriller The crimes of the future, the famous Canadian filmmaker shot a new film last year, with actors Vincent Cassel and Diane Kruger. According to the latter, it would be a very personal work for Cronenberg since the director would have been inspired by his life alongside his wife, who died of cancer seven years ago.
Woody Allen (88 ans)
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Despite controversies and accusations of sexual assault launched by his adopted daughter Dylan Farrow, Woody Allen continues to make films. The 88-year-old filmmaker launched his 50th career film last September at the Venice Film Festival, Stroke of lucka romantic comedy starring Lou de Laagence, Melvil Poupaud and Niels Schneider.
Francis Ford Coppola (84 ans)
AFP
The director ofApocalypse Now and the trilogy The Godfather recently completed filming on his next feature film, Megalopolisan ambitious science fiction film he has been working on since the late 1980s. Coppola had not directed a film since Twixtin 2012.
Michael Mann (80 ans)
AFP
After a break of several years, Michael Mann returned to film sets last year to direct the biographical drama Ferrarihis first film since Black hat, in 2015. The director of Collateral et Ali is also preparing a sequel to his famous action film Heat.
Roman Polanski (90 ans)
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The accusations of sexual assault to which he has been the subject for more than 40 years have never stopped Roman Polanski from continuing to direct films. Persona non grata in Hollywood, the director of Pianist and of Rosemary’s Baby shot his most recent feature film in Switzerland, with an international cast (Mickey Rourke, John Cleese, Fanny Ardant). Titled The Palacethe film was screened out of competition in Venice last September.
Stephen Frears (82 ans)
AFP
Less than a year after the release of his comedy-drama The Lost Kingthe British filmmaker, to whom we owe the films The Queen et Dangerous relationships, signed on to direct a new HBO series, The Regimewhich will be worn by actress Kate Winslet.
Hayao Miyazaki (83 ans)
AFP
After announcing his retirement about ten years ago, the master of Japanese animated cinema offered a gift to moviegoers by launching a new film last month, The boy and the heron. According to his producer, Miyazaki is already working on other film projects.
Fernand Dansereau (95 years old)
Dominick Gravel/Agence QMI
After making a documentary trilogy on aging, Fernand Dansereau is completing a film “that looks like a testament,” he recently told Duty. The movie director The browning and series writer Caleb’s daughters is also working on a new novel and an exhibition of his paintings.
Claude Lelouch (86 ans)
AFP
This sacred monster of French cinema shot his 51st feature film last summer, Finally… or the madness of feelings, which he announces as his last film. For this new feature film, the director ofA man and a woman and of Adventure is adventurehe is surrounded by several stars including Kad Merad, Michel Boujenah and Sandrine Bonnaire.
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