The best Michel Piccoli’s documentary movies
If you love cinema, you will share this ranking of the best Michel Piccoli’s movies, although you may have ordered them differently. In any case, we hope you love it and with a little luck discovering a movie that you still don’t know about Michel Piccoli.
Ritratto di mio padre
7.1/10
Paparazzi
6.5/10
Paparazzi explores the relationship between Brigitte Bardot and groups of invasive photographers attempting to photograph her while she works on the set of Jean-Luc Godard's film Le Mépris (Contempt). Through video footage of Bardot, interviews with the paparazzi, and still photos of Bardot from magazine covers and elsewhere, director Rozier investigates some of the ramifications of international movie stardom, specifically the loss of privacy to the paparazzi. The film explains the shooting of the film on the island of Capri, and the photographers' valiant, even foolishly dangerous, attempts to get a photograph of Bardot.
Elsa the Rose
6.7/10
Images and poems of the celebrated couple Louis Aragon and Elsa Triolet. Elsa’s youth as recalled by Aragon, with commentary by Elsa.
The Young Girls Turn 25
7/10
Agnes Varda's documentary of the celebrations arising from the 25th anniversary of her husband Jacques Demy's film The Young Girls of Rochefort.
The World of Jacques Demy
7.3/10
Agnès Varda's documentary portrait of her late husband, Jacques Demy. A companion piece to her Jacquot de Nantes.
Salut les Cubains
7.5/10
A photo montage of Cubans filmed by Agnès Varda during her visit to Cuba in 1963, four years after Fidel Castro came to power. This black & white documentary explores their post-revolution culture and society while making use of 1500 pictures (out of 4000!) the filmmaker took while on the island.
Marco Ferreri: Dangerous But Necessary
7.3/10
Marco Ferreri: Dangerous But Necessary is a trip through the auteur's singular cosmos - at once supernatural and earthbound. He dropped out of his studies to become a veterinarian, choosing instead to concern himself principally with the human animal, in our corporeal and yearning essence.
The Incredible Mr. Piccoli
7.3/10
A captivating portrait of French actor Michel Piccoli, who has worked with the greatest filmmakers of his time and has built a dazzling career of remarkable merit and success, focusing on his work during the 1970s and his professional relationship with Claude Sautet, Romy Schneider, Marco Ferreri and Luis Buñuel.
Claude Chabrol, the Maverick
6.7/10
Mysteries, hidden defects, scandals or family secrets? Nothing like that in the life of the filmmaker Claude Chabrol. Just a lifestyle of a Buddha gourmand, a sneaky anarchist, an insolent lover of life. There is a question though… How was he able to make 58 movies in 50 years? This is the story about his outstanding life, told by Cécile, his adopted daughter and also his collaborator for many years.
The Dinosaur and the Baby
7.4/10
An hour-long discussion between Fritz Lang and Jean-Luc Godard in which they discuss a variety of art forms, the role of the cinema, their collaboration together, and much more. (Filmed in 1964 but released for TV in 1967.)
Le Parti des choses: Bardot et Godard
5.9/10
Le Parti des choses: Bardot et Godard is a documentary short following director Jean-Luc Godard on the set of Contempt.
Agnès Varda: From Here to There
7.9/10
Agnès Varda travels around the world to meet friends, artists and filmmakers for an expansive view of the global contemporary art scene.
2 x 50 Years of French Cinema
6.7/10
At a lakeside hotel, Michel Piccoli discusses the centennial of cinema with Jean-Luc Godard. Godard asks why should cinema's birthday be celebrated when the history of film is a forgotten subject. Through the remainder of his hotel stay, Piccoli tests Godard's hypothesis.
Once Upon a Time... Contempt
7.1/10
Fourty-six years since the release of Le mépris, Jean-Luc Godard watches the film again to comment on it and its tumultuous production. Featuring interviews with: Jacques Rozier, Alain Bergala, Michel Piccoli, Charles Bitsch.
Parisienne... Parisiennes
Saint-Tropez, devoirs de vacances
7.2/10
Otar Iosseliani, le merle siffleur
Close to Kiarostami
A documentary that focuses on Abbas Kiarostami's cinematic philosophy talking to himself and other figures, and also seeks the opinion about his works both inside and outside his homeland.
Croissance de Paris
Romy: Anatomy of a Face
7.8/10
Documentary about young actress Romy Schneider, capturing just the right moment between her first career as a young actress in mainstream "Unterhaltungskino" ("entertainment cinema") and her second one as acknowledged European arthouse actress.
