Actress Isabelle Huppert Receives Special Lumière Award

The legendary French actress is to receive a special award at Lyon Film Festival.

French actress Isabelle Huppert will have to make room on her mantelpiece among the numerous accolades she has won over the years as this October, the 71-year-old will be awarded the Lumière Award at the Lyon International Film Festival. “Isabelle Huppert is one of the most famous and celebrated French actresses in the world,” said the organisers in a statement. “Her career embraces an immense part of the history of contemporary cinema.”

A glittering career

As well as the glittering awards cabinet (she’s been nominated for a César 16 times and has won twice), her achievements include working with some of the greats of French cinema: Claude Chabrol (who directed her seven times), Jean-Luc Godard, Claire Denis, Maurice Pialat, François Ozon… Oh and she’s also one of France’s most prolific stage actresses, with nine nominations for the Molière Award under her belt.

Her trophy-collecting began in 1968 when as a 15-year-old schoolgirl she won a prize for acting. Three years later in 1971, she made her TV debut with Le Prussien, followed a year later with her first movie, Nina Companeez’s Faustine et le Bel Été. A flurry of film and stage roles followed until in 1977 she became an international hit in Claude Goretta’s La Dentelliere, which scooped her a BAFTA for Most Promising Newcomer. Huppert was on a roll. Next came further plaudits, and the Cannes award for Best Actress for her performance in the title role of Claude Chabrol’s Violette Nozière (1978).

Over the decades, Huppert’s nuanced style has made her a favourite with directors and audiences alike. Notable movies include Michael Haneke’s 2001 psychological drama The Piano Teacher and Paul Verhoeven’s thriller Elle (2016), in which she plays a businesswoman dealing with the aftermath of a violent assault. Her performance won her a Golden Globe and a César Award, as well as an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress. As the Cannes Film Festival Jury noted in 2016: “Isabelle Huppert’s performances are a testament to the power of cinema. Her ability to delve into the darkest corners of the human psyche is unparalleled.”

Isabelle Huppert’s 10-second CV

Name: Isabelle Huppert

Born: March 16, 1953, in Paris

Early career: Huppert graduated from the Lycée Fénelon in Paris before attending the Conservatoire à rayonnement régional de Versailles and the Conservatoire national supérieur d’art dramatique (CNSAD). A prize for drama sent her on her way and at 18, she appeared in her first film.

I know the name… And so you should. Huppert is once of France’s most awarded actresses both on screen. and stage with a career spanning five decades.

What should I watch first? Try Paul Verhoeven’s 2016 thriller Elle. It’s a masterclass in tension and Huppert showcases her frosty style to its chilling best. Some say it’s the best performance of her career.

C’est pas vrai! Isabelle Huppert grew up in a multilingual household. Her mother was an English teacher, which helped Huppert become fluent in English, alongside her native French.

From France Today Magazine