Great Lives – May 2023

Eight of us met on 28th April when David gave us a full and entertaining presentation of Francois Truffaut’s personal life and his films which included many stills.

Francois Truffaut (1932-1984) was best known as a French film director winning numerous awards, and his love of films dated from a very early age. He was founder of the French New Wave movement and was also a screenwriter, producer, actor and film critic. His off-screen life was as “colourful” as his films and his film “Les Quatre Cents Coups” (The 400 Blows) made in 1959 was largely autobiographical about his very difficult childhood in Paris.

Truffaut married in 1957 to Madeleine Morgenstein, the daughter of Ignace Morgenstein, the managing director of one of France’s largest film distribution companies. He was largely responsible for securing funding for Truffaut’s first films. The couple had two daughters but divorced after eight years of marriage. Truffaut also had numerous affairs with his leading ladies; however, unusually, he remained on good terms with them over the years.

Francois Truffaut died of a brain tumour in 1984 aged 52. He remains an icon of the French film industry.

Next month June will be presenting the life of Beatrix Potter, English author, illustrator, natural scientist and conservationist.

Jill Maynard, Convenor