Forty films were directed by François Reichenbach between 1954 and 1993, a career spanning diverse continents and subjects. Born in the 16th arrondissement of Paris in 1921, he cultivated a unique approach to cinematography that favored spontaneity. By keeping a camera close at all times, he captured human movement with an observant, journalistic precision that defined his long creative output.
Early Influences and Emigration
Born to Bernard Reichenbach and Germaine Angèle Sarah Monteux, François grew up surrounded by an extensive art collection. His maternal grandfather, Gaston Monteux, held works by Chagall, Picasso, and Modigliani. During the Second World War, he relocated to Geneva, where he studied music at the Geneva Conservatory and connected with director Gérard Oury. Following the war, he transitioned from songwriting for Édith Piaf and Marie Dubas to working in the United States as an art advisor and dealer, leveraging his deep familiarity with master paintings.
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Reichenbach purchased his first 16mm Bell & Howell camera in 1954, initiating a shift toward filmmaking. His early short film Impressions de New York earned recognition at the Tours and Edinburgh festivals, establishing his reputation. He preferred a style characterized by truth and originality, often filming with both eyes open to maintain a connection to his subjects rather than relying solely on the viewfinder. This approach defined his 1957 work The Marines and the 1960 feature America As Seen by a Frenchman, which explored American life with a candid, often burlesque, lens.
Diverse Portfolios and Honors
His filmography includes portraits of influential figures across music, sport, and art, such as Orson Welles, Yehudi Menuhin, Pelé, and Brigitte Bardot. In 1964, he received the Annecy Cristal for La Douceur du village, a poetic look at a schoolboy in Loué. He later secured an Academy Award for the 1969 feature Arthur Rubinstein – The Love of Life. His work extended to music-oriented projects, including the 1967 scopitone for Serge Gainsbourg and Brigitte Bardot’s Bonnie and Clyde.
Final Years
In his later career, Reichenbach returned to Geneva to produce works centered on Swiss identity and commerce, including films regarding Zino Davidoff and the 700th anniversary of the Swiss Confederation. He died on February 2, 1993, in Neuilly-sur-Seine. His final resting place is the Cimetière de Louyat in Limoges. His deathbed comment to screenwriter Danièle Thompson regarding the travel required for friends to visit his gravesite later inspired the film title Ceux qui m'aiment prendront le train.
Fast facts
- Born: 1921, 16th arrondissement of Paris
- Died: 1993, Neuilly-sur-Seine
- Buried: Cimetière de Louyat, Limoges
- Citizenship: France
- Occupations: Screenwriter, cinematographer, film director, art dealer
- Major Award: Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature (1970)
- Short film award: Annecy Cristal (1964)
- Total films: 40 directed between 1954 and 1993
Questions readers ask
What subjects did Reichenbach film?
He documented a wide variety of public figures, including musicians like Arthur Rubinstein and Yehudi Menuhin, actors like Brigitte Bardot, athletes like Pelé, and even the matador El Cordobés.
Where is he buried?
He is buried in the Cimetière de Louyat in Limoges, a city where he spent vacations during his youth.
Achievements
- Worked as film director, cinematographer and screenwriter
