Demy, Jacques

Demy, Jacques (1931-1990), French film-maker, noted for his films with sung dialogue, mixing musical comedy, romance, and fantasy. Demy was born in Port-Château and studied art in Nantes and film in Paris. His first film was shot at the beginning of the nouvelle vague (New Wave), from which he contrasted sharply with his mixture of realism and romantic optimism: Lola (1961), shot in Nantes, was dedicated to Max Ophuls, director of Lola Montes (1955). After La Baie des Anges (1963; The Bay of Angels), an underrated film, Demy made his famous films with sung dialogue: Les Parapluies de Cherbourg (1964; The Umbrellas of Cherbourg) and Les Demoiselles de Rochefort (1967; The Young Girls of Rochefort). Later, on his return to Nantes, he made another musical film, Une Chambre en Ville (1982; A Room in Town), in which the intrigue takes place at the heart of social conflict. He also shot Peau d’Âne (1971; Donkey Skin), The Pied Piper of Hamelin (1972), and a philosophical story, L’Évènement le Plus Important Depuis que l’Homme a Marché sur la Lune (1973; A Slightly Pregnant Man). Demy was married to the French film-maker Agnès Varda.