Is François Ozon the most talented French film-maker currently working? That’s a big ask, in a very crowded field, but Ozon has got the back catalogue to back it up. From his 1998 feature debut Sitcom (notwithstanding 1997’s 52-minute See the Sea), early films such as Fassbinder adaptation Water Drops on Burning Rocks and star-stuffed crime musical 8 Women, on to more recent works including Frantz and Summer of 85, Ozon has ranged widely across styles and genres, offering something new and original wherever he’s gone. He’s even done an English-language period drama, Angel, starring Romola Garai.
A distinctive feature of Ozon’s career is his ability to command great performances from top-notch female stars, often repeatedly working with them. Charlotte Rampling, Isabelle Huppert, Catherine Deneuve, Sophie Marceau and Kristin Scott Thomas are just a few of the names who have popped up in his films.
