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Luc Besson Biography

Birth Name:Luc Besson

Birth Place:Paris, France

Profession Producer, Writer, Director, Actor, Soundtrack, Camera department, Cinematographer, Editor, Assistant director

Fast Facts

Won Best Director at the César Awards for "The Fifth Element" in 1999
As a child, he dreamt of one day becoming a marine biologist, but a diving accident when he was 17 shattered his plans
Quote: "(On judging the success of a film) "For me it's: have you done the best that you can․ If the answer is 'yes', you can sleep with dignity․""
Decided to create his own company, EuropaCorp, so that he could produce new kinds of movies
In 2000, he was acting president of the jury at Cannes Film Festival
Does not like to film outside and typically creates movies in fully-enclosed sets with no natural lighting
Wrote the screenplay and book and directed the movie "The Fifth Element," which at the time in 1997 was Europe's most expensive movie with a budget of $90 million

Awards

1983Special Jury Award-: winner
1983Critics Award-Best Film: winner
1983Grand Prize-: nominated
1983Critic's Prize-: winner
1983Gold Hugo-Best Feature: nominated
1983Caixa de Catalunya-Best Director: winner
1983Caixa de Catalunya-Best Film: winner
1983Silver Charybdis-: winner
1983Golden Charybdis-: nominated
1984César-Best First Work (Meilleure première oeuvre): nominated
1984International Fantasy Film Award-Best Film: winner
1984Audience Jury Award - Special Mention-: winner
1984International Fantasy Film Award-Best Director: winner
1986BAFTA Film Award-Best Foreign Language Film: nominated
1986César-Best Film (Meilleur film): nominated
1986César-Best Director (Meilleur réalisateur): nominated
1987International Fantasy Film Award-Best Film: nominated
1989César-Best Film (Meilleur film): nominated
1989César-Best Director (Meilleur réalisateur): nominated
1989Academy Award-: winner
1990Best Film-: nominated
1991César-Best Film (Meilleur film): nominated
1991César-Best Director (Meilleur réalisateur): nominated
1991David-Best Foreign Film (Miglior Film Straniero): nominated
1991Silver Ribbon-Best Foreign Director (Regista del Miglior Film Straniero): winner
1994Honorable Mentions (The Next Ten Best Picture Contenders)-Honorable Mentions: winner
1995César-Best Film (Meilleur film): nominated
1995César-Best Director (Meilleur réalisateur): nominated
1996Czech Lion-Best Foreign Language Film (Nejlepsí zahranicní film): winner
1997Stinker Award-Worst Sense of Direction (Stop them before they direct again!): nominated
1998Alexander Korda Award for Best British Film-: winner
1998César-Best Film (Meilleur film): nominated
1998César-Best Director (Meilleur réalisateur): winner
1998Hugo-Best Dramatic Presentation: nominated
1998Silver Ribbon-Best Foreign Director (Regista del Miglior Film Straniero): nominated
1998Lumiere Award-Best Director (Meilleur réalisateur): winner
2000César-Best Film (Meilleur film): nominated
2000César-Best Director (Meilleur réalisateur): nominated
2000Lumiere Award-Best Film (Meilleur Film): winner
2000Lumiere Award-Best Director (Meilleur réalisateur): winner
2006Independent Spirit Award-Best Feature: nominated
2006Bronze Wrangler-Theatrical Motion Picture: winner
2011Felix-Best Director: nominated
2011César-Best Animated Film (Meilleur film d'animation): nominated
2011Audience Jury Award-Feature Film: winner
2012Cinema for Peace Award-Cinema for Peace Award for Justice: nominated
2012International Human Rights Award-: winner
2012César-Best Animated Film (Meilleur film d'animation): nominated
2012Audience Award-Best Feature: winner
2014Cinema for Peace Award-Cinema for Peace Award for the Most Valuable Documentary of the Year: winner
2014Variety Piazza Grande Award-: nominated
2015Huading Award-Best Global Director for a Motion Picture: nominated
2015Yoga Award-Worst Foreign Director: winner
2018EFA People's Choice Award-: nominated
2023Golden Star-Feature Narrative Competition: nominated
2023Golden Lion-Best Film: nominated
2023Queer Lion Award-: nominated
2023Fanheart3 Award-Graffetta d'Oro for Best Film: winner