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4w ago

Oscar-Winning Documentarian Marcel Ophüls Dies at 97

Known for 'Le Chagrin et la Pitié,' Ophüls redefined historical narratives and was working on a nearly completed film exploring modern political tensions.

L’acteur français Jean-Paul Belmondo, l’actrice Jeanne Moreau et le réalisateur français Marcel Ophüls lors d’un cocktail à Paris.
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Le chagrin et la pitié, chronique d'une ville française sous l'occupation.
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Overview

  • Marcel Ophüls, acclaimed French documentarian and son of filmmaker Max Ophüls, passed away on May 24, 2025, at the age of 97.
  • 'Le Chagrin et la Pitié,' Ophüls' groundbreaking 1971 documentary, challenged France's post-WWII self-image and was banned from French television until 1981.
  • He won an Oscar in 1989 for 'Hotel Terminus,' an investigation into Nazi war criminal Klaus Barbie and his post-war protectors.
  • Ophüls' work was marked by a rigorous documentary style that blended personal interviews, archival footage, and sharp historical critique.
  • At the time of his death, he was finalizing a film addressing the rise of far-right movements and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, reflecting his lifelong engagement with political and historical themes.