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Valérie Donzelli
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Nationality
French
Children
Gabriel Elkaim
Role
Actress
Name
Valerie Donzelli
Years active
1998–present
Born
2 March 1973 (age 51) (
1973-03-02
)
Epinal, Vosges, France
Occupation
Film director, actress, screenwriter
Nominations
Cesar Award for Best Actress
Movies
Declaration of War, Marguerite & Julien, Hand In Hand, The Queen of Hearts, Longwave
Similar People
Jeremie Elkaim, Anais Demoustier, Valerie Lemercier, Beatrice De Stael, Benjamin Biolay
Valerie Donzelli, Jeremie Elkaim and Anais Demoustier at the Marguerite et Julien photocall in Canne
Valérie Donzelli (born 2 March 1973) is a French actress, filmmaker and screenwriter. She has directed five feature films and two short films since 2008, including the film Declaration of War (2011).
suivez donc la mesure by val rie donzelli starring jonas kaufmann
Early life
Valérie Donzelli was born in Épinal (France). She grew up in Créteil, near Paris. She moved to Lille with her family when she was 14 years old before going back to Paris at the age of 19. Before starting to work in the cinema, Donzelli first studied architecture, but abandoned it quickly. She started playing theatre at the municipal conservatory of the 10th arrondissement of Paris, but always kept a bad memory of this period. For a living, she worked at a bakery in Paris. She met Jérémie Elkaïm at that time, who becomes her partner, both in life and at work, and who encouraged her to quit the conservatory and her job at the bakery to become an actress. They now have two kids; the oldest one, Gabriel, inspired the movie Declaration of War. They are now separated, but still have a close relationship.
Career
In 2001, Valérie Donzelli was the leading actress in Martha Martha, by Sandrine Veysset, which was presented at Directors' Fortnight, Le Plus Beau Jour de ma vie, and also Entre ses mains. She achieved great success among French public thanks to the French TV show Clara Sheller (2005), in which she plays Jeanne, best friend of the main character. Donzelli's first film, The Queen of Hearts (La Reine des Pommes, 2009), in which she was the leading actress, was more successful than expected. Jérémie Elkaïm is also co-writer. The film was presented at Locarno International Film Festival. Despite of its low budget, the film can be considered as a success because of its 30 000 spectators.
In 2011, with the help of her now ex-partner Jérémie Elkaïm, Valérie Donzelli directed her second full-length feature film, Declaration of War. This movie, presented during the 2011 Cannes Festival, achieves great success, public and critic, in France. It is directly inspired by their private life, relating how their couple fought against their son's cancer when he was 18 months. The movie was selected at the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film in 2012, but was not part of the finalist.
Donzelli directed once again Jérémie Elkaïm in Main dans la main (2012), with also Valérie Lemercier in the leading role.
Donzelli considers that this is always a politic and engaged gesture to make films as women, and admires Agnès Varda for her work and her status of first women filmmaker into French Cinema.
Valérie Donzelli is part of the jury during Locarno International Film Festival in 2013. She presents Que d'Amour!, a TV adaptation from the play The Game of Love and Chance (Le Jeu de l'Amour et du Hasard), by Marivaux, with Comédie-Française' sociétaires.
Her 2015 film Marguerite & Julien was selected to compete for the Palme d'Or at the 2015 Cannes Film Festival. She was named as the President of the Jury of the International Critics' Week section of the 2016 Cannes Film Festival.
Features
2001: Martha Martha by Sandrine Veysset: Martha
2001: Les Âmes câlines by Thomas Bardinet: Émilie
2003: Cette femme-là by Guillaume Nicloux: Claire Atken
2003: Who Killed Bambi? by Gilles Marchand: Nathalie
2005: Mystification ou l'histoire des portraits by Sandrine Rinaldi: Emilie
2005: Le Plus Beau Jour de ma vie by Julie Lipinski: Éléonore
2005: Entre ses mains by Anne Fontaine: Valérie
2005: Voici venu le temps by Alain Guiraudie: Soniéra Noubi-Datch
2006: L'Intouchable by Benoît Jacquot: theatre actress
2006: L'Homme qui rêvait d'un enfant by Delphine Gleize: Suzanne
2007: Il fait beau dans la plus belle ville du monde by Valérie Donzelli
2007: 7 ans by Jean-Pascal Hattu : Maïté
2009: The Queen of Hearts by Valérie Donzelli: Adèle
2011: Declaration of War by Valérie Donzelli: Juliette
2011: Belleville Tokyo by Élise Girard: Marie Tourelle
2011: Iris in Bloom by Valérie Mréjen and Bertrand Schefer
2011: Pourquoi tu pleures? by Katia Lewkowicz: Anna
2011: L'Art de séduire by Guy Mazarguil: Estelle
2013: The Big Bad Wolf by Nicolas Charlet and Bruno Lavaine
2013: Les Grandes Ondes (à l'ouest) by Lionel Baier : Julie
2013: Opium by Arielle Dombasle : Valentine Hugo
2014: Orage by Fabrice Camoin
2014: Saint Laurent by Bertrand Bonello : Renée
2015: The White Knights by Joachim Lafosse : Françoise Dubois
Awards and nominations
2010: Public Prize at the Angers European First Film Festival for The Queen of Hearts
2011: Valois d’Or at Festival du film francophone d’Angoulême for ''Declaration of War
2012: Grand Prix at Cabourg Film Festival for Declaration of War
2012: Jury Prize, Public Prize, and Bloggers Prix at the Festival Paris Cinéma for ''Declaration of War
2012: Étoile d'or du meilleur scénario for Declaration of War
Nomination for Best film for Declaration of War, Cesar Awards 2012
Nomination for Best Director for Declaration of War, Cesar Awards 2012
Nomination for Best Actress for Declaration of War, Cesar Awards 2012
Nomination for Best Original Writing for Declaration of War, Cesar Awards 2012
Filmography
Actress
2023
Making Of as
Alice
2022
Capitain Marleau (TV Series) as
Christine de Menneval
- Le prix à payer (2022) - Christine de Menneval
2022
Azuro as
Sara / Pierre's wife
2021
Nona et ses filles (TV Series) as
George
- 9 (2021) - George
- 8 (2021) - George
- 7 (2021) - George
- 6 (2021) - George
- 5 (2021) - George
- 4 (2021) - George
- 3 (2021) - George
- 2 (2021) - George
- 1 (2021) - George
2021
Madeleine Collins as
Madeleine Reynal
2021
Hear Me Out as
Léna
2020
Call My Agent! (TV Series) as
Valérie Donzelli
- Sandrine (2020) - Valérie Donzelli
- José (2020) - Valérie Donzelli
2020
Trop d'amour as
La réalisatrice dans le rêve
2019
Notre Dame as
Maud Crayon
2019
Losing It as
Maître Mangin
2018
Nox (TV Mini Series) as
Emma Delage
- Episode #1.6 (2018) - Emma Delage
- Episode #1.4 (2018) - Emma Delage
- Episode #1.3 (2018) - Emma Delage
2017
Quand la ville dort (Short) as
La prof (voice)
2015
A Stormy Summer Night as
Louise
2015
The White Knights as
Françoise Dubois
2014
Salaire net et monde de brutes (TV Series short)
- Hero du quotidien (2014)
2014
Saint Laurent as
Renée
2013
Longwave as
Julie Dujonc-Renens
2013
Le grand méchant loup as
Nathalie Delcroix
2013
Opium as
Valentine Hugo
2012
Hand in Hand as
Véro
2011
Bachelor Days Are Over as
Anna
2011
Iris in Bloom as
Monika
2011
Declaration of War as
Juliette
2011
The Art of Seduction as
Estelle
2010
Juliette (Short) as
Juliette
2010
Belleville-Tokyo as
Marie Tourelle
2010
Dans ta bouche (Video) as
Benjamin Biolay 2
2010
Manù (Short) as
Julie
2010
Ivory Tower as
Boulangère Paris
2010
Madeleine et le facteur (Short)
2009
La belle vie (TV Movie) as
Béa
2009
Écrire pour un chanteur (TV Series) as
La jeune fille
- C'est pour quand? (2009) - La jeune fille
2009
The Queen of Hearts as
Adèle
2008
Il fait beau dans la plus belle ville du monde (Short) as
Adèle
2008
Mafiosa (TV Series) as
L'avocate
- Episode #2.3 (2008)
- Episode #2.2 (2008) - L'avocate
- Episode #2.1 (2008)
2008
What Love Means (TV Movie) as
Nathalie
2007
Cap Nord
2007
Abattoir (Short) as
Judith
2007
Comrades (TV Mini Series) as
Julie
- Le bateau ivre (1963-1967) (2007) - Julie
- Vents d'est (1952-1955) (2007) - Julie
- Les lendemains qui chantent (1944-1948) (2007) - Julie
2006
L'homme qui rêvait d'un enfant as
Suzanne
2006
L'intouchable as
Actrice théâtre
2006
7 ans as
Maïté / wife
2006
Passés troubles (TV Movie) as
Sophie Valatier
2006
Odile... (Short) as
Odile
2006
Mentir un peu (TV Movie) as
Blandine
2005
Le cocon - Débuts à l'hôpital (TV Mini Series) as
Nathalie
- Benjamin, Anis, Aurélia, (2005) - Nathalie
- Nathalie (2005) - Nathalie
- Vincent (2005) - Nathalie
- Aurélia (2005) - Nathalie
- Anis (2005) - Nathalie
- Benjamin (2005) - Nathalie
2005
In His Hands as
Valérie
2005
Voici venu le temps as
Soniéra Noubi-Datch
2005
Clara Sheller (TV Series) as
Jeanne
- Un cadeau de la vie (2005) - Jeanne
- Oublier Paris (2005) - Jeanne
- État secret (2005) - Jeanne
- 14 juillet (2005) - Jeanne
- À la recherche du prince charmant (2005) - Jeanne
- Intuition féminine (2005) - Jeanne
2005
On est mort un million de fois (Short) as
Valentine
2004
Le plus beau jour de ma vie as
Éléonore
2004
Le nécrophile (Short) as
La prostituée
2004
Frédérique amoureuse (Short) as
Frédérique
2003
Mystification ou L'histoire des portraits as
Émilie
2003
Hanging Offense as
Claire Atken
2003
Qui a tué Bambi? as
Nathalie
2003
Masculin/Féminin (TV Series) as
Alison
- Sous mes yeux (2003) - Alison
2003
Ni vue, ni connue (Short) as
Alice
2003
The Vanishing Lion (Short) as
La cliente en pleurs
2003
Motus (TV Movie) as
Stagiaire Antoine
2002
Sous mes yeux (TV Movie) as
Alison
2001
Confessions dans un bain (Short) as
Sophie
2001
Le chien, le chat et le cibachrome (Short) as
La candidate peintre
2001
Les âmes câlines as
Emilie
2001
Martha... Martha as
Martha
2000
Come Undone (as Valerie Donzelli)
2000
Dossier: disparus (TV Series) as
Amanda / Muriel
- Amanda (2000) - Amanda / Muriel
1999
Cold Lands (TV Movie) as
Isabelle
1998
Herbert C. Berliner (Short)
Writer
2023
Just the Two of Us (adaptation) / (dialogue) / (screenplay)
-
Nona et ses filles (TV Series) (creator - 9 episodes, 2021) (original idea - 9 episodes, 2021) (written by - 9 episodes, 2021)