Leos Carax

Alex Christophe Dupont (born 22 November 1960), best known as Leos Carax (French: [leɔs karaks]), is a French film director, critic, and writer. Carax is noted for his poetic style and his tortured depictions of love. His first major work was Boy Meets Girl (1984), and his notable works include Les Amants du Pont-Neuf (1991) and Holy Motors (2012). His professional name is an anagram of his real name, 'Alex', and 'Oscar'.

Early life

Leos Carax was born Alex Christophe Dupont in Suresnes, Hauts-de-Seine, a commune in the suburbs of Paris, France. His mother is American and his father French.

Career

He began his film career with a series of short films, and as a film critic, before he released Boy Meets Girl (1984). That piece established Carax's reputation for a mature visual style. It also saw the first grouping of Carax with Denis Lavant and cinematographer Jean-Yves Escoffier. He followed the piece with Mauvais Sang (literally 'Bad Blood' but mostly known as 'The night is young') in 1986, which alienated some of his audience, but the work continued to explore the complexities of love in the modern world, this time through a darker, more criminal viewpoint. The work was clearly an homage to French New Wave cinema, and his use of such actresses as Juliette Binoche proved a touching tribute to his influences, especially Jean-Luc Godard. The film was entered into the 37th Berlin International Film Festival.