ActorFilm directorFrenchParisian

Mathieu Demy

French actor, director, and producer Mathieu Demy, son of Agnès Varda and Jacques Demy, has a significant career in contemporary cinema.

1. Early Life and Family Background

Mathieu Demy was born on October 15, 1972, in Paris, France. He is the son of two highly influential figures in French cinema: director Jacques Demy, known for his distinctive musical films, and director Agnès Varda, a key figure of the French New Wave and a celebrated documentarian. His upbringing within such a distinguished cinematic family deeply influenced his artistic sensibilities and career path, immersing him in the world of filmmaking from an early age.

2. Career

Mathieu Demy's career showcases his versatility across various roles, from extensive acting work in both independent and mainstream cinema to his significant contributions as a director and producer.

2.1. Acting Career

Demy began his acting career at a young age, appearing in several films directed by his mother, Agnès Varda. These early roles include One Sings, the Other Doesn't (1977), Documenteur (1981), Mur Murs (1981), and Kung Fu Master (1988). His acting range encompasses various genres, from romantic comedies to profound dramas.

A significant breakthrough came in 1998 when he was cast as Olivier, a young man living with AIDS, in the musical film Jeanne et le Garçon formidable, directed by Olivier Ducastel and Jacques Martineau. This role demonstrated his capacity for complex character portrayals.

In 2001, Demy received the Best Actor award at the Festival de Paris for his performance in Quand on sera grand, directed by Renaud Cohen. He was also recognized twice by the Festival Européen Cinessone for his acting, first in 2003 for Mister V. by Émilie Deleuze and again in 2004 for Le Silence by Orso Miret.

He frequently collaborated with director Benoît Cohen, appearing in Les Acteurs anonymes (2001) and later in Nos enfants chéris (Our Precious Children), where he played Martin, a character who reconnects with a past love while on the cusp of fatherhood. Demy reprised this role for the television adaptation of Nos enfants chéris, which aired on Canal+ between 2007 and 2008.

His subsequent acting credits include roles in films such as Pascal Bonitzer's Le Grand Alibi (2008), and two films by Philippe Barassat: Folle de Rachid en transit sur Mars and Lisa et le pilote d'avion. In 2009, he starred in André Téchiné's La Fille du RER and the television drama Mes chères études, directed by Emmanuelle Bercot, which explored the sensitive topic of student prostitution.

In 2011, Demy appeared in Céline Sciamma's critically acclaimed film Tomboy and took the lead role in Guy Mazarguil's romantic comedy L'Art de séduire. He continued to act in films like Xabi Molia's Les Conquerants (2013) and Frédéric Choffat and Julie Gilbert's My Little One (2018).

Demy has also been a significant presence in French television. He played Clément Migaud, Marie-Jeanne's lover, in Eric Rochant's multi-awarded series Le Bureau des Légendes. In 2019, he starred alongside Marina Hands in Mytho, a series created by Anne Berest and Fabrice Gobert, which garnered 2 million views on Arte and was made available internationally on Netflix. The production of its second season was temporarily halted by the COVID-19 pandemic but was completed in the fall of 2020. From 2021 to 2022, Demy worked on Julie Delpy's Netflix TV show On the Verge, where he also played Delpy's narcissistic husband.

Since 2022, Demy has primarily worked in Europe, acting in films such as All to Play For by Delphine Deoget and Club Zero by Jessica Hausner. Both films were selected for the 2023 Cannes Film Festival, appearing in the Un Certain Regard selection and the Official Competition, respectively.

2.2. Directing Career

Beyond his acting, Mathieu Demy has established himself as a director. In 2000, he produced and directed his first film, the 35-minute short Le Plafond, an adaptation of a short story by Tonino Benacquista. This film received significant recognition, including the audience award at the Angers film festival Festival Premiers Plans and the Uppsala International Short Film Festival, along with additional awards in Pantin, Rennes, Dignes, and Mamers.

In 2005, he directed his second short film, La Bourde, a 20-minute experimental comedy. His directorial debut for a feature film came in 2011 with Americano, a film he also wrote and produced. Demy starred in Americano alongside notable actors such as Salma Hayek and Geraldine Chaplin.

His directorial work also extends to television. He directed two episodes in the first season and three episodes in the third season of the acclaimed French series Le Bureau des Légendes. From 2021 to 2022, he directed four of the twelve episodes for Julie Delpy's Netflix series On the Verge.

2.3. Production Activities

In 1999, Mathieu Demy founded his own production company, Les Films de l'Autre. The primary purpose of this company was to produce his own short films, providing him with creative autonomy over his early directorial projects. Through Les Films de l'Autre, he produced his first short film, Le Plafond (2000), and his second, La Bourde (2005). The company also produced his feature film directorial debut, Americano, in 2011, demonstrating his commitment to independent filmmaking and creative control over his projects.

3. Filmography

Mathieu Demy's film and television credits as an actor and director are listed below:

  • 1977: One Sings, the Other Doesn't (Actor)
  • 1981: Documenteur (Actor)
  • 1988: Kung-Fu Master (Actor)
  • 1993: Under the Stars (Actor)
  • 1995: A Hundred and One Nights (Actor)
  • 1997: Arlette (Actor)
  • 1997: Jeanne et le garçon formidable (Actor)
  • 1999: Le New Yorker (Actor)
  • 1999: Banqueroute (Actor)
  • 2000: La Chambre obscure (Actor)
  • 2000: Le Plafond (Director, Producer)
  • 2001: Dieu est grand, je suis toute petite (Actor)
  • 2002: Aram (Actor)
  • 2003: Nos enfants chéris (Actor)
  • 2005: La Bourde (Director, Producer)
  • 2005: Un fil à la patte (film, 2005)The Art of Breaking UpFrench (Actor)
  • 2006: Quelques jours en septembre (Actor)
  • 2007: Écoute le temps (Actor)
  • 2007: Le Temps d'un regard (Actor)
  • 2008: Le Grand alibi (Actor)
  • 2008: Les Plages d'Agnès (Actor)
  • 2009: La Fille du RER (Actor)
  • 2009: Mes chères études (Actor)
  • 2011: Les Insomniaques (Actor)
  • 2011: L'Art de séduire (Actor)
  • 2011: Tomboy (Actor)
  • 2011: Americano (Director, Producer, Actor)
  • 2013: The Conquerors (Actor)
  • 2015: Séances (Actor)
  • 2016-2018: Le Bureau des Légendes (Actor, Director)
  • 2018: My Little One (Actor)
  • 2019-2020: Mytho (Actor)
  • 2021: On the Verge (Actor, Director)
  • 2022: Oussekine (Actor)
  • 2023: All to Play For (Actor)
  • 2023: Club Zero (Actor)
  • 2024: Block Pass (La Pampa) (Actor)

4. Awards and Recognition

Mathieu Demy has received several awards and critical accolades throughout his career for both his acting and directorial work.

In 1999, he was honored with the Shooting Star Award at the Berlin International Film Festival, recognizing him as one of Europe's most promising young actors.

For his acting, Demy received the Best Actor award at the Festival de Paris in 2001 for his role in Quand on sera grand. The Festival Européen Cinessone also recognized his performances twice, awarding him in 2003 for Mister V. and in 2004 for Le Silence.

His directorial debut, the short film Le Plafond, garnered significant attention, earning the audience award at the Angers film festival Festival Premiers Plans and the Uppsala International Short Film Festival. It also received additional awards at festivals in Pantin, Rennes, Dignes, and Mamers.