1. Overview
Sabine Azéma is a prominent French stage and film actress and film director. Born in Paris, she is widely recognized for her extensive career in French cinema, marked by numerous acclaimed performances and a distinctive collaboration with director Alain Resnais. Throughout her career, Azéma has received significant accolades, including multiple César Awards for Best Actress, solidifying her reputation as a leading figure in French film.
2. Early Life and Education
Sabine Azéma was born on September 20, 1949, in Paris, France. She pursued formal training in acting at the prestigious Paris Conservatory of Dramatic Arts, also known as the French National Academy of Dramatic Arts, where she honed her skills before embarking on her professional career.
3. Career
Sabine Azéma has forged a distinguished career in the film industry, excelling both as an actress and, to a lesser extent, as a director.
3.1. Acting Career
Azéma's film acting career began in 1975. She quickly gained recognition for her versatile performances, leading to her first major accolade, a César Award for Best Actress, for her role as Irène in Bertrand Tavernier's 1984 film, A Sunday in the Country (Un dimanche à la campagneFrench). Her collaboration with director Alain Resnais became a defining aspect of her career, with Azéma appearing in numerous of his films. These include Life Is a Bed of Roses (La vie est un romanFrench, 1983), L'Amour à mort (1984), Mélo (1986), Smoking/No Smoking (1993), On connaît la chanson (1997), Pas sur la bouche (2003), and Cœurs (2006). Her performance in Resnais's Mélo earned her a second César Award for Best Actress. She received five additional César Award nominations throughout her career. Other notable roles include Corinne in La Dentellière (1977), Ariane in La Puritaine (1986), Irène in La Vie et rien d'autre (1989), Nicole in Le bonheur est dans le pré (1995), Bérangère in Mon homme (1996), Louba in La Bûche (1999), and Edith Guetz in Tanguy (2001).
3.2. Directing Career
Beyond her acting roles, Sabine Azéma has also ventured into film direction. Her directorial works include the 1992 documentary Bonjour Monsieur Doisneau, which featured photographer Robert Doisneau as himself. She also directed Quand le chat sourit (1997), a television film starring Pierre Arditi and Jane Birkin.
4. Awards and Honors
Sabine Azéma has been recognized with several prestigious awards and official honors for her contributions to cinema.
4.1. Major Acting Awards
Azéma is a two-time recipient of the César Award for Best Actress, one of France's highest film honors. She first won the award in 1985 for her performance in A Sunday in the Country. Her second win came in 1987 for her role in Mélo. In addition to her two wins, she has been nominated for the César Award for Best Actress five more times, underscoring her consistent excellence in French cinema.
4.2. Decorations and Honors
In recognition of her significant artistic achievements, Sabine Azéma was appointed Commander of the Order of Arts and Letters in 2015.
5. Personal Life
Sabine Azéma was married to acclaimed French film director Alain Resnais. Their marriage lasted from 1998 until Resnais's death in 2014. Their personal relationship was paralleled by a prolific professional collaboration, with Azéma starring in many of his films.
6. Filmography
Sabine Azéma's extensive filmography includes numerous roles as an actress and a few credits as a director.
6.1. As Actress
| Year | Title | Role | Director |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1976 | On aura tout vu ("The Bottom Line") | Claude Ferroni | Georges Lautner |
| Le Chasseur de chez Maxim's | Geneviève | Claude Vital | |
| 1977 | La Dentellière ("The Lacemaker") | Corinne | Claude Goretta |
| 1981 | On n'est pas des anges... elles non plus | Marie-Louise | Michel Lang |
| 1983 | La vie est un roman ("Life Is a Bed of Roses") | Elisabeth | Alain Resnais |
| 1984 | Un dimanche à la campagne ("A Sunday in the Country") | Irène | Bertrand Tavernier |
| L'Amour à mort ("Love Unto Death") | Elisabeth | Alain Resnais | |
| 1985 | Zone rouge ("Zone Red") | Claire | Robert Enrico |
| 1986 | Mélo | Romaine | Alain Resnais |
| La Puritaine ("The Prude") | Ariane | Jacques Doillon | |
| 1989 | La Vie et rien d'autre ("Life and Nothing But") | Irène | Bertrand Tavernier |
| Vanille fraise ("Vanilla-Strawberry") | Clarisse | Gérard Oury | |
| Cinq jours en juin ("Five Days In June") | Yvette | Michel Legrand | |
| 1991 | Rossini! Rossini! | Olympe Pélissier | Mario Monicelli |
| 1993 | Smoking/No Smoking | Celia/Sylvie / Irene / Rowena / Josephine | Alain Resnais |
| 1994 | Histoire(s) du cinéma | Jean-Luc Godard | |
| 1995 | Les Cent et Une Nuits de Simon Cinéma ("A Hundred and One Nights") | Sabine/Irène | Agnès Varda |
| Le bonheur est dans le pré ("Happiness Is in the Field") | Nicole | Étienne Chatiliez | |
| Mon homme ("My Man") | Bérangère | Bertrand Blier | |
| Noir comme le souvenir ("Black for Remembrance") | Lucy | Jean-Pierre Mocky | |
| 1997 | On connaît la chanson ("Same Old Song") | Odile | Alain Resnais |
| 1997 | Godard - Histoire(s) du cinéma: Fatal Beauty (documentary) | ||
| 1999 | Le schpountz | Françoise | Gérard Oury |
| La Bûche ("Season's Beatings") | Louba | Danièle Thompson | |
| 2000 | La Chambre des officiers ("The Officers' Ward") | Anaïs | François Dupeyron |
| 2001 | Tanguy | Edith Guetz | Étienne Chatiliez |
| 2003 | Pas sur la bouche ("Not on the Lips") | Gilberte Valandray | Alain Resnais |
| Le Mystère de la chambre jaune ("The Mystery of the Yellow Room") | Mathilde Stangerson | Bruno Podalydès | |
| 2005 | Le Parfum de la dame en noir ("The Perfume of the Lady in Black") | Mathilde Stangerson | Bruno Podalydès |
| Peindre ou faire l'Amour ("To Paint or Make Love") | Madeleine | Arnaud Larrieu et Jean-Marie Larrieu | |
| Olé ! | Alexandra Veber | Florence Quentin | |
| 2006 | Cœurs ("Private Fears in Public Places") | Charlotte | Alain Resnais |
| 2007 | Faut que ça danse ! ("Let's Dance") | Violette | Noémie Lvovsky |
| 2008 | Le Voyage aux Pyrénées ("Journey to the Pyrenees") | Aurore Lalu | Arnaud et Jean-Marie Larrieu |
| 2009 | Les Herbes folles | Marguerite Muir | Alain Resnais |
| Les Derniers Jours du monde ("Happy End") | the Marquise of Arcangues | Arnaud et Jean-Marie Larrieu | |
| 2010 | Donnant Donnant | Jeanne | Isabelle Mergault |
| 2010 | Gilles Jacob, l'arpenteur de la croisette (documentary) | ||
| 2011 | La Fille du puisatier ("The Well-Digger's Daughter") | Madame Mazel | Daniel Auteuil |
| 2012 | Vous n'avez encore rien vu | Eurydice I | Alain Resnais |
| 2013 | Aimer, boire et chanter ("Life of Riley") | Kathryn | Alain Resnais |
| 2014 | Tante Hilda ("Aunt Hilda") | Aunt Hilda (voice) | Benoît Chieux, Jacques-Rémy Girerd |
| 2015 | Cosmos | Madame Woytis | Andrzej Żuławski |
| 2016 | Cézanne and I (Cézanne et moi) | Elisabeth Cézanne | Danièle Thompson |
| Ma famille t'adore déjà | Dahlia | Jérôme Commandeur & Alan Corno | |
| 2016 | Robert Doisneau, Le Révolté du Merveilleux (documentary) | ||
| 2017 | Chouquette | ||
| Raid dingue | Marie-Caroline Dubarry | Dany Boon | |
| Knock | La Cuq | Lorraine Lévy | |
| 2021 | La Place d'une autre ("Secret Name") |
6.2. As Director
| Year | Title | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1992 | Bonjour Monsieur Doisneau | Documentary film featuring Robert Doisneau as himself. |
| 1997 | Quand le chat sourit | Television film starring Pierre Arditi and Jane Birkin. |