Bertrand Blier dead at 85: Controversial Oscar-Winning French Director has passed away

Bertrand Blier’s 1978 movie Préparez vos mouchoirs not only won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film at the 51st Academy Awards in 1979, but also starred French actor Gérard Depardieu, Bertrand Blier was actually responsible for giving Gérard Depardieu his first break into acting in the movie Les Valseuses.

Euro News reported that the movie “Les Valseuses" (French for “the waltzers” but also a slang term for testicles), a hugely popular comedy that established him as one of France’s most controversial comedic voices. Indeed, his dark and vulgar humour, as well as crude depictions of sexual acts and nudity, became one of his trademarks, as well as his regular collaborations with the likes of Michel Blanc, Josiane Balasko and Depardieu.”

Bertrand Blier was the son of actor Bernard Blier and was born in Boulogne-Billancourt, a Paris suburb in 1939. Bertrand Blier’s death was announced by his son Leonard Blier who told the French news agency AFP, he passed away at home surrounded by his family.

French Culture Minister Rachida Dati paid tribute to Bertrand Blier on X and said: “It is with great sadness that I learn of the death of Bertrand Blier. He was a genius of dialogue, in the tradition of Prévert and Audiard.”

Colleagues and fans have been paying tribute to Bertrand Blier on Instagram and Jean-Marie Périer, French photographer and film director wrote: “Bertrand and I were born a year apart. Him January 25th, me February 1st, he’s still ahead of me.” French newspaper Le Monde described Bertrand Blier as a man who “always seemed to be in a bad mood – his father's legacy – and was a man of few words and laughs. Bertrand Blier didn't care much about appearing friendly. If people liked or disliked him, were shocked or offended by him, it didn't matter.”

Euro News also alluded to Bertrand Blier being a controversial figure and reported that “Throughout his career, his films - such as Calmos, starring Jean-Pierre Marielle and Jean Rochefort - were accused of misogyny, and controversy seemed to follow him around. However, Blier did not care or change his tune.”