Playtime

Jacques Tatischeff, known as Jacques Tati, was a French director, actor, and screenwriter. He began his career in show business as a performing artist and acted in films in the 1930s before serving in World War II. After the war, he resumed his acting career and in 1946, he co-founded the production company Cady-Films with Fred Orain, which produced his first three films as a filmmaker. The Big Day (1949) was well received by the public and won the Grand prix du cinéma français in 1950. In Monsieur Hulot's Holiday (1953), he introduced his iconic character inspired by the architect of the building where he lived. The film received critical acclaim and numerous awards, including the Louis Delluc Prize. Following a disagreement with Orain, Tati founded his own company, Spectra Films, during the production of his next film. My Uncle (1958), his first color film, won the Special Jury Prize at the Cannes Film Festival and the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film in 1959. Monsieur Hulot appeared in two more films: Playtime (1967), now considered a true masterpiece, and Trafic (1971). In 1977, Tati received a César Award for his lifetime achievement in cinema.