Claude Berri, a fixture for more than 50 years in contemporary French cinema as an actor, writer, director and producer, died Monday. He was 74.
His agent, Dominique Segall, said Berri died of a “cerebral vascular” problem — language often used to describe a stroke — after being hospitalized early Sunday.
Berri produced Roman Polanski’s “Tess” in 1979 and directed “Jean de Florette” in 1986 and “Manon des Sources” (“Manon of the Spring”), both adapted from Marcel Pagnol’s vision of the French countryside.
Berri’s short film “Le Poulet” (The Chicken) won an Oscar in 1965.
He was in the midst of directing “Tresor” (“Treasure”) — his 20th directing project — when he died, Segall said. “It will continue despite his departure,” the agent added.
With more than 125 movies to his credit, Berri was a prolific talent who delved into both the drama and the comedy of human foibles.
He was involved in every aspect of cinema over more than a half-century. But his reach into international mainstream cinema was limited and Berri was not the grand figure worldwide that he was in France.
President Nicolas Sarkozy paid tribute to Berri as a “legendary figure of French cinema” and “the great ambassador” of French film, saying he will “leave his artistic imprint.”
Director Claude Lelouch said on Europe-1 radio that, with the death of Berri, “We are losing perhaps the most important postwar French producer.”
Berri “knew how to remain a spectator ... He always made popular movies but he aimed high,” Lelouch said.
Born July 1, 1934, in Paris, Berri, whose birth name was Claude Langmann, worked briefly in the furrier business like his father Hirsh Langmann before gravitating toward film.
In 1953, he appeared in his first movie, Claude Autant-Lara’s “Le Bon Dieu sans Confession” (Good Lord Without Confession). He then played in movies by noted director Claude Chabrol and others before making his debut as a director with the short “Le Poulet” — for which he won an Oscar.
Berri went on to write and direct dozens of movies. Among those he directed was “Germinal,” in 1993, adapted from the Emile Zola novel of the horrors of mining and “Lucie Aubrac” in 1997 about a female hero of the Resistance during World War II.
In 1987, he started his own production company, Renn Productions. The last film produced by Berri, in 2008, “Bienvenue chez les Ch’tis,” nearly broke the all-time French box office record, held by “Titanic.”
The movie, a comedic tribute to the often-maligned residents of northern France, was a prime example of Berri’s willingness to explore unknown territory.
Berri was “truly a man who took big risks,” said actor Francois Berleand on France-Info radio. He was referring to another offbeat film produced by Berri in 2007, “La Graine et le Mulet” (Couscous), directed by Abdellatif Kechiche, which won France’s highest award, the Cesar, for best film.
Berri served as president of the prestigious Cinematheque from 2003 to 2007.
Survivors include two sons, Thomas, a producer, and Darius. Funeral arrangements were not immediately known.