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Maïwenn

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Maïwenn
Maïwenn in 2011
Born
Maïwenn Le Besco

(1976-04-17) 17 April 1976 (age 48)
Les Lilas, France
Other namesOuin-Ouin
Citizenship
  • France
  • Algeria
Occupations
  • Actress
  • writer
  • director
Years active1981–present
Spouses
​
​
(m. 1992; div. 1997)​
Jean-Yves Le Fur
​
​
(m. 2002; div. 2004)​
Children2; including Shanna Besson
ParentCatherine Belkhodja (mother)
RelativesIsild Le Besco (sister)
Jowan Le Besco (brother)

Maïwenn Aurélia Nedjma Le Besco (French: [majwɛn lə bɛsko]; born 17 April 1976), known mononymously as Maïwenn, is a French actress and filmmaker.

Early life

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Maïwenn Le Besco was born on 17 April 1976 in Les Lilas, Seine-Saint-Denis, the daughter of artist Catherine Belkhodja and linguist Patrick Le Besco. After her parents' divorce, she reported "she was abused by both her parents after their separation, having been beaten physically and verbally by her father around the age of seven or eight, and then by her mother during her adolescence"; this experience informed her films Pardonnez-moi (2006) and Polisse (2011). She stated that her mother "is a poison for me. She poisoned my life."[1]

She is of mixed Breton, Vietnamese,[2] French and Algerian descent. Her Algerian ancestry comes from her maternal grandfather, while her father is of mixed French and Vietnamese descent.[3] She is also a citizen of Algeria. In an interview with La Nouvelle République, she explained that she acquired Algerian nationality to honor her grandparents, in connection with her parents' desire to make her forget her origins.[4] Maïwenn's mother pressured her to act at a young age, an experience later chronicled by Maïwenn in her one-woman shows Le Pois Chiche (The Chickpea) and I'm an Actress.[5]

As of 2024, she is estranged from her siblings, including Isild.[6]

Career

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Maïwenn starred in several films as a child, then teen, actress—notably as "Elle, as a child" (the child version of the lead role played by Isabelle Adjani) in the 1983 hit film L'été meurtrier (One Deadly Summer).[7]

Following her marriage to director Luc Besson and the birth of their daughter in 1993, Maïwenn interrupted her career for several years.[8] During this period, she only appeared in a supporting part in Besson's Léon (1994), in which she was credited as Ouin-Ouin. She also directed the film's making-of. Perhaps Maïwenn's most internationally-seen film role was her appearance as the alien Diva Plavalaguna in Besson's The Fifth Element (1997).

After she and Besson divorced, Maïwenn returned to France. She performed as a stand-up comedian in an autobiographical one-woman-show, and reentered the movie business after several filmmakers saw her comedy routine in Paris. She appeared in several notable movies, including the horror film Haute Tension (English title: High Tension), in which she starred opposite Cécile de France. By the time the film came out in 2003, she had decided she wanted to try directing.[7] She said while acting in Les parisiens (2004) she was inspired by the director Claude Lelouch's approach to film making to make her first film.[9] She explained, "I saw a totally free man, capable of adapting to accidents on the set. ...there are two types of directors: those who love life and use it for their films, and those who don’t love it and try to twist it to make it fit into their films. From that day on, I had chosen my side – the side of freedom, that of Lelouch."[10]

In 2006, Maïwenn wrote and directed her first feature film, Pardonnez-moi, a drama about a dysfunctional family.[7][11] She also starred in the film which earned her nominations for the César Award for Best First Feature Film and César Award for Most Promising Actress in the 2007.[11] According to Maïwenn, Besson told her she was "crazy" and needed to stop immediately when he learned she wanted to produce the film with her own money but he apologized after seeing the film, saying she was right this time. Whereas Lelouch had told her, "I think you should go for it. Cinema should be a question of life or death."[5] Her second film was Le bal des actrices (2009, All About Actresses), in which she appears as herself making a documentary.[9][11] She achieved international recognition when her third film, the social drama Polisse (2011), won the Jury Prize at the 2011 Cannes Film Festival.[7] All three films feature Maïwenn with a camera, stemming from a childhood fascination and her interest in the mise en abyme, the story within a story.[9]

Maïwenn's 2015 film Mon roi was selected to compete for the Palme d'Or at the 2015 Cannes Film Festival.[12][13] She co-wrote, directed, and starred in the 2020 film, DNA, an Official Selection of the 2020 Cannes Film Festival which was cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic.[14][15] She co-wrote, directed, and starred in her first period film, the 2023 film Jeanne du Barry about the life of Madame du Barry with Louis XV portrayed by Johnny Depp, which opened the 2023 Cannes Film Festival out of competition and earned the highest French gross for a Cannes opening film since 2013.[16][17]

Personal life

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Maïwenn met film director Luc Besson when she was 12 and he was 29, and they began dating when she was 15. In January 1993, at age 16, she gave birth to their daughter Shanna.[5][18] On the DVD extras for the 1994 film Léon: The Professional, Maïwenn said the film is based on her relationship with Besson.[19] She was 20 at the beginning of filming (early 1996) for The Fifth Element, during which Besson left her for the film's star, Milla Jovovich.[20]

Maïwenn was married between 2002 and 2004 to Jean-Yves Le Fur [fr], a magazine publisher and businessman who mainly made a career in fashion and television production.[21][22] They had a son named Diego in July 2003,[22][23] who later made his film debut as the young Louis XVI in Jeanne du Barry directed by Maïwenn.[24][25] Maïwenn's relationship with Le Fur reportedly resumed in the summer of 2022.[26] She announced his death in April 2024: “Jean-Yves Le Fur, the love of my life, the father of my son Diego and the stepfather of my daughter Shanna, left on Sunday morning in my arms and those of our son...We are all devastated."[22][27]

In 2023, Maïwenn was accused of assaulting the journalist Edwy Plenel, who alleged she approached him in a Parisian restaurant and grabbed him by the hair before spitting in his face.[28][29]

Filmography

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Maïwenn in 2009 at the Deauville American Film Festival.

Actress

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Year Title Role Director Notes
1981 L'année prochaine... si tout va bien Prune Jean-Loup Hubert
1983 One Deadly Summer The Kid Jean Becker
Cinéma 16 Albine Patrick Saglio TV series (1 Episode)
Les enquêtes du commissaire Maigret Colette Jean-Paul Sassy TV series (1 Episode)
1986 State of Grace Jacques Rouffio
1987 Double face The Kid Serge Leroy TV movie
1988 L'autre nuit Joan Jean-Pierre Limosin
1990 Lacenaire Hermine Francis Girod
La famille Ramdam Christiane Lehérissey TV series (1 Episode)
1992 La gamine Carole Lambert Hervé Palud
1994 Léon: The Professional Blond Babe Luc Besson
1997 The Fifth Element Diva Plavalaguna Luc Besson
1998 Keskidi ? The Waitress Manuel Pouet Short
Coquillettes Joséphine Flasseur Short
2000 La mécanique des femmes Jérôme de Missolz
Le marquis Gilles Paquet-Brenner Short
2001 8 rue Charlot Bruno Garcia Short
L'oiseau rare Diane Didier Albert TV movie
2002 Nestor Burma Jade Jacob Berger TV series (1 Episode)
Caméra Café Irina Katostefia Francis Duquet TV series (1 Episode)
2003 Osmose A Girl Raphaël Fejtö
High Tension Alexia Alexandre Aja
2004 Les parisiens Shaa Claude Lelouch
I'm an actrice Isabelle Maïwenn Short
2005 Le courage d'aimer Shaa Claude Lelouch
Star Stuff Grégory Hervelin Short
2006 Pardonnez-moi Violette Maïwenn Nominated - César Award for Most Promising Actress
2009 All About Actresses Maïwenn Maïwenn Nominated - Globes de Cristal Award for Best Actress
2011 Polisse Melissa Maïwenn
2012 Télé gaucho Yasmina Michel Leclerc
2013 Love Is the Perfect Crime Anna Arnaud Larrieu & Jean-Marie Larrieu
2017 The Price of Success Linda Teddy Lussi-Modeste
2019 All Inclusive Paloma Fabien Onteniente
2020 Soeurs Yamina Benguigui
2020 DNA Neige Maïwenn
2020 The Man In The Hat The Biker John-Paul Davidson and Stephen Warbeck
2021 Tralala Barbara Arnaud Larrieu and Jean-Marie Larrieu
2022 Our Ties Emma Roschdy Zem
2022 Neneh Superstar Marianne Belage Ramzi Ben Sliman
2023 Jeanne du Barry Jeanne Du Barry Maïwenn

Director / screenwriter / producer

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Year Title Role Box Office Notes
2004 I'm an actrice Director & Writer Short
2006 Pardonnez-moi Director, Writer & Producer Nominated - César Award for Best First Feature Film
2009 All About Actresses Director & Writer $4,948,702[30]
2011 Polisse Director & Writer $20,334,081[31] Cannes Film Festival - Jury Prize
Lumières Award for Best Director
Cinemania Film Festival - Audience Award
Sarasota Film Festival - Best in World Cinema
Nominated - Cannes Film Festival - Palme d'Or
Nominated - César Award for Best Director
Nominated - César Award for Best Film
Nominated - César Award for Best Original Screenplay
Nominated - Globes de Cristal Award - Best Film
Nominated - Lumières Award for Best Screenplay
Nominated - Stockholm International Film Festival - Best Film
Nominated - CinEuphoria Award - Best Film - International Competition
Nominated - CinEuphoria Award - Best Director - International Competition
2015 Mon Roi Director & Writer Nominated - César Award for Best Film
Nominated - César Award for Best Director
Nominated - Cannes Film Festival - Palme d'Or
Nominated - Lumières Award for Best Director
2020 DNA Director & Writer
2023 Jeanne du Barry Director, Writer, & Co-Producer[32]

Theatrical writer

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References

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  1. ^ Fox, Alistair; Marie, Michel; Moine, Raphaëlle, eds. (2015). A Companion to Contemporary French Cinema. Hoboken, New Jersey: Wiley. p. 214. ISBN 978-1444338997.
  2. ^ Lodge, Guy (21 September 2020). "'DNA' Review: Maïwenn Finds Her Roots in a Sometimes Raging, Sometimes Frustrating Family Melodrama". Variety. Retrieved 7 April 2023.
  3. ^ "The Wild Child of French Cinema". The New York Times. 24 April 2005.
  4. ^ Brinaire, Jacques (19 May 2021). "Cinéma : "ADN", la quête superbe de Maïwenn". La Nouvelle République (in French). Retrieved 26 May 2023.
  5. ^ a b c "Maïwenn: from child star to writer-director". The Boston Globe. 20 May 2012. Retrieved 10 April 2018.
  6. ^ "French MeToo: Prosecutors Request Rape Charges Against Director Benoît Jacquot". Deadline.
  7. ^ a b c d Goodman, Lanie (1 March 2016). "An Exclusive Interview with Film Director Maïwenn". France Today. Retrieved 10 April 2018.
  8. ^ "Tout le monde en parle". Institut national de l'audiovisuel (in French). 29 September 2001.
  9. ^ a b c Hawker, Philippa (23 June 2012). "Into the danger zone". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 14 April 2018.
  10. ^ Chèze, Thierry. "How Maïwenn Became a Force of French Cinema". Mastermind. No. 13. Retrieved 28 April 2024.
  11. ^ a b c "All About Actresses". 2009 Tribeca Film Festival. Tribeca Productions. Retrieved 27 April 2024.
  12. ^ "2015 Official Selection". Cannes. Archived from the original on 18 April 2015. Retrieved 16 April 2015.
  13. ^ "Mon Roi". Festival de Cannes. 24 May 2015. Retrieved 24 April 2024.
  14. ^ "ADN (DNA): Maïwenn's stunning reflection on memory". News. Festival de Cannes. 12 May 2021.
  15. ^ Sharf, Zack (3 June 2020). "Cannes Announces 2020 Official Lineup: 'French Dispatch,' 'Ammonite,' New McQueen and Ghibli". IndieWire.
  16. ^ Goodfellow, Melanie (18 April 2024). "Johnny Depp's IN.2 Execs Talk 'Jeanne Du Barry' UK Release, 'Modi' Plans & Projects With Charlotte Colbert, Julien Temple & Murray Lachlan Young". Deadline Hollywood.
  17. ^ Pavard, Charlotte (16 May 2023). "Opening: Jeanne du Barry, grandeur and decadence in the Age of Enlightenment". Festival de Cannes. Retrieved 24 April 2024.
  18. ^ "A former child actress doesn't flinch from a difficult subject". The Washington Post. 17 May 2012. Retrieved 12 April 2018.
  19. ^ "Leon: The Professional Review". SBS. 6 September 2010. Retrieved 10 April 2018.
  20. ^ The Fifth Element, Special Features of both the Ultimate Edition DVD and the remastered Blu-ray Disc.
  21. ^ "Jean-Yves Le Fur, le père du fils de Maïwenn, est mort" [Jean-Yves Le Fur, the father of Maïwenn’s son, is dead]. Paris Match (in French). 2 April 2024.
  22. ^ a b c Lamblaut, Camille (3 April 2024). "«L'amour de ma vie est parti» : Maïwenn annonce le décès de son ex-compagnon Jean-Yves Le Fur" [«The love of my life is gone»: Maïwenn announces the death of her ex-companion Jean-Yves Le Fur]. Madame Figaro (in French).
  23. ^ Mabilon, Léa (16 May 2023). "Diego, 20 ans, fruit de l'union oubliée entre Maïwenn et Jean-Yves Le Fur" [Diego, 20 years old, fruit of the forgotten union between Maïwenn and Jean-Yves Le Fur]. Madame Figaro. Updated on 4 April 2024 (in French).
  24. ^ "« Jeanne du Barry » : Pour Maïwenn, seul son fils Diego pouvait jouer le rôle de Louis XVI" [“Jeanne du Barry”: For Maïwenn, only her son Diego could play the role of Louis XVI]. Paris Match (in French). 11 May 2023.
  25. ^ Desroches, Tom (19 May 2023). "Jeanne du Barry : le fils de Maïwenn est dans le film, mais quel rôle joue-t-il ?" [Jeanne du Barry: Maïwenn's son is in the film, but what role does he play?]. AlloCiné (in French).
  26. ^ Guardiola, Ari (19 May 2023). "EXCLU Maïwenn en couple : qui est son "amoureux", présent à Cannes mais si discret ?" [EXCLUDED Maïwenn as a couple: who is her “lover”, present in Cannes but so discreet?]. Purepeople (in French). En effet, depuis l'été dernier, Maïwenn et Jean-Yves Le Fur ont repris cette très belle relation un temps arrêtée. L'homme d'affaires si convoité a accompagné la réalisatrice à Cannes pour ce grand moment au Festival. [Indeed, since last summer, Maïwenn and Jean-Yves Le Fur have resumed this very beautiful relationship that had stopped for a while. The coveted businessman accompanied the director to Cannes for this great moment at the Festival.]
  27. ^ "Obsèques de Jean-Yves Le Fur : les larmes de Maïwenn, soutenue par Carla Bruni et Anthony Delon" [Funeral of Jean-Yves Le Fur: the tears of Maïwenn, supported by Carla Bruni and Anthony Delon]. Paris Match (in French). 6 April 2024.
  28. ^ Keslassy, Elsa (16 May 2023). "French Director and Johnny Depp Collaborator Maiwenn Sued for Assaulting Journalist". Variety.
  29. ^ "Jeanne du Barry' Director Maiwenn Fined $435 for Spitting on French Journalist in Restaurant". Variety. 16 January 2024.
  30. ^ JP. "Le Bal des actrices (2009)- JPBox-Office". www.jpbox-office.com.
  31. ^ JP. "Polisse (2011)- JPBox-Office". www.jpbox-office.com.
  32. ^ "Jeanne du Barry credits". Metacritic. Retrieved 27 April 2024.
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