Jean Rouch
- Known for
- Directing
- Born
- May 31, 1917
- Died
- February 18, 2004
- Birthplace
- Paris, France
Jean Rouch (French: [ʁuʃ]; 31 May 1917, Paris – 18 February 2004, Niger) was a French filmmaker and anthropologist. He is considered to be one of the founders of cinéma-vérité in France, which shared the aesthetics of the direct cinema. Rouch's practice as a filmmaker for over sixty years in Africa, was characterized by the idea of shared anthropology. Influenced by his discovery of surrealism in his early twenties, many of his films blur the line between fiction and documentary, creating a new style of ethnofiction. He was also hailed by the French New Wave as one of theirs. His seminal film Me a Black (Moi, un noir) pioneered the technique of jump cut popularized by Jean-Luc Godard. Godard said of Rouch in the Cahiers du Cinéma (Notebooks on Cinema) n°94 April 1959, "In charge of research for the Musée de l'Homme (French, "Museum of Man") Is there a better definition for a filmmaker?" Along his career, Rouch was no stranger to controversy.
Filmography
Work(ing Together) in Process TBA
as Self, the filmmaker before the filmmakers (in 240p)
Rouch's Gang TBA
as Self
Outlaw 2025
as Self
L’Enigma di Jean Rouch a Torino - Cronaca di un film raté 2017
Actor
My Conversations on Film 2013
as Himself
Freddy Buache, le cinéma 2012
as Self (archive footage)
Mad Mimes 2012
Property Builder
- Maya Deren, Take Zero
Maya Deren, Take Zero 2012
as Himself
Jean Epstein, Young Oceans of Cinema 2011
as Self (archive footage)
The Dreamed Films 2010
as Self
Portrait de Jean Rouch 2004
as Self
Jean Rouch, des mensonges plus vrais que la réalité 2004
as Lui-même
Encountering Jean Rouch 2003
Actor
- Le Rêve plus fort que la mort
Le Rêve plus fort que la mort 2002
Director, Writer
- Mon père c'est un lion - Jean Rouch pour mémoire
Mon père c'est un lion - Jean Rouch pour mémoire 2002
as Self
Nouvelle Vague : El cine sin dogmas 2000
as Self
Cinéma, de notre temps: Mosso, mosso (Jean Rouch comme si...) 1999
as Himself
Ciguri - Tarahumaras 99 - Le dernier chaman 1999
as narrador
Pierre Fatumbi Verger: Messenger Between Two Worlds 1998
as Self
Ciguri – Tarahumaras 98 - La Danse Du Peyotl 1998
as Narrator
- I'm Tired of Standing, I Lie Down
I'm Tired of Standing, I Lie Down 1997
Director, Cinematography
- Announcement
Announcement 1997
Director
A Friendly Handshake 1997
Actor, Director
Germaine et ses copains 1996
Director
Son of Gascogne 1995
as Self
Rouch in Reverse 1995
as himself
Germaine chez elle 1994
as himself, Director, Writer
- Madame l'eau
Madame l'eau 1993
Director
- Cinéma! Cinéma! The French New Wave
Cinéma! Cinéma! The French New Wave 1992
as Self
Damouré Speaks About AIDS 1992
Director
Letter to Jean Rouch 1992
as Self
An Egg with No Shell 1992
Actor
Jean Rouch: First Film 1947-1991 1991
as Himself
Brise-glace 1990
Director, Editor, Writer, Director of Photography
- Liberté, égalité, fraternité, et puis après...
Liberté, égalité, fraternité, et puis après... 1990
Director
- Boulevards d'Afrique
Boulevards d'Afrique 1989
Director
- Brise-glace : Bateau givre
Brise-glace : Bateau givre 1987
Editor, Writer, Director of Photography, Director
Couleur du temps. Berlin, Août 1945 1987
Director
Cousin, cousine 1987
Director
Enigma 1986
Director
The Ordinary Madness of a Daughter of Ham 1986
Director
- Ciné-Portrait de Bill Witney
Ciné-Portrait de Bill Witney 1986
Director
- Dionysos
Dionysos 1984
Director
- Hampâté Bâ
Hampâté Bâ 1984
Director
Ciné-Portrait of Raymond Depardon 1983
as himself, Director of Photography, Director
- Sigui Synthesis: The Invention of Speech and Death
Sigui Synthesis: The Invention of Speech and Death 1981
Director
- Ciné-mafia
Ciné-mafia 1980
Actor, Director, Cinematography
Funeral at Bongo: The Death of Old Anai 1979
Director
Cinématon 1978
as N°1256
Margaret Mead: A Portrait By a Friend 1978
Director
- Ciné-Portrait de Stanislas Adotevi
Ciné-Portrait de Stanislas Adotevi 1978
Director
Makwayela 1977
Director
Samba the Great 1977
as Narrator
Ispahan: A Persian Letter (The Chah Mosque at Ispahan) 1977
as Lui-même, Director
Badye, the Storyteller 1977
Director
Hommage à Marcel Mauss. Germaine Dieterlen 1977
Director
Babatou, Three Pieces of Advice 1976
Director, Director of Photography
Zomo et ses frères 1975
Director
The Dama of Ambara: To Enchant Death 1974
Director, Writer
Pam Kuso Kar (Breaking Pam's Vases) 1974
Director
Cock-A-Doodle-Doo! Mr Chicken 1974
Director, Writer, Director of Photography
- Sigui 1973: The Canopy of Circumcision
Sigui 1973: The Canopy of Circumcision 1973
Director
The Year 01 1973
Co-Director
- Hommage à Marcel Mauss : Taro Okamoto
Hommage à Marcel Mauss : Taro Okamoto 1973
Director
Giraffe Football or “The Alternative” 1973
Director
VW-Voyou 1973
Director
Funeral Rites for Women in Bongo 1973
Director
The Burial of the Hogon 1973
Director
Boukoki 1973
Director
- Sigui 1972: The Loincloths of Yamé
Sigui 1972: The Loincloths of Yamé 1972
Director
Un lion nommé l'Américain 1972
Director
Horendi 1972
Director
Sigui 1971: The Dune of Idyeli 1971
Director
Drums from the Past 1971
Cinematography, Writer, Director
Sigui 1970: The Clamours of Amani 1970
Director
Little by Little 1970
Director, Writer, Director of Photography
Mya - la mère 1970
Director
Architects of Ayorou 1970
Director
Sigui 1969: The Cave of Bongo 1969
Director
Sigui 1968: The Dancers of Tyogou 1968
Director
Yenendi de Ganghel (Rain Dance at Ganghel) 1968
Director
Ayorou Singing Stones 1968
Director
Sigui 1967: L'enclume de Yougo 1967
Director
Jaguar 1967
Director, Director of Photography
Daouda Sorko 1967
Director
- Civilisation: L'homme et les images
Civilisation: L'homme et les images 1967
as Self
The Lion Hunters 1966
Director, Director of Photography
World Without a Game 1966
as Self
The Goumbé of the Young Revelers 1966
Writer, Director of Photography, Director
Dogon Drums, Elements of a Study in Rhythm 1966
Director
Gare du Nord 1965
Director, Screenplay
Six in Paris 1965
Director, Writer
The Fifteen-Year-Old Widows 1964
Director
That Tender Age 1964
Director
La Nouvelle Vague par elle-même 1964
as Self
L'Afrique et la recherche scientifique 1964
Director
The Lovely Month of May 1963
as Self (uncredited)
- Rose et Landry
Rose et Landry 1963
Director
- Les cocotiers
Les cocotiers 1963
Director
- Le palmier à l'huile
Le palmier à l'huile 1963
Director
Monsieur Albert, prophète 1963
Director
The Doll 1962
as Officer (uncredited)
Hampi 1962
Director
The Punishment 1962
Screenplay, Director
- Le mil
Le mil 1962
Director
- Les pêcheurs du Niger
Les pêcheurs du Niger 1962
Director
- Urbanisme africain
Urbanisme africain 1962
Director
- Abidjan, port de pêche
Abidjan, port de pêche 1962
Director
Niger Festivals: December 1961 - Niger Independence Days 1962
Director
Chronicle of a Summer 1961
as Self, Director
The Human Pyramid 1961
Director, Writer, Director of Photography
Funérailles au Ghana 1960
Director
The Sons of the Water 1959
Actor, Director
I, a Negro 1959
Director, Writer, Producer
Moro Naba 1958
Director
- La royale goumbé
La royale goumbé 1958
Director
- Une sortie de novices de Sakpata
Une sortie de novices de Sakpata 1958
Director
Baby Ghana 1957
Director
The Mad Masters 1955
as Narrator, Director, Cinematography
Mammy Water 1953
Director, Producer, Writer, Cinematography
The Rainmakers 1951
Director
- Les gens du mil
Les gens du mil 1951
Director
Cemeteries in the Cliff 1951
Director
Battle on the Great River 1950
Director, Cinematography
Circumcision 1949
Director, Producer, Cinematography
Initiation into the Dance of the Possessed 1948
Director
The Magicians of Wanzerbé 1948
Director
- Hombroï
Hombroï 1948
Director
In the Land of the Black Magi 1947
Director
Credits from TMDB.