Director

Laurent Cantet

1961 – 2024

Who they are

Born: 15 June 1961, Melle, Deux-Sèvres, France
Died: 25 April 2024
Known for: Human Resources, Time Out, Heading South

Laurent Cantet (1961–2024) was a French director and screenwriter known for socially engaged dramas about work, education and group dynamics. His film The Class won the Palme d'Or at Cannes in 2008. He was a leading figure in contemporary French realist cinema.

Where to start

Human Resources (1999)In the library
His first major feature, a drama about a factory and a generational clash between a young graduate and his father.
Time Out (2001)Log in to add it to the library
Study of a man who hides his job loss from his family, reinforcing Cantet's focus on work and identity.
Heading South (2006)Log in to add it to the library
Drama about Western women visiting Haiti, examining power, desire and privilege.
The Class (2008)Full guide
Classroom drama set in a Paris school; won the Palme d'Or and became his best-known film.
The Workshop (2017)Log in to add it to the library
Tense drama about a writing workshop for young people in a French coastal town.

Their films in the library

Awards

2008 Palme d'Or, Cannes Film Festival, for The Class

The full list · 16

1990Un été à BeyrouthLog in to add it to the libraryDirector
1994Tous à la manifLog in to add it to the libraryDirector
1995Summer GamesLog in to add it to the libraryDirector
1999Human ResourcesLog in to add it to the libraryDirector
1999The SanguinairesLog in to add it to the libraryDirector
2001Time OutLog in to add it to the libraryDirector
2006Heading SouthLog in to add it to the libraryDirector
2008The ClassLog in to add it to the libraryDirector
2009La dérive douce d’un enfant de Petit-GoâveLog in to add it to the libraryActor
20127 Days in HavanaLog in to add it to the libraryDirector
2013FoxfireLog in to add it to the libraryDirector
2014Return to IthacaLog in to add it to the libraryDirector
2017The WorkshopLog in to add it to the libraryDirector
2022Arthur RamboLog in to add it to the libraryDirector
2022Charlotte Rampling, le cinéma comme un essentielLog in to add it to the libraryActor as Lui-même
2024Uomini in MarciaLog in to add it to the libraryActor

Filmography data from TMDB. The profile text is a draft written for Cinespective.