According to AFP, Bertrand Blier, an 86-year veteran of French cinema and Oscar-winning director, screenwriter, and writer, died in Paris on January 20.
Blier contributed significantly to French cinema in the 1970s and 1980s, creating several acclaimed art house films. The most famous is the movie "Going Places" ("Les Valseuses," 1974). This film launched the careers of famous actors Gérard Depardieu and Patrick Dewaere, who went on to appear in several other Bliere films.
Brimming with black humor and focusing on marginal characters such as criminals, unscrupulous police officers, and frivolous women, Bliet's films created a unique film culture.
Although Blier resented modern cinema, critics often noted the influence of Spanish surrealist director Luis Buñuel in his work.
