Roger Leenhardt was a French writer and filmmaker born on July 23, 1903. He came from a bourgeois Protestant family and was an exceptional student of philosophy. Leenhardt's fascination with cinema began early, and he started working for the newsreel program Éclair Journal through a cousin.
In 1934, he founded his own production company, "Les Films du Compas," later renamed "Roger Leenhardt Films," with René Zuber. Leenhardt was a renowned film critic, considered one of the most perceptive observers of pre-war France, and had a significant influence on André Bazin and the "Nouvelle Vague."
Through his series of articles, "La petite école du spectateur," Leenhardt helped to establish cinema as an art form and a language in its own right. He contributed to various journals, including Esprit, Fontaine, Les Lettres Françaises, and l'Ecran français, where he famously declared, "Down with Ford! Long Live Wyler!"
Leenhardt was a driving force behind the creation of the cinema club Objectif 49, along with Robert Bresson and Jean Cocteau, which aimed to promote a new type of cinema. This led to the establishment of the Festival of Cursed Films in Biarritz and the French Association for the Promotion of Cinema, which organized the Cinéma Days festival from 1953 to 1960.
In 1955, Leenhardt participated in the creation of the International Days of Film in Tours, which later became the Festival of Tours. This festival focused on short films and brought together prominent filmmakers such as François Truffaut, Chris Marker, Agnès Varda, Jacques Demy, Roman Polanski, and Robert Enrico.
Throughout his career, Leenhardt produced over 60 short films and was known for his documentary work, which included portraits of famous writers and painters. He also made films about the origins of photography and the invention of cinema, showcasing his pedagogical and intellectual approach.
Leenhardt directed only three feature-length fiction films: Les Dernières Vacances, Le Rendez-vous de minuit, and Une fille dans la montagne. He also appeared as an actor in three films, including Les Dernières vacances, Une femme mariée, and L'Homme qui aimait les femmes.
