Emmanuelle Bercot
Emmanuelle Bercot (born 6 November 1967) is a French actress, film director, and screenwriter known for her versatile contributions to contemporary cinema, blending dramatic performances with socially conscious filmmaking.[1] Bercot's career began in the performing arts through dance training at Cours Florent, followed by studies at the prestigious La Fémis film school, where she honed her skills in directing.[2] Her breakthrough came early with the short film Les Vacances (1997), which won the Jury Prize in the Short Film Competition at the Cannes Film Festival, marking her as a rising talent.[2] As a director and screenwriter, Bercot debuted in features with Clément (2001), in which she also starred, premiering in the Un Certain Regard section at Cannes and exploring themes of youth and vulnerability.[3] She gained further acclaim for co-writing Polisse (2011) with Maïwenn, a gritty police drama that won the Jury Prize at Cannes, and for directing Standing Tall (2015), a coming-of-age story starring Catherine Deneuve that opened the Cannes Film Festival—the first film by a woman director to do so since 1987.[2][4] In acting, Bercot delivered a standout performance as a woman grappling with a toxic relationship in Maïwenn's Mon Roi (2015), earning her the Best Actress Award (shared ex aequo with Rooney Mara) at Cannes.[5] Her directorial output continued with 150 Milligrams (2016), a fact-based drama about medical whistleblower Irène Frachon that premiered at the San Sebastián International Film Festival and highlighted ethical dilemmas in healthcare.[6] Bercot's later works include the poignant cancer drama Peaceful (2021), starring Catherine Deneuve and Benoît Magimel (who won the César Award for Best Actor), which premiered at Cannes and addressed mortality with emotional depth.[7] She has also appeared in films like The Girls of the Sun (2018) and L'Abbé Pierre: A Life of Fights (2023), while directing episodes of the acclaimed series In Treatment (Season 2, 2022).[3] In 2025, she reteamed with producer Sylvie Pialat for Leave One Day, which opened the Cannes Film Festival, underscoring her ongoing influence in French cinema.[8]Early life and education
Family background
Emmanuelle Bercot was born on November 6, 1967, in Paris, France.[1] She grew up in a prosperous Parisian family with no connections to the entertainment industry; her father, Michel Bercot, was a cardiac surgeon at Hôpital Lariboisière, and her grandfather, Pierre Bercot, served as a high-ranking executive at Citroën from 1958 to 1970.[9][10][11] Bercot's uncle worked as an educator and counselor in the youth judicial protection service, exposing her early to social challenges faced by troubled adolescents. At the age of eight, she accompanied him to a seaside camp for delinquent youth, an experience that profoundly influenced her awareness of social issues and later informed elements of her 2015 film La Tête Haute.[12][9]Training in performing arts
Emmanuelle Bercot developed an early interest in the performing arts through dance, pursuing formal ballet training at the École de danse Serge Alzetta in Paris immediately after obtaining her baccalauréat in the mid-1980s. This initial focus on dance provided her with a foundation in physical expression and discipline, which she later credited for enhancing her stage presence.[13] Transitioning from dance, Bercot first attended the École du Spectacle, where she discovered theater. She then enrolled at the prestigious Cours Florent drama school in Paris during the late 1980s, where she underwent rigorous acting training under instructors including Raymond Acquaviva, Robert Hossein, and Jean-Luc Tardieu. At Cours Florent, she explored theater techniques, improvisation, and character development, including roles in plays like L'Aiglon (1988), marking a pivotal shift toward dramatic arts. This period solidified her commitment to acting, building on her dance background to cultivate a versatile approach to embodiment and emotion.[13][14][15] After Cours Florent, Bercot was admitted to La Fémis, the French national film school, where she specialized in directing and produced her early short films, including Les Vacances (1997) and La Puce (1999). This training bridged her performing arts background to filmmaking.[13][16]Career
Acting career
Bercot began her acting career in the early 1990s with minor roles in French cinema and television, marking her screen debut as Emmanuelle in the 1991 film Ragazzi directed by Étienne Daho.[17] Throughout the decade, she appeared in supporting capacities, such as the agency girl in La Divine Poursuite (1997) and Mademoiselle Grimm, the teacher, in Claude Miller's La Classe de neige (1998), gradually building experience in independent French productions.[17] Her breakthrough came in the 2000s, where she transitioned to more prominent roles, including the lead as Marion in Clément (2001), a film she also wrote and directed, portraying a woman entangled in an unconventional romance.[17] She continued with supporting parts, such as Florence in Camping sauvage (2005), showcasing her ability to embody complex, everyday characters in dramatic narratives.[17] In the 2010s, Bercot's career rose significantly with her portrayal of Sue Ellen, a key member of the child protection unit, in Maïwenn's Polisse (2011), a role that highlighted her skill in ensemble-driven stories addressing social injustices.[17] She also appeared as a French military officer in The Girls of the Sun (2018), a drama about female Kurdish fighters. This led to leading roles, including Tony in My King (2015), where she depicted a woman navigating a tumultuous relationship, earning her the Best Actress Award at the Cannes Film Festival, shared with Rooney Mara.[18] Entering the 2020s, Bercot maintained a steady output of diverse roles, playing Gabrielle Dervaz in Grandes espérances (2022), a multifaceted family matriarch.[17] She took on Lucie Coutaz in the biopic Abbé Pierre – Une vie de combats (2023), Florence Cazeaux-Rocher in the thriller Sentinelle (2023), and Viviane in Making Of (2023).[17] Her television work included Juliette Levesque in the series Paris Has Fallen (2024), alongside film appearances as Sonia in L'Esprit Coubertin (2024) and in Les Trois Fantastiques (2024).[17] Upcoming projects feature her as Joanna Walter in Badh (2025), in Illustre Inconnue (2025), and Baise-en-ville (2025).[17][19] Throughout her career, Bercot has been recognized for her intense, character-driven performances in dramas that often explore social issues, from personal relationships to institutional challenges.[20]Directing and screenwriting career
Emmanuelle Bercot began her directing career with short films that explored themes of familial tension and personal struggle. Her debut short, Les Vacances (1997), depicts a single mother seeking funds to take her daughter on a brief holiday, earning the Short Film Jury Prize (ex aequo) at the 1997 Cannes Film Festival.[21] Two years later, La Puce (1999), her graduation project from La Fémis film school, portrays a 14-year-old girl's conflicts with her family during a seaside vacation, securing the Second Cinéfondation Prize (ex aequo) at the 1999 Cannes Film Festival. These early works, which Bercot also wrote, highlighted her interest in youth vulnerability and social dynamics within intimate settings. Bercot transitioned to features with Clément (2001), which she wrote, directed, and starred in as Marion, a woman entangled in a provocative relationship with a 13-year-old boy, blending autobiographical elements with observations on forbidden desire and emotional growth.[22] The film premiered in the Un Certain Regard section at the 2001 Cannes Film Festival and received the Award of the Youth (French Film).[23] In her mid-career, Bercot directed the segment "La Question" in the anthology The Players (2012), co-written with its stars Jean Dujardin and Alexandra Lamy, examining marital infidelity through a lens of relational fragility.[24] She followed with On My Way (Elle s'en va, 2013), a road movie starring Catherine Deneuve as a former beauty queen on a journey of self-discovery.[25] Bercot then directed Standing Tall (La Tête Haute, 2015), a screenplay co-written with Marcia Romano, tracing a troubled youth's navigation of France's juvenile justice system from age six to eighteen, inspired by her uncle's experiences as a juvenile counselor.[26] The film opened the 2015 Cannes Film Festival, underscoring Bercot's focus on social justice and redemption for marginalized young people.[27] Bercot's later directing efforts continued to probe personal and societal vulnerabilities. She directed 150 Milligrams (La Fille de Brest, 2016), a fact-based drama about medical whistleblower Irène Frachon, starring Tahar Rahim and highlighting ethical dilemmas in healthcare.[6] In Peaceful (De son vivant, 2021), which she co-wrote with Philippe Guez, the narrative centers on a man confronting terminal cancer, his denial, and his mother's grief, emphasizing themes of acceptance and familial bonds amid illness.[28] Starring Benoît Magimel as the protagonist and Catherine Deneuve as his mother, the film draws from real-life reflections on mortality to explore emotional redemption.[29] Bercot also directed episodes of the French series In Treatment (En thérapie, Season 2, 2022). Throughout her oeuvre, Bercot's screenwriting—often collaborative yet rooted in autobiographical insights or acute social observation—maintains consistency in portraying human fragility, from youthful rebellion to adult reckonings with loss. As of 2025, Bercot is developing an untitled adaptation of Sorj Chalandon's novel L'Enragé, focusing on a boy's escape from a 19th-century penal colony and his pursuit of freedom, themes aligning with her recurring motifs of youth, injustice, and personal redemption.[8] Produced by Sylvie Pialat's Les Films du Worso and reteaming with Pathé Films, production is slated to begin in February 2026.[30]Filmography
As actress
Emmanuelle Bercot's acting credits span feature films and television, beginning with her debut in the early 1990s. The following table lists her roles chronologically, based on verified filmography data.[17]| Year | Title | Role | Medium |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | Ragazzi | Emmanuelle | Film |
| 1994 | Etat des lieux | (Unspecified) | Film |
| 1997 | La divine poursuite | La deuxième fille de l'agence | Film |
| 1998 | La classe de neige | Mademoiselle Grimm | Film |
| 1999 | Ça commence aujourd'hui | Madame Tiévaux | Film |
| 1999 | Une pour toutes | La femme de Sam Morvan | Film |
| 2001 | Clément | Marion (lead) | Film |
| 2004 | À tout de suite | Laurence | Film |
| 2005 | Camping sauvage | Florence | Film |
| 2007 | Enfances | La mère d'Orson Welles | Film |
| 2010 | Carlos | (Unspecified) | Film |
| 2011 | Polisse | Sue Ellen (supporting) | Film |
| 2013 | Rue Mandar | Aline | Film |
| 2013 | En solitaire | Médecin de la course | Film |
| 2015 | Mon roi | Tony (lead) | Film |
| 2018 | Fiertés (Season 1) | Martine | TV Series |
| 2018 | L'Heure de la sortie | Catherine | Film |
| 2018 | Les Filles du soleil | Mathilde | Film |
| 2019 | Fête de famille | Claire | Film |
| 2020 | Jumbo | Margarette | Film |
| 2020 | L'Ennemi | Maître Béatrice Rondas | Film |
| 2021 | Le Bal des folles | Jeanne | Film |
| 2021 | Ma nuit | Isabelle | Film |
| 2021 | Goliath | France | Film |
| 2023 | Making Of | Viviane | Film |
| 2023 | Sentinelle | Florence Cazeaux-Rocher | Film |
| 2023 | De grandes espérances | Gabrielle Dervaz | Film |
| 2023 | Les Trois fantastiques | (Unspecified) | Film |
| 2023 | L'Abbé Pierre - Une vie de combats | Lucie Coutaz | Film |
| 2024 | L'Esprit Coubertin | Sonia | Film |
| 2024 | Paris Has Fallen (Season 1) | Juliette Levesque | TV Series |
| 2025 | Ollie | Lisa | Film |
| 2025 | Baise-en-ville | (Unspecified) | Film |
| 2025 | Soyons fous | (Unspecified) | Film |
| 2025 | Badh | Joanna Walter | Film |
| 2026 | Illustre inconnue | (Unspecified) | Film |
| 2026 | Mystik | (Unspecified) | Film |
As director
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | Les Vacances (The Vacations) | Director, screenwriter | Short film; winner of the Jury Prize in the Short Film category at the 1997 Cannes Film Festival.[4] |
| 1999 | La Puce | Director, screenwriter | Short film; winner of the 1st Prize Cinéfondation at the 1999 Cannes Film Festival.[31] |
| 2001 | Clément | Director, screenwriter | Feature film debut; selected for Un Certain Regard section at the 2001 Cannes Film Festival.[32] |
| 2005 | Backstage | Director, screenwriter | Feature film.[33] |
| 2012 | Les Infidèles (The Players) | Director | Anthology feature; directed one segment ("Voyage à Rome").[34] |
| 2013 | Elle s'en va (On My Way) | Director, screenwriter | Feature film.[33] |
| 2015 | Standing Tall (La Tête haute) | Director, co-screenwriter (with Marcia Romano) | Feature film; opened the 2015 Cannes Film Festival.[35] |
| 2016 | La Fille de Brest (150 Milligrams) | Director, screenwriter | Feature film; premiered at the 2016 San Sebastián International Film Festival.[6] |
| 2021 | Peaceful (De son vivant) | Director, screenwriter | Feature film.[36] |
| 2021–2023 | En thérapie (In Treatment) | Director | TV series; directed multiple episodes in Seasons 1 and 2.[33] |
| 2027 | L'Enragé | Director, screenwriter | Upcoming feature film adaptation of the novel by Sorj Chalandon; received advance on receipts from the CNC.[8] |
Awards and honors
Acting awards
Emmanuelle Bercot received her first major acting recognition at the 2001 Cannes Film Festival for her leading role in Clément, where she won the Award of the Youth in the French Film category.[37] The film was also nominated for the Un Certain Regard Award at the same festival.[38] Bercot's breakthrough acting accolade came in 2015 at the Cannes Film Festival, where she shared the Best Actress Award ex aequo with Rooney Mara for her performance as Tony in My King (Mon roi), directed by Maïwenn.[5] This win highlighted her portrayal of a woman navigating a tumultuous relationship, earning praise for its emotional depth.[18] Following this success, Bercot was nominated for the César Award for Best Actress in 2016 for My King, her only such nomination to date.[39] She also received a nomination for the Lumière Award for Best Actress that year for the same role.[37] No major acting awards or nominations have been reported for her performances in films from 2020 to 2025, such as L'Abbé Pierre: A Life of Fights (2023). As of November 2025, her César recognition for acting remains limited to the 2016 nomination.[37]| Year | Ceremony | Category | Film | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | Cannes Film Festival | Award of the Youth (French Film) | Clément | Won |
| 2001 | Cannes Film Festival | Un Certain Regard | Clément | Nominated |
| 2015 | Cannes Film Festival | Best Actress | My King | Won (shared) |
| 2016 | César Awards | Best Actress | My King | Nominated |
| 2016 | Lumière Awards | Best Actress | My King | Nominated |