Patrice Chéreau dies

Goodbye to a great all-rounder.

by Jennie Kermode

He starred in eight films, wrote 11 and directed 15. Patrice Chéreau, who also worked in production and was widely respected for his work as an opera and theatre director, died today from lung cancer at the age of 68.

Chéreau was probably best known outside France for Queen Margot, which was BAFTA-nominated and won an Oscar for its costume design. Like his opera work, it showcased a remarkable talent for capturing the atmosphere of historical settings in unusual ways. In 2003 he presided over the Grand Jury at Cannes and he also spent a brief period teaching at the celebrated film school La Fémis.

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