ROME – Jacques Perrin died, he was 80 years old. The French actor and producer, whose real name was Jacques-André Simonet, is known in Italy above all for being the protagonist of the film ‘Nuovo Cinema Paradiso’, by Giuseppe Tornatore.
His latest film role in the French thriller Goliath in March this year reflected his bitter struggle for the environment, writes AFP. In the drama about pesticides and their effects on humans, Perrin joins a lobbyist played by Pierre Niney.
For his contribution to French cinema, Perrin earned the Order of Merit and the Order of the Legion of Honor. He is survived by three sons, two of whom are also acting.
Oscar for a best foreign film in 1990 the film is an ode to the seventh art: the protagonist is Salvatore (played in the adult version by Perrin), an established director of Sicilian origins who has lived in Rome for thirty years. When he discovers that the projectionist who had made him discover cinema as a child is dead, he begins a moving journey into the memories of his childhood in his land.
Child of art, Jacques Simonet was born in Paris in 1941, to an actress and director of the Comèdie Française.
He started acting at a very young age and at 16 made his big-screen debut in the film “La peau de l’ours”. Very close to Italy, it was directed, among others, by Valerio Zurlini (“The girl with the suitcase”, “Family chronicle” and “The desert of the Tartars”), Luigi Magni (“In the name of the sovereign people”) and Vittorio De Seta (“The Envoy” and “A Half Man”). With this last film in 1966, he won the Volpi Cup at the Venice Film Festival.
In the same edition at the Lido he too was awarded as best actor for the Spanish film “La busca”. In 1969 he produced and starred in “Z – The orgy of power”, directed by Costa-Gavras, Oscar winner for best foreign film.
The cause of death is still unknown.
Amelia Warner
Amelia Warner writes all the Latest Articles. She mostly covers Entertainment topics, but at times loves to write about movie reviews as well.
