Code Name: Melville

Saturday, October 14

Jean-Pierre Melville, born Jean-Pierre Grumbach, was of Alsatian Jewish descent. Having to flee Nazi-occupied France during World War II, he joined the French Resistance and took the pseudonym Melville, in tribute to American novelist Herman Melville. He subsequently retained his war name as his stage name once the war was over. This personal experience of the war and in particular of resistance fighting impacted Melville’s formative year and has an influence which can be seen in his films.

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In August 1973, 50 years ago, Jean-Pierre Grumbach (known as Jean-Pierre Melville), one of the great filmmakers of the 20th century, passed away. In a career spanning just fourteen films and twenty-five years, Jean-Pierre Melville became an international legend. His films had a profound impact on the young filmmakers of the French New Wave. He also exerted a lasting influence on other major filmmakers, with his writing and visual style having inspired many American directors such as Quentin Tarantino, Michael Mann and Jim Jarmusch. 2023 is an opportunity to pay tribute to him and (re)discover his work. This program is presented in partnership with the Alliance Française Miami Metro.

Check out the rest of our Tribute to Melville program!

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