Director: Jean-Stéphane Sauvaire

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Birthday: 1968-12-31
Born in: Paris, France
Biography: Jean-Stéphane Sauvaire (born 31 December 1968; Paris), is a French director, producer and screenwriter. He is best known as the director of films Johnny Mad Dog (2008), A Prayer Before Dawn (2017) and Black Flies (2023). Sauvaire was born on 31 December 1968 in Paris, France. He currently lives in New York City. In 1991, he started film career as a first assistant director of the film Les Nuits Fauves by Cyril Collard. Then he joined the crew for the films Les Demons de Jesus and Les Grandes Bouches directed by Bernie Bonvoisin, I Stand Alone by Gaspar Noé, Sous Les Pieds Des Femmes directed by Rachida Krim, Hors Jeu by Karim Dridi, Louise (Take 2) by Siegfried and Love Me by Laetitia Masson. He continued to work as the assistant director until 2000. At the end of 2000, he directed his three short films, La Mule (co-directed with Rossy De Palma), A Dios and Matalo. In all these three short films, he used the theme of violence among adolescents. In 2008, he made the film Johnny Mad Dog co-produced with Mathieu Kassovitz. The film was later presented in the Official Selection, 'Un Certain Regard' section at the Cannes Film Festival and won the Prix de l'Espoir. The film was an adaptation of the novel 'Johnny Chien Méchant' written by Congolese writer Emmanuel Dongala. It tells the story of a group of child soldiers fighting for the Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy (LURD) rebels in 2003, during the latter part of the Second Liberian Civil War. After the success of the film, he directed a telefilm Punk in 2012, which was co-produced by Arte, with Paul Bartel and Béatrice Dalle. In 2017, he made the film A Prayer Before Dawn which was adapted from the story of Billy Moore. The film received an official selection at the 70th Cannes Film Festival in 2017. In 2023, Sauvaire directed Black Flies, an adaptation of the eponymous novel by Shannon Burke, with Sean Penn and Tye Sheridan. The film is selected in competition at the 76th Cannes Film Festival in 2023.

Known for

Asphalt City

A young paramedic is paired with a seasoned partner on the night shift in New York revealing a city in crisis. Discovering the chaos firsthand, he is tested with the ethical ambiguity that can be the difference between life and death.
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5.9
Asphalt+City
Asphalt City

2024

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A Prayer Before Dawn

The amazing true story of Billy Moore, an English boxer incarcerated in Thailand’s most notorious prison. Thrown into a world of drugs and violence, he finds his best chance to escape is to fight his way out in prison Muay Thai tournaments.
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6.7
A+Prayer+Before+Dawn
A Prayer Before Dawn

2018

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Punk

An intense and solitary teenager, Paul finds himself caught up in a journey for freedom, full of violence, betrayal and hope. Abandoned by his father, torn between his mother, with whom he maintains a tender if tormented relationship, and his punk friends, with whom he hangs out at concerts, parties and street fights, he lives fully in the present. At a concert, Paul meets Louis and falls in love. But something is missing, and he continues searching for the father who never recognized him.
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5.4
Punk
Carlitos Medellin

This documentary reveals the most violent part of the most violent city (Medellin) of the most violent country (Colombia) in the world. For around 75 minutes, different people from Medellin explain how difficult it is to live and survive in a city where violence, weapons, killing is common. Everyday, someone you know may die or get wounded by one of the different armed factions that struggle throughout the country and in the cities to take control over the population, drug cartel, politics, etc... sometimes for no reasons at all but fun.
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6.4
Carlitos+Medellin
Carlitos Medellin

2004

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Bizarre

Maurice, a reticent young homeless man, somehow manages to get by in Brooklyn; he spends his nights in parked cars until he finds himself at Bizarre, an underground club renowned for its burlesque shows. Maurice is fascinated by the club’s playful revues celebrating self-determined sexuality and creative otherness, and the two female club owners both adore him. He soon becomes a part of their self-selected family, and begins to bond with introverted Luka. But Maurice turns his back on Luka’s growing affection. Running away from his true emotions he drifts aimlessly through the city. He tries to find his feet at a boxing club, where he meets Charlie. Unable to withstand the pressure of his repressed feelings, Maurice unleashes a mounting foment of emotions, pervaded by tenderness and menace.
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5.3
Bizarre
Johnny Mad Dog

A cast of unknown performers are used in this drama about child soldiers fighting a war in an unnamed African country.
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6.2
Johnny+Mad+Dog
Johnny Mad Dog

2008

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