Though François Leterrier's career evolved from assistant director to writer and director, he left an important mark in cinema with an acting role as the leading man in Robert Bresson's immortal classic
A Man Escaped (1956), as Fontaine, the man who skillfully tries several ways and attempts to escape from prison during World War II. He only acted once more in Resnais'
Stavisky (1974) in the role of poet André Malraux.
After his work for Bresson, he was second assistant director in two films directed by
Louis Malle:
Elevator to the Gallows (1958) and
The Lovers (1958), then assistant director in four other films. His directorial debut was in _Les mauvais coups (1961), a film starring
Simone Signoret. In the following 30 years, Leterrier directed 20 projects in between theatrical films, TV movies and series, which include
Un roi sans divertissement (1963),
La chasse royale (1969), the final film of the Emmanuelle franchise in the 1970's
Emmanuelle 3 (1977), _Rat Race (1980)_ and _Slices of Life (1985)_. He is the father of director
Louis Leterrier, famous for directing two films of The Transporter franchise.
He passed away on 3 December, 2020.