Directing
Jean-Baptiste Durand
Jean-Baptiste Durand, born in 1985 in the quaint village of Montpeyroux near Montpellier, has made a significant mark in the film industry. Despite facing challenges during his school years, he earned a literary baccalaureate with a focus on art history before pursuing his passion at the École Supérieure des Beaux-Arts in Montpellier. Initially captivated by painting and drawing, Durand's artistic trajectory shifted towards filmmaking.
His debut short film, **L'Amour sans le sexe**, created as his graduation project, is an autobiographical exploration of friendship, centering on the intense bonds among three young individuals in a village setting. Following his graduation, Durand gained hands-on experience in the film industry, working as a stagehand, set constructor, assistant director, and even taking on acting roles. During this time, he also produced several rap music videos and continued to hone his drawing skills.
In 2014, he released **Il venait de Roumanie**, his first professional short film, which garnered attention at multiple film festivals. This was followed by the 2016 creative documentary **Même les choses invisibles se cachent**, focusing on the contemporary artist Abdelkader Benchamma, for whom Durand had previously assisted. His first feature film, **Chien de la casse** (Junkyard Dog), was chosen for screenplay reading at the Premiers Plans festival in 2021. In 2023, it competed in the festival and won the Audience Award, solidifying Durand's reputation as a talented filmmaker.
