The announcement of the death of filmmaker Jean-Marc Vallée, who died on Christmas Day at the age of 58, has logically aroused many reactions. From Matthew McConaughey to Reese Witherspoon and Nicole Kidman, Hollywood pays tribute to the director.
Quebec director Jean-Marc Vallée, revealed by the film CRAZY in 2005, co-creator and director of the Big Little Lies series and the poignant Dallas Buyers Club, which had offered the Oscar for Best Actor to Matthew McConaughey, died on Christmas day. He was 58 years old. Announced by American media, his death was confirmed by his son to Radio-Canada.
While the exact nature of his death is still unknown, the information relayed by the site Hollywood Deadline report that the filmmaker died of a heart attack on December 25, and was discovered the next day.
In the wake of the announcement of his death, many tributes were paid to the director. Starting with the Canadian Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau: “Like his talent, Jean-Marc Vallée’s passion for cinema and directing was unmatched. His art will have marked Quebec, Canada and the world. My thoughts are with his family, friends and fans as they mourn his sudden passing. “
Cameron Bailey, director of TIFF, the famous Toronto International Film Festival, also reacted to his death, stressing that the festival was a real welcome for the films of the filmmaker: he is indeed the only one to have opened the festival with its films (Demolition in 2015) and closed the festival, with Victoria: the young years of a queen, in 2009.
The actress Reese Witherspoon, whom Jean-Marc Vallée had superbly directed in Wild and had allowed her to obtain a citation to the Oscar for Best Actress in 2015, reacted on her Twitter account, letting go “broken heart”.
Nicole Kidman, one of the headliners of the excellent series Big Little Lies, for its part sent a press release:
“It’s hard to imagine the departure of someone as vital, energetic and present as Jean-Marc. I am broken. He was at the center of my creative universe and I cannot stress enough how important he is to me. Jean-Marc was not only responsible for some of the most rewarding work experiences of my career, but his friendship, kindness and love have been an inspiring force that I will carry with me.
I will always cherish those nights of filming above the crashing waves of Big Sur… […] I am eternally grateful for my timeshare with this amazing man. Forever, Jean Marc “.
Matthew mcconaughey, who also owes Vallée his Oscar for Best Actor won for his sensational composition in Dallas Buyers Club, split a tribute, saluting “a generous hand and heart” of a filmmaker, and his sensitivity to capture the vagaries of life: “From the struggle to the pain to the wink and the whisper, love stories were all over her eye.”
Denis Villeneuve, his Quebec colleague and friend, expressed himself, via a message relayed by Tanya Lapointe, executive producer of his film Dune:
Shailene Woodley, who starred in Big Little Lies, posted a long message in a story on his Instagram account, with in particular these words: “I’m in shock. Complete and utter shock. […] We will miss you every day. Thank you for being a genuine, dedicated, elaborate and true artist. “
Laura Dern, whom Jean-Marc Vallée had also directed in Big Little Lies, mourns a filmmaker who was “one of our greatest and pure dream artists”.
We will also remember the few words written by Paul Feig, who underlines “the enormous loss of an incredibly talented director”.