Jean-Noël Cristiani

While studying philosophy with Jean-François Lyotard at Paris X, Jean-Noël Cristiani was a daily visitor of the Cinémathèque française. In 1968 he studied cinema with Jean Rouch at Paris X university. In 1973, he became a lecturer in the Philosophy Department at Paris V University. His first feature film, Le Silence des organes, was released in 1976. It was a personal and societal reflection, developed during his research in philosophy, on modern medicine. From this film on, he dedicated his life to documentary filmmaking.

In 1980 he took part in the creation of the Ateliers Varan. He has run several workshops in Romania, Georgia, Serbia, Kenya and Egypt. In 2010 he set up a workshop in Ajaccio, Corsica, which has been held every year since. His films subjects are varied, alternating from particle physics to musician biographies including Max Roach, or writers such as Karen Blixen, Mika Waltari, Edouard Glissant and Maurice Chappaz. In 1987, after first collaborating with Soulages on a short film entitled Une exposition de Soulages, the painter asked the director to document the creation of the stained-glass windows at Conques Abbey. After filming for several years, Les Vitraux de Soulages was released and won several international awards marking a strong collaboration between the painter and director.

Cristiani’s recent film Le Marcheur explores the images that emerge from walking. Today, he continues to explore these themes of walking and painting in a cinematic study of Turner's walking sketches.

Jean-Noël has been a member of the Ateliers Varan since its creation in 1980.