After studying art history, Sébastien Lifshitz has worked in contemporary art since 1990 as an assistant to curator Bernard Blistène at the Pompidou Centre and then with sculptor and photographer Suzanne Lafont. In 1994, he turned to the cinema and produced his first short film, “I Have to Love You”. In 1995 came a documentary on the director Claire Denis, followed in 1998 by “Les Corps Ouverts” (The Open Bodies). Hailed at numerous international festivals (Cannes and Clermont-Ferrand), this medium-length film was awarded the Jean Vigo prize and the Kodak prize. In 1999, Arte commissioned him for a TV film “Les Terres Froides” (The Cold Lands) for the Gauche-Droite series, selected at the Mostra Internationale in Venice.
In 2000 he recorded his first long film “Presque Rien” (Next to Nothing), followed in 2002 by "La Traversée" (The Crossing), a road documentary selected for the Quinzaine des Réalisateurs in Cannes.
In 2004 he started work on Wild Side, which among other prizes won the Teddy Award at the Berlin Festival.
For the CENTQUATRE, he has selected films of european young directors, made when they were studying cinema.
In February 2009, these films are presented, at the occasion of a film festival called "Nouveau cinéma".
To find out more on the films selected, please visit the "studio opening" section below!
