BALASKO, JOSIANE

(1950- )

Actress and director. Josiane Balasko started her career in café-théâtres with the Troupe du Splendid along-side Michel Blanc,Thierry Lhermitte,Gérard Jugnot, andChristian Clavier. She would collaborate with this team of well-known comedians in several films. Her feature films as director are generally comedies, includingSac de noeuds(1985),Les keufs(1987),Ma vie est un enfer(1991), the popularGazon Maudit(1995), andUn grand cri d'amour(1998).Gazon Maudit, a social comedy that portrays the lesbian affair of a married woman, was nominated for an Oscar for Best Foreign Film.Balasko has acted in several films byJean-Marie Poiré, includingLes petits calins(1978),Retour en force(1980),Les hommes préfèrent les grosses(1981), andLe père Noël est une ordure(1982). She challenged more typical depictions of sexual attraction inBertrand Blier'sTrop Belle pour toi(1988), whereGérard Depardieu's character leaves the lovely Carole Bouquet in favor of the plainer, yet more interesting Balasko. Balasko also acted inPatrice Leconte'sLes bronzés(1978) andLes bronzés font du ski(1979),Claude Berri'sLe Maître d'école(1981), Jean-Loup Hubert'sLa Smala(1984) andLes Acteurs(2000), Jean-Jacques Zilberman'sTout le monde n'a pas eu la chance d'avoir des parents communistes(1993),Claude Zidi'sArlette(1997), Gérard Lauzier'sLe Fils du français(1999), Jean Becker'sUn crime au paradis(2000), Gabriel Aghion'sLe libertin(2000) andAbsolument fabuleux(2001), Djamel Bensalah'sLe raid(2002), and Guillaume Nicloux'sCette femme-là(2003).