Jean-Paul Rappeneau: key obituary facts
Is Jean-Paul Rappeneau dead? Yes. Jean-Paul Rappeneau died on September 2, 2026, at age 94.
Cause of death: Jean-Paul Rappeneau's cause of death has not been publicly confirmed.
What was Jean-Paul Rappeneau known for?
He was a French film director and screenwriter (1932–2026).
More about Jean-Paul Rappeneau
Born: 8 April 1932.
Place of birth: Auxerre.
Gender: male.
Occupation: film director, screenwriter, director.
Nationality: France.
Notable work: Cyrano de Bergerac.
Awards: Commandeur des Arts et des Lettres, Louis Delluc Prize, National Board of Review Award for Best Foreign Language Film, César Award for Best Film, César Award for Best Director, César des Césars, Jean-Le-Duc award, Officer of the National Order of Merit.
Children: Martin Rappeneau, Julien Rappeneau.
Also known as: Jean-Paul Rappeneau.
Occupations: Film director, screenwriter.
Years active: 1960–2015.
Jean-Paul Rappeneau, the French film director and screenwriter whose work included Cyrano de Bergerac, died on September 2, 2026, aged 94.
Born in Auxerre in 1932, he began in film as an assistant and screenwriter, collaborating with Louis Malle on Zazie dans le métro in 1960 and Vie privée in 1961. He later co-wrote L’Homme de Rio, starring Jean-Paul Belmondo, before making his first feature as writer-director, A Matter of Resistance, in 1965.
After a gap of several years, he returned with Les Mariés de l’an II in 1971, again with Belmondo and Marlène Jobert, and went on to build a career that made him one of French cinema’s notable directors and screenwriters.