Renowned French film director Jacques Audiard, the creative force behind critically acclaimed movies like A Prophet, Dheepan and his latest Emilia Perez, recently shared an inside look at the diverse range of cultural influences currently inspiring him. In a candid interview, the 72-year-old Parisian opened up about everything from the music he listens to while working to the podcasts expanding his knowledge to his complicated relationship with the Surrealist art movement.
Eclectic Musical Inspiration from Nicolas Jaar
When it comes to the soundtrack fueling his creative process, Audiard revealed that the works of Chilean-American composer Nicolas Jaar frequently catch his ear. “When I’m working I have Apple Music on my computer set on random, and whenever I hear tracks that I like, I go over and look at the names: quite often they’re by Nicolas Jaar,” Audiard explained. He expressed admiration for both Jaar’s solo electronic compositions and his work with the band Darkside, singling out their track “The Only Shrine I’ve Seen” as a personal favorite.
“It’s electronic music, sometimes with singing, that’s not strictly minimalist as it can resonate quite strongly. It’s really good.”
– Jacques Audiard on the music of Nicolas Jaar
Exploring the Bible’s Diverse Origins Through Podcasts
In stark contrast to his musical interests, Audiard has also been enriching his knowledge of the Bible’s historical origins through deep dives into academic podcasts. In particular, he recommends “Milieux Bibliques” by theologian Thomas Römer. “I’m basically going back to academic studies via podcasts,” Audiard said of his newfound appreciation for scholarly audio content.
- Thomas Römer’s “Milieux Bibliques” delves into the Bible’s Assyrian, Babylonian and other ancient influences
- The Collège de France offers an extensive collection of erudite podcast material from respected academics
- Audiard also recommends Antoine Compagnon’s “Littérature française moderne et contemporaine” series
A Surrealist Skeptic Willing to be Convinced
Known for his own surrealistic touches in films like A Prophet, which famously featured deer appearing in a prison, Audiard admitted to having a complicated relationship with the Surrealist movement. Though not naturally drawn to Surrealist art, he expressed an open-minded willingness to have his opinion changed by the new Surréalisme exhibition at the Centre Pompidou in Paris. “I’m not a natural fan of surrealism…But if anything convinces me, it’ll be this show,” he remarked.
| Surrealist Pioneer | Known For |
| Salvador Dalí | Melting clocks, eccentric persona |
| André Breton | Surrealist Manifesto, poetry, Marxism |
| Yves Tanguy | Abstract, biomorphic landscapes |
Inspired by Surreal Soccer Satire ‘Diamantino’
One surrealist work that has captured Audiard’s attention is the 2018 satirical film Diamantino, directed by Gabriel Abrantes and Daniel Schmidt. The absurdist comedy follows a Portuguese soccer star on a delirious journey involving “fluffy puppies, evil twin sisters, Secret Service skullduggery and a right-wing anti-EU conspiracy,” according to a review. Audiard praised the unique vision of the movie’s artist-turned-filmmaker directors, even suggesting it was “probably one of the influences” on his latest genre-blending feature Emilia Perez.
“[Diamantino] is a beautiful film and probably one of the influences on Emilia Pérez.”
– Jacques Audiard
Pleasantly Surprised by Paris Olympics Opening
Finally, Audiard shared that one recent cultural event exceeded his expectations – the 2024 Paris Olympics opening ceremony. Despite initial skepticism about holding Olympic events throughout the city, he came away impressed by the innovative use of Paris’ urban landscape, like staging swimming races in the Seine. He also appreciated the boldly irreverent tone set by artistic director Thomas Jolly, epitomized by moments like having an actress dressed as Marie Antoinette hold up her own severed head. “Everything that was triggering people…I really enjoyed.”
Taken together, this eclectic collection of influences, from a psychedelic soccer film to a decapitated royal, reflects the uncompromising creativity and convention-defying spirit that have made Jacques Audiard one of France’s most celebrated cinematic voices for three decades now. At an age when many might settle into familiar patterns, Audiard continues to seek out the novel, the challenging and the surreal to inform his ever-evolving artistic vision.
