CRAZY (2005)
Ten years after the release of Blacklist, first feature film full of promises, CRAZY makes Jean-Marc Vallée famous on the international scene. Hailed by critics and widely adopted by the public, the film is a Quebec family chronicle set in the 1970s which revolves around the tense relationship of a father (Michel Côté) and his homosexual son (Marc-André Grondin ). More than 15 years after its release, CRAZY, which received the supreme honor at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), still holds the record for the greatest number of distinctions, namely 15, given to a single production at a Quebec cinema gala.
Available in video on demand on Illico or Apple TV
The Young Victoria (2009)
The success of CRAZY allows Jean-Marc Vallée to shoot The Young Victoria, co-produced by Martin Scorsese, and get a taste of Hollywood life. Starring actress Emily Blunt in the title role, the historic feature film traces Queen Victoria’s ascension to the throne, from her coronation to her romance with Prince Albert. The Young Victoria closed the 34e edition of TIFF.
Available on Netflix or Amazon Prime
Café de Flore (2011)
Six years after the release of CRAZY., Jean-Marc Vallée reconnects with his French-speaking public with Café de Flore, his long-awaited fourth feature film. The story with two narrative frames, which intersects the destinies of Jacqueline (Vanessa Paradis), French mother of a child with Down’s syndrome, and Antoine, Montreal DJ (Kevin Parent), receives a good reception in Quebec, although it does not does not create the enthusiasm usually reserved for the director. In France, criticism is assassinated against it, which is detrimental to its theatrical release.
Available on Netflix or Amazon Prime
Dallas Buyers Club (2013)
With Dallas Buyers Club, shot completely independently and with modest means, Jean-Marc Vallée seals his reputation as an author director. His acting direction also earned him praise, while Matthew McConaughey and Jared Leto both won prestigious Oscar for their performance. In total, the feature film, which traces the creation of smuggling clubs that allowed HIV-positive Americans to stock up on foreign antiretroviral drugs, is cited six times at the Oscars, notably for the best film of the year.
Available on Netflix
Wild (2014)
In 2014, Jean-Marc Vallée produced Wild, adapted from the eponymous autobiographical novel by author Cheryl Strayed. Actress Reese Witherspoon stars there, a young divorced woman who sets out to conquer the Pacific Crest Trail and its 1,700 kilometers, in a process of healing and self-discovery. Witherspoon’s critically acclaimed performance earned her an Oscar selection, as did Laura Dern, who plays her mother.
Available on Disney + or Amazon Prime
Big Little Lies (2017)
In 2017, the filmmaker made the leap to the small screen with Big Little Lies, a television series broadcast on HBO, with a high-caliber cast, worthy of a Hollywood blockbuster. Actresses Nicole Kidman, Reese Witherspoon, Laura Dern, Shailene Woodley and Zoë Kravitz play the part in this dramatic fiction with hints of suspense. Critically acclaimed, the series, whose seven episodes were directed by Jean-Marc Vallée, won an Emmy award and a Golden Globe.
Available on HBO