Euzhan Palcy

Euzhan Palcy
Euzhan Palcy in 2023
Born (1958-01-13) 13 January 1958 (age 66)
Martinique, France
Alma materUniversity of Paris
École nationale supérieure Louis-Lumière
OccupationFilmmaker
Years active1975–present
Notable workSugar Cane Alley ( La Rue Cases-Nègres)
A Dry White Season
Websiteeuzhanpalcy.net

Euzhan Palcy ([ø.zan pal.si];[1] born in Martinique) is a French film director, screenwriter, and producer. Her films are known to explore themes of race, gender, and politics, with an emphasis on the perpetuated effects of colonialism. Palcy's first feature film Sugar Cane Alley (La Rue Cases-Nègres, 1983) received numerous awards, including the César Award for Best First Feature Film. With A Dry White Season (1989), she became the first black female director to have a film produced by a major Hollywood studio, MGM.[2]

Palcy also directed the independent film Siméon (1992). She has since moved towards directing documentaries and television projects such as Aimé Césaire: A Voice for History (1994). She then directed the television films Ruby Bridges (1998) and The Killing Yard (2001), as well as the documentary The Journey of the Dissidents (2005) and the miniseries The Brides of Bourbon Island (2007).[3]

Throughout her career, Palcy has explored various genres, often breaking ground being the first female black director to do so. She is the first black director to win a César Award and the Venice Film Festival's Silver Lion, both for Sugar Cane Alley (1983).[3] In 2022, she was given the Academy Honorary Award for her contributions to cinema.[4]

  1. ^ "Euzhan Palcy Receives an Honorary Oscar Award 13th Governors Awards". YouTube. 20 November 2022. Retrieved 22 September 2023.
  2. ^ Verhoeven, Beatrice; Reid Nakamura (8 March 2019). "Women's History Month: 17 Women Who Revolutionized Hollywood (Photos)". TheWrap. Retrieved 16 April 2023.
  3. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference :0 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Hammond, Pete (November 20, 2022). "Oscars: Governors Awards Presented To Diane Warren, Euzhan Palcy, Peter Weir, Michael J. Fox At Inspiring Ceremony". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved January 24, 2023.