After studying Photography at the University of Provence in Marseilles, he studied Film at the IDHEC (Institut des hauts études cinématographiques).

He went on to make two short films, Tous à la manif (1994) and Jeux de plage (1995, included in the "Backwash" retrospective at the San Sebastian Festival in 2009), followed by a telefilm for ARTE, Les sanguinaires, as part of the series 2000 vu par…

He later directed seven full-length feature films, all screened at our Festival, where some of them won awards:

1999: Ressources humaines (Human Resources, New Directors Award at the San Sebastian Festival)
2001: L'Emploi du temps (Time Out, Lion of the Year in Venice, presented in Zabaltegi at San Sebastian)
2005: Vers le sud (Heading South, Best Actor for Ménothy Cesar in Venice, presented in Zabaltegi-Festivals Top at San Sebastian)
2008: Entre les murs (The Class, Palme d'Or at Cannes, presented in Zabaltegi-Pearls at San Sebastian)
2012: 7 días en La Habana (7 Days in Havana), segment La fuente (presented in Zabaltegi-Specials at San Sebastian)
2012: Foxfire (Best Actress Silver Shell for Katie Coseni at the San Sebastian Festival, ex-aequo with Macarena García)
2014: Retour à Ithaque (Return to Ithaca), presented in Venice Days, Toronto and the Pearls section in San Sebastian