Charles L. Bitsch

April 23, 1931 – May 27, 2016

Mulhouse, Haut-Rhin, France

Charles L. Bitsch was a French film director, screenwriter, and cinematographer associated with the French New Wave. Born in Mulhouse, he studied at the Institut des hautes études cinématographiques (IDHEC). Bitsch began his career as a cinematographer, working on short films like Le Coup du berger (1956). He served as an assistant director for prominent filmmakers, including Claude Chabrol on Le Beau Serge (1958) and Jean-Luc Godard on Le Mépris (1963). Bitsch directed films such as Les Baisers (1964) and La Chance et l'amour (1964). His work is noted for its stylistic innovation and contribution to the French New Wave movement.