Jean-Pierre Sinapi

A native of southern France with Italian roots, Jean-Pierre Sinapi was a relative late-bloomer in starting his cinematic career as a writer and director. At nearly 40 years old, he unveiled his debut short film, "Boccetta revient de guerre," which won Special Mention at the 1987 Cannes Film Festival. He parlayed this success into a busy streak of penning TV movies, including co-writing duties on a joint French/American production entitled "The Madonna and the Dragon," the last film helmed by renowned director Samuel Fuller. Sinapi later wrote the script for a well-received episode of the lauded Gallic crime series "Maigret," and returned to directing, this time in television, during the late '90s. In 2000, he won widespread acclaim for his feature film "Nationale 7," an irreverent comedy about people with disabilities that also touches on sex and religious faith. Sinapi followed this up with "Life Kills Me," the movie adaptation of a novel by Jack-Alain Léger that focuses on the ups and downs of two brothers struggling with their Moroccan background, among other issues. Continuing to work in television, primarily on TV movies, Sinapi further explored racial and cultural issues with the big-screen comedy "Camping à la ferme," which features inner-city youths attempting to acclimate to life in the French countryside.