Tonie Marshall

For other people with similar names, seeTony Marshall (disambiguation).

Tonie Marshall
Marshall in 2012
Born	(1951-11-29)29 November 1951 Neuilly-sur-Seine,France
Died	12 March 2020(2020-03-12)(aged 68)
Occupations	Actress film director screenwriter
Years active	1971–2020
Parents	William Marshall Micheline Presle
Relatives	Mike Marshall(half-brother) Sarah Marshall(niece)

Tonie Marshall(29 November 1951 – 12 March 2020)was a French-American actress, screenwriter, and film director. In 2000, she became the first female director to win aCésar awardfor her filmVenus Beauty Institute.

Life and career

Marshall was the daughter of American actor, director, and bandleaderWilliam Marshalland French actressMicheline Presle.She was also the aunt of model and actressSarah Marshall,and thehalf-sisterof actorMike Marshall,son of the actressMichèle Morgan.

Before becoming a director, Tonie Marshall was an actress, first in drama and then in television and film, where she played several little parts in the 1970s and 1980s. As she recalls on his beginning on-screen: "I was an actress because it was what seemed the more natural for me, but I was interested a lot in writing and production. I was quite afraid not to make it [directing films]. Because I was a little actress, that I did not attend a specialized school, that I did not have any technique".During her childhood, she also developed her experience of films thanks to the arthouse cinema of the Ursulines in the 5th arrondissement of Paris, near which she grew up.

After performing minor parts in several ofJacques Demy'sfilms, includingA Slightly Pregnant Man(1973) andLa Naissance du Jour(1980), Marshall directed her first film,Pentimento(1990), offering the radio and television hostAntoine de Cauneshis first role in cinema.

In 1994, her filmPas très Catholiquewas selected as part of the44th Berlin International Film Festival.

Tonie Marshall's 1999 filmVenus Beauty Institute(Vénus beauté (Institut))won fourCésar Awardsduring the 2000 competition includingBest Director,making her the first female filmmaker to receive this distinction. The César Academy also awardedVenus Beauty InstitutewithBest Film,Best Writing - Original or Adaptation,as well asMost Promising ActressforAudrey Tautou,whose career was launched by the film.

This romantic comedy centers on the search for love and happiness of three employees of a Parisian beauty salon "Vénus Beauté Institut": Angèle (Nathalie Baye), Marie (Audrey Tautou), Samantha (Mathilde Seigner), and their manager Nadine (Bulle Ogier). Tonie Marshall's motherMicheline Preslealso appears in the film where she plays the part of Aunt Maryse. In a 2001 interview for the film magazineCinéaste,Tonie Marshall recalls the genesis of the film and how she was inspired by an existing beauty salon:

"My first idea was to write a part forNathalie Bayebecause I wanted to do something with her that she had not done before: a woman with a very nice appearance, very banal, but who is, in fact, very mixed up and complicated. But I hadn't decided what she would do for a living in the film. Then one day I was passing by a small beauty salon on my street - the light was pink and there was a girl, a beautician I suppose, dressed in pink; and she was closing the shop very, very slowly. Her movement, absolutely like she was dancing, but very slowly, struck me as being an entirely cinematic image. I went back to this beauty parlor as a customer, and when I was there I heard so many incredible things. "

Tonie Marshall has been mostly influenced byJacques Demy's films throughout her career, the most famous ones beingThe Umbrellas of Cherbourg(1964) andThe Young Girls of Rochefort(1967).Venus Beautyemerged from this influence, as well as an additional source of inspiration: the French filmBelle de Jour(1964) directed byLuis Bunueland starringCatherine Deneuve.

In 2002 her filmAu plus près du Paradiswas nominated for the Golden Lion Award as best film at theVenice Film Festival.

Marshall was a signatory of the "Free Roman Polanski" petition following film directorRoman Polanski's arrest in Switzerland in 2009, which read: "We demand the immediate release of Roman Polanski. Film-makers in France, in Europe, in the United States and around the world are dismayed by this decision… It seems inadmissible to them that an international cultural event, paying homage to one of the greatest contemporary film-makers, is used by police to apprehend him.”

In 2017, Marshall releasedNumber One(also released asWoman Up!in the UK and the US), her last feature film, which is based on her conversation with various female corporate executives.The film relates the story of Emmanuelle Blachey (Emmanuelle Devos), an engineer who tries to reach the manager position in a company with the help of her female counterparts and despite the misogynistic atmosphere that rules over the firm.

On March 12, 2020, she died from lung cancer at the age of 68.

Activism

Although Tonie Marshall would not label herself as a feminist, many of her films involve an underlying fight against sexism, especially the later ones includingNumber Onein which she overtly advocates gender equality in the professional sphere.

Protest for gender equality in the film industry during the 2018 Cannes Festival

Off-set, she was one of the members of the French50/50 Collective,founded in 2018 and which promotes gender diversity and equality in the film industry.The same year, she also joined theFondation des femmes,founded in March 2016, which aims to raise funds for feminist organizations. During the 2018César AwardsCeremony and in association with the foundation, Tonie Marshall participated in the#MaintenantOnAgitmovement as part of which she called diverse personalities to wear a white ribbon as a symbol of the struggle againstviolence against women.

In an interview given to the French newspaperLa Tribunein 2017 for the release ofNumber One,Marshall addressed her young female spectators, saying: "For the world to evolve, and to reach true modernity, 45-50% of women should get to decision-making professional positions in order to finally experience a different organization in work and business. If I could help with it, I would be very glad. And if people who watched my film get out of the theater telling themselves" this made me want the same ", it is an absolute joy."

In 2001, Marshall was asked a question about the role played by women filmmakers in France, to which she answered: "Toscan du Plantier, the president of Unifrance, says that French cinema will be saved by women. This may be just aformule,pretty words, I don't know. But I do think that maybe the way we shoot a scene of two people making love is pretty different. "

Work

Filmography (films and TV)

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1970	Les Saintes chéries	Actress	TV series (1 episode) Created byNicole de Buronand directed byJean Becker
1971	Les Dossiers du professeur Morgan	Actress	TV series (1 episode)
	Un enfant dans la ville	Actress	TV film Directed byPierre Sisser
	Côté cour, côté champs	Actress	Short Directed byGuy Gilles
1972	What a Flash!	Actress	Directed byJean-Michel Barjol
1973	L'Oiseau rare	Actress	Directed byJean-Claude Brialy
	A Slightly Pregnant Man	Actress	Directed byJacques Demy
1975	Une Suédoise à Paris	Actress	TV series (1 episode) Directed by Patrick Saglio
	Vous ne l'emporterez pas au Paradis	Actress	Directed byFrançois Dupont-Midy
	La fleur des pois	Actress	TV film Directed byRaymond Rouleau
1976	Les Cinq Dernières Minutes	Actress	TV series (1 episode) Directed byClaude Loursais
	Mords pas, on t'aime	Actress	Directed byYves Allégret
	Le Cheval évanoui	Actress	TV film Directed byAlain Dhénaut
	Les Infidèles	Actress	TV film Directed byAlain Dhénaut
1977	Au théâtre ce soir	Actress	TV series (1 episode) Directed byPierre Sabbagh
1978	Le Mutant	Actress	TV mini-series Directed byBernard Toublanc-Michel
	Les Deux élèves préférés du professeur Francine Brouda	Actress	Short Directed byDanièle Dubroux
1979	Les Amours de la belle époque	Actress	TV series (1 episode) Directed byRené Lucot
	Rien ne va plus	Actress	Directed byJean-Michel Ribes
1980	Cinéma 16	Actress	TV series (1 episode) Directed byEric Le Hung
	Tout dépend des filles	Actress	Directed byPierre Fabre
	Les Sous-doués	Actress	Directed byClaude Zidi
	La Naissance du jour	Actress	TV film Directed byJacques Demy
1981	Les Amours des années folles	Actress	TV series (1 episode) Directed byMarion Sarraut
	Le Petit théâtre d'Antenne 2	Actress	TV series (1 episode) Directed byMichel Treguer
	Les Dossiers éclatés	Actress	TV series (1 episode) Directed byAlain Boudet
	La Gueule du loup	Actress	Directed by MichelLéviant
	Les Roses de Dublin	Actress	TV mini-series Directed byLazare Iglesis
1982	Merci Bernard	Actress	TV series (10 episodes) Directed byJean-Michel Ribes
1983	Archipel des amours	Actress	Directed byJacques Davila
	Elle voulait faire du cinéma	Actress	TV film Directed byCaroline Huppert
1984	Paris vu par... vingt ans après	Actress	Sketches Film (1 sketch) Directed byFrédéric Mitterrand
	Batailles	Actress	TV movie Directed byJean-Michel Ribes
1985	Classique	Actress	Short Directed byChristian Vincent
1986	Qui trop embrasse...	Actress	Directed byJacques Davila
	Beau temps mais orageux en fin de journée	Actress	Directed byGérard Frot-Coutaz
	Le Tiroir secret	Actress	TV mini-series Directed byNadine Trintignant,Roger Gillioz,Michel Boisrond&Édouard Molinaro
1987	Coeurs croisés	Actress	Directed byStéphanie de Mareuil
1989	Pentimento	Director / Writer
	Palace	Actress	TV series (1 episode) Directed byJean-Michel Ribes
1990	Le Champignon des Carpathes	Actress	Directed byJean-Claude Biette
	La Campagne de Cicéron	Actress	Directed byJacques Davila
1992	Chasse gardée	Actress	Directed byJean-Claude Biette
1993	Point d'orgue	Actress	TV movie Directed byPaul Vecchiali
1994	Not Very Catholic /Something Fishy	Director / Writer	Bergamo Film Meeting – Golden Rosa Camuna Nominated –Berlin International Film Festival – Golden Bear
	3000 scénarios contre un virus	Director	TV series (1 episode)
1996	Pour rire!	Actress	Directed byLucas Belvaux
	Citron amer	Actress	Short Directed byChristiane Lack
	Enfants de salaud	Director / Writer
1999	Venus Beauty Institute	Director / Writer	César Award for Best Director César Award for Best Film César Award for Best Writing Cabourg Film Festival – Golden Swann
2000	Tontaine et Tonton	Director	TV film
2002	Au plus près du Paradis	Director / Writer	Nominated –Venice Film Festival – Golden Lion
2003	France Boutique	Director / Writer
2004	Les Falbalas de Jean-Paul Gaultier	Director / Writer / Cinematographer	Documentary
2005	Vénus & Apollon	Director / Writer / Producer	TV series
2008	Musée haut, musée bas	Actress	Directed byJean-Michel Ribes
	Passe-passe	Director / Writer / Producer
2009	X Femmes	Director / Writer	TV series (1 episode)
	Accomplices	Producer	Directed byFrédéric Mermoud
2010	HH, Hitler à Hollywood	Actress	Directed byFrédéric Sojcher
2012	Nuts	Producer	Directed byYann Coridian
2014	The Missionaries	Director / Writer / Producer
2016	Moka	Producer
2017	Number One / Woman Up!	Director

Drama

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1973	Duos sur canapé	Actress	Written byMarc Camoletti Tournée Karsenty-Herbert
1975	Un jeu d'enfants	Actress	Written byMartin Walser Directed by Maurice Attias Théâtre Moderne
1976	Pour 100 briques t'as plus rien...	Actress	Written byDidier Kaminka Directed byHenri Garcin Théâtre La Bruyère
1979	Le Père Noel est une ordure	Actress	Written by membersLe Splendidtroupe Directed byPhilippe Galland Le Splendid
1979	Essayez donc nos pédalos	Actress	Written byAlain Marcel
1983	Batailles	Actress	Written byRoland Topor,Jean-Michel Ribes Directed byJean-Michel Ribes Théâtre de l'Athénée
1987	Crimes du coeur (Crimes of the Heart)	Actress	Written byBeth Henley Directed by François Bourgeat La Pépinière-Théâtre
2008	Batailles	Actress	Written byRoland Topor,Jean-Michel Ribes Directed byJean-Michel Ribes Théâtre du Rond-Point
2011	L'Amour, la mort, les fringues	Actress	Written byNora EphronandDelia Ephron Directed byDanièle Thompson Théâtre Marigny

Recognition

Marshall achieved a prominent role in theFrench film industry,dominated mainly by men.In her most notable film,Venus Beauty Institute,Marshall touched on the theme of finding love from a female perspective, and how it can fundamentally be more difficult because of how it strays from the traditional dynamic of courtship. She explained how "in a practical sense, it’s complicated to have abandon [oneself] into a man’s arms and, at the same time, stay very tough because you have to work…".This expresses the vulnerabilities women endure when heavily committing to relationships, similar to much of Demy's work, includingThe Umbrellas of CherbourgandThe Young Girls of Rochefort.

Tonie Marshall,Alain DelonandGeorges Cravenneat the 2000 Césars ceremony

Honors

For her 1999 filmVenus Beauty Institute:

• 2000Cesar for Best Film
• 2000Cesar for Best Director
• 2000Cesar for Best Writing - Original or Adaptation
• 2000Cesar for Most Promising Actress-Audrey Tautou

Nominations

For her 1999 filmVenus Beauty Institute:

• 2000Cesar for Best Actress-Nathalie Baye
• 2000Cesar for Best Supporting Actress-Bulle Ogier
• 2000Cesar for Best Supporting Actress-Mathilde Seigner

Additional sources

Books

Hottel, Ruth A. & Pallister, Janis L. (2011).Noteworthy Francophone Women Directors: A Sequel,Fairleigh Dickinson University Press.

Hughes, Alex & Williams James S. (2001).Gender and French Cinema,Berg.

Oscherwitz, Dayna & Higgins, Mary Ellen (2007).Historical Dictionary of French Cinema,The Scarecrow Press.

Rège, Philippe (2009).Encyclopedia of French Film Directors,The Scarecrow Press.

Rollet, Brigitte & Tarr, Carrie (2001).Cinema and the second sex: women's filmmaking in France in the 1980s and 1990s,Continuum.

Articles

• Champalaune, Mathieu (updated 16 March 2021). "300 personnalités du cinéma lancent le collectif" 5050 pour 2020 "pour l'égalité dans le cinéma",Les Inrockuptibles.
• Nougué, Emilie (visited 24 September 2022). "Les femmes de la semaine du 24 février au 2 mars 2018",Orange Tendances.
• West Joan M. (2001) "Venus Beauty Instituteby Gilles Sandoz, Tonie Marshall, Mario Vernoux, Jacques Audiard ",Cinéaste,Vol 26, No. 2, pp. 44-46.
• [Author unknown] (27 February 2018). "César 2018. Un ruban blanc pour lutter contre les violences faites aux femmes",Ouest France.
• [Author unknown] (22 August 2022). "Micheline Presle, l'audacieuse",CNC.

Documentaries and Interviews

"1972: Tonie Marshall, une jeune actrice | Archive INA", Institut National de l'Audiovisuel.

"Qui était Tonie Marshall? | Archive INA", Institut National de l'Audiovisuel.

"Tonie Marshall, réalisatrice deNuméro Une:"il faut des réseaux mixtes, pas uniquement féminins", Cadremploi.

External links

• Tonie MarshallatIMDb
• Tonie Marshall at Allocine(French language)