Jean-Baptiste Andrea
A career in two stages, Jean-Baptiste Andrea, The Art of Reinventing Himself:
A successful start in the film industry
Of Franco-Italian origin, Jean-Baptiste Andrea began his career in the idyllic setting of Cannes, at the Institut Stanislas, where he gained his first experience of stagecraft and writing. Building on his first academic years, he continued his apprenticeship at the Institut d’études politiques de Paris and then at ESCP, graduating in 1993 and 1996 respectively. Jean-Baptiste Andréa first made a name for himself with his cinematic masterpieces, in which he was both director and screenwriter. The first of these was Dead End, which he directed with Fabrice Canepa. A thriller that quickly found a devoted audience and won numerous awards, particularly in America.
The winner of the Prix Goncourt 2023
Nevertheless, today it’s in the world of literature that he really shines. With his first novel, “Ma Reine”, published in 2017, he has rediscovered a passion he already shared at the age of 9. No doubt inspired by his Italian origins and his sensitivity to sculpture, from which he draws his inspiration. His origins and his love for sculpture are reflected in his greatest masterpiece: “Veiller sur Elle”. Thanks to the recent publication of this immersive novel, he will achieve the Holy Grail of French literature: the Prix Goncourt (2023). It’s a success that might never have been possible without the intervention of a great woman, Sophie de Sivry, the iconoclast’s editor. A woman who will undoubtedly leave a strong imprint on our fine cannoise pen. A well-deserved reward for a novel often described as majestic and madly romantic by its readers.
A Cannes bond that has never been broken:
Even today, Jean Baptiste-Andrea is fully committed to his role as a Cannes talent, with inspiring encounters in the very city that served as the cradle of his creativity.
But even more so, through his participation as President of the Jury at the Festival d’Art Pyrotechnique de Cannes during the summer of 2024, a perfect position for a man whose talent shines so brightly.
An involvement that is easily explained by his definition of Cannes:
“Cannes, for me, is a gentleness and tenderness that no one suspects.”