Meeting Laura Truffaut

Daughter of famous film director, Francois Truffaut

I got to meet Laura Truffaut, daughter of famous film director, Francois Truffaut!

I went to a showing of her dad’s film Stolen Kisses which she was introducing and then discussing in a Q and A afterward.

She was very French, very charming, and had a very kind affect!

I’ve met a decent amount of famous or minorly famous people. I never like being that overly forward person rushing up to them and interrupting the conversation they were having. But sometimes there’s never a natural opening.

I was lucky that I got to meet her right when I walked in. I just assumed it was the lady surrounded by a group of people (I was right). Luckily, they didn’t overstay and I caught her right before more people she knew walked up.

(I like knocking out meeting someone up front or taking a picture right away, so I don’t have to ruminate about it later.)

I first asked if she was tired of doing these events (presenting her father’s films and doing Q&As). She laughed and said not yet but that I should ask her at the end of the series.

I then of course asked what her favorite movie is. She started to say the one we were about to watch, but I said, “You can’t say your dad’s!” She happily listed Miracle Worker, To Be or Not to Be, The Lady Vanishes, Rear Window, and one I can’t remember. (I thought it was nice that she listed Hitchcock movies since her father was one of the Cahiers du Cinéma French film critics who helped defend and popularize Hitchcock critically. Her dad eventually made a famous book, Hitchcock/Truffaut, from his interviews with him.)

After talking with Laura, I went into the theater and sat in my usual seat in the front middle, where I sit for all the BAMPFA showings with the filmmakers present.

I’m an anxious person and tend to fixate on making preparations because I am very outcome-dependent. But I’ve been to so many BAMPFA showings and got to ask a question at every one because of my strategy, so now I’m pretty confident.

The movie was actually lovely and is a sequel to his most famous film 400 Blows.

I always loved Truffaut in front of the camera as well, whether that was in Close Encounters of the Third Kind or Day for Night. For whatever reason, certain actors seem really likable to me, even without seeing much of them in interviews. For example, I really loved Bill Paxton, and for some reason, he’s the celebrity death I was most sad about.

The question I asked during the Q and A was: “What was your childhood like with a famous dad?”

She said “pretty normal”, which I somehow doubt. She did mention visiting film sets, including the one of the movie we watched. She had mentioned earlier first meeting her husband at a movie showing at the BAMPFA because he worked there, so I also asked her which movie, but she didn’t remember.

Being able to meet filmmakers and artists is one of the benefits of living in Berkeley -- I got to meet my hero Werner Herzog as well.

Overall, Laura is an extremely charming woman, and I hope she does more showings in the future! Better yet, I’ll have to convince her to do an interview with me!