Jean-François Richet (b. 1966, Paris) left school early and tried his hand at a variety of jobs, including several years of factory work. The experience substantially influenced his later film endeavors, which are characterized by strong social sentiment. He poured his casino winnings into the shooting of his freshman feature Inner City (État des lieux, 1995) and was rewarded with a César nomination. He gained wider recognition a decade later with the thriller Assault on Precinct 13, made in the United States. In 2008 he shot the most costly French film to date, the two-part gangster drama on Jacques Mesrine: Mesrine Part 1: Killer Instinct (L'instinct de mort) and Mesrine Part 2: Public Enemy #1 (L'ennemi public n°1). The pair brought him a best directing César.
MFF Karlovy Vary
