Par Impartial writing Published on May 7, 2025 at 6:00 a.m.
It is a bit like the Sunlights had all turned off on Champenard, Friday May 2, 2025. That day, cinema Jean-François Davy Who had a residence in this village near Gaillon (Eure) died of heart problems. This sad announcement deeply struggled to me that the previous week, I had exchanged with Jean-François.
Evoking a series of stays and controls with specialists in cardiology, he told me on the phone: “I leave the hospital, I passed all the controls. It’s good “.
Before continuing: “I think I come to Champenard next week, I will be able to carry out my projects. I have lots of things to tell you. »»
On the eve of his 80th birthday
Jean-François Davy will no longer come to Chamunard. He died a day before his 80th birthday.
Jean-François and I knew each other in 1974. The filmmaker who had just acquired a property in Champenard made one of his first films there, The desire. Pretty girls of eroticism And a rather nice atmosphere on the set.
Entering the courtyard of the property enlightened by the Sunlights, I was wonderfully welcomed by the owner. Presenting me, he made me discover the frame and detailed me the synopsis of the film. I felt at my host as a hint to trap me. I was not disappointed!
Guiding myself in the house, on the first floor occupied by a giant bed that could accommodate several “users”, I discovered the preparation of a scene … All the actors were naked. I fell from … “naked” and left the place under the smiles of the audience.
It was my baptism of fire and I then saw many others. For fifty years, a friendship had linked between us. He invited me to the main events that marked his professional and personal lives.
Filmmaker and entrepreneur
Eroticism and sex have, of course, marked the cinema of Jean-François Davy. In 1975, he produced Exhibition(“Porno-intelligent”) which was a huge national success. Canal+ made it its first monthly broadcast of pornographic films. But, it was using his own childhood memories that JFD made a recipe. The film Red needles contained what almost turned into drama to a group of scouts in the mountains.
His filmography in short
The main lines of the filmography of Jean-François Davy, as a director.
– In 1966, the attack.
– In 1968, Traquenards.
– In 1969, as it is short time to love.
– In 1970, debauchery.
– In 1971, the threshold of vacuum.
– In 1972, mechanical bananas.
– In 1973, take a queue like everyone else.
– In 1974, Q and desire.
– In 1975, the pornocrats.
– En 1976, Exhibition 2, Prostitution.
– In 1978, surprise sock.
– In 1979, exhibition 79.
– In 1981, it will hurt.
– In 1984, the spiral woman.
– In 2005, red needles.
– In 2008, cheating.
– In 2012, for fun.
– A 2013, transgression.
– In 2014, Célia’s delusions.
– In 2015, I am another and May 68 … in 69.
– In 2016, long live the crisis.
Co-production films: The flowers of the honey from Claude Faraldo, one sing, the other not from Agnès Varda, the executor of Michel Caputo, Mr. Balbos by Jean Marbeuf.
In May 2006, who came to present his film at the Lido cinema in GaillonJean-François was awarded the city’s medal of honor by the mayor by the mayor Serge Champey.
-“This Honoriat” specified the mayor “rewards his loyalty to our region but also that which is at the origin of the creation of many jobs”.
His latest film, as was often the case, was shot in 2016 in Champenard. Long live the crisis brought together among others Jean-Marie Bigard, Jean-Pierre Aumont et Venantino Venantini (last survivor of the film Tontons Flingueurs).
In addition to his artistic life, JFD had created in 1982 a small cinematographic law management company. Movie threadbecome Videowill give birth to the creation of a modern factory for duplicating videocassettes. Some moreover did not facilitate at the time the realization of the filmmaker’s project. VCRs by thousands will duplicate cassettes by millions, creating in 1988 more than 220 jobs.
A few years later, new ways of consuming films and management perhaps “artistic” will see the Chamunard site go under Canadian pavilion.
Belmondo, Poelvoorde, Devos …
At a time when the one who reserved his scoops for me is no longer, how could we forget the good times spent at my friend around tables bringing in turn in turn Jean-Paul Belmondo, Claude Lelouch, Catherine Deneuve, Raymond Devos, Brigitte Lahaie, Benoît Poelvoorde…
The mayor of Champenard, David Pollethe too confided his sentence:
“I had good relations with Jean-François. I had also celebrated his marriage three years ago. It is right at the time of his disappearance not to forget the important part of the financial contribution of his companies which allowed us to carry out the development at all to the sewer in our small town. »»
Since his last marriage in February 2022, Jean-François Davy often stayed at Senegal where he had a hotel complex. It was there that he had welcomed his friend Mylène DEMONGEOT in remission of the disease which was later to prevail.
As long as the one who has just heard the final clap of his life, I remember his words: “I will only remember the luck and the privilege of having been able to realize my childhood dream throughout these fifty years, writing, turning, producing, distributing, editing films without regret but perhaps a touch of nostalgia even if it was no longer what it was. »»
The funeral of Jean-François will take place in Quiberville, near Dieppe, where the family Caveau is located.
Patrick-Serge Lefebvre
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