The writer, screenwriter and director Didier Kaminka, French actor, has died at the age of 81.

Didier Kaminka, screenwriter, director and actor who was an icon of French comedy in the 1970s and 1980s, died last Tuesday at the age of 81. He is known for his work in films like The Subhibada, Banzai et Development of the sessionhe leaves a career marked by his collaborations with filmmakers such as Coluche, Pierre Richard and Daniel Auteuil.

Born April 22, 1943 in Paris, Didier Kaminka made his debut as an actor in the 1960s before making a name for himself as a screenwriter. His career took a decisive turn when he wrote I don’t know anything but I’ll tell you everything (1973) with Pierre Richard which paved the way for a series of successful comedies. He became a privileged collaborator of director Claude Zidi, signing humorous dialogues. The Subhibada (1980) et The kings of gag (1985).

Behind the camera, he directs Development of the session (1990), a social comedy about the failures of the world of work, which enjoyed immense success. His last on-screen role was in Duval the sleeper (2017) by Manuel Sanchez, where he plays a melancholy painter, contrasting with the caustic comedy of his beginnings.

Didier Kaminka also left his mark on cinema as a dialogue writer, contributing in particular to the American adaptation. Total! by James Cameron, who would be Was executed Arnold Schwarzenegger. “I salute the memory of a very talented director of photography, who contributed to high-level French comedy,” Culture Minister Rachida Dati said in a statement.

A ceremony in honor of Didier Kaminka will take place in Paris on Friday October 4.

Alice Leroy