Suzanne Schiffman

Who was Suzanne Schiffman?

Suzanne Schiffman was a screenwriter and director for numerous motion pictures. She often worked with François Truffaut. The 'script girl' Joelle, played by Nathalie Baye in Truffaut's Day for Night was based on Schiffman. It accurately portrayed the close collaboration she had with Truffaut and other directors.

Her Jewish mother was detained by the Gestapo during the war, but Klochendler and her sibling were hidden by an order of nuns. Schiffman studied art history at the Sorbonne after the war.

During her career she worked closely with Jean-Luc Godard and Jacques Rivette in addition to Truffaut, latterly on the scripts of his films. She was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay for the film Day for Night and won a César Award for writing The Last Metro with Truffaut.

Suzanne Schiffman died of cancer in 2001. She is the mother of French cinematographer, Guillaume Schiffman.