William Friedkin

• American director, born in Chicago in 1935.

  William Friedkin decided at a very young age to dedicate himself to directing.
  Hired at the age of 17 as a courier for Chicago television, he became a director of live programmes and, subsequently, documentaries. In 1965, he directed one of the last episodes of the series Alfred Hitchcock Presents before shooting his first feature film Good Times in 1967. French Connection (1971) and The Exorcist (1973) crowned him as New Hollywood’s prodigal child. Both films were huge public successes and won numerous Oscars. Sorcerer, a remake of Henri-Georges Clouzot’s The Wages of Fear was to follow, along with Cruising (1980) starring Al Pacino and To Live and Die in L.A. (1985). In 2006, Bug, a mental immersion into madness and destruction caused a sensation at the Directors’ Fortnight in Cannes. His latest film Killer Joe (2011) earned him the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival.

• Good Times (1967) – The Birthday Party (1968) – The Night They Raided Minsky’s (1968) – The Boys in the Band (1970) – French Connection (1971) – The Exorcist (1973) – Sorcerer (1977) – The Brink's Job (1978) – Cruising (1980) – Deal of the Century (1983) – To Live and Die in L.A (1985) – Rampage (1987) – The Guardian (1990) – Blue Chips (1994) – Jade (1995) – Rules of Engagement (2000) – The Hunted (2003) – Bug (2006) – Killer Joe (2011) – The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial (2023)