Pierre Petit
3 gennaio 1920 — 22 settembre 1997 (77 anni)
Pierre Camille Petit belongs to that generation of film craftsmen for whom the image was not merely a profession, but a way of inhabiting the world. Born in Seine‑et‑Marne, he entered the film industry just after the war and, from 1947 onward, signed the photography of his first features. It was only the beginning of a dense career: nearly forty years spent shaping light, composing atmospheres, and giving each setting its own breath. He thus traversed an entire chapter of popular French cinema, working with Ralph Habib, Maurice Labro, Christian‑Jaque, and Michel Audiard. His signature can be found in films as varied as Le Masque de fer, Le Repas des fauves, Fifi la plume, Le Cri du cormoran, or Une veuve en or. His abundant filmography reveals a remarkable ability to adapt: comedies, dramas, adventure films, international co‑productions — he illuminated them all with the same rigor.
On television, he also accompanied the rise of French serials, from Sylvie des trois ormes to Schulmeister, l’espion de l’empereur, where his sense of framing and light helped give these popular stories a strong visual identity. His final contribution, in 1985, was a documentary devoted to Marcel Carné — a kind of nod to the history of cinema he had served all his life. Pierre Petit died in 1997, leaving behind a discreet but essential body of work: that of a man who, film after film, shaped the visual memory of an era.
On television, he also accompanied the rise of French serials, from Sylvie des trois ormes to Schulmeister, l’espion de l’empereur, where his sense of framing and light helped give these popular stories a strong visual identity. His final contribution, in 1985, was a documentary devoted to Marcel Carné — a kind of nod to the history of cinema he had served all his life. Pierre Petit died in 1997, leaving behind a discreet but essential body of work: that of a man who, film after film, shaped the visual memory of an era.
Filmografia
| 2013 | Life on Fire · as Cinematographer |
| 1983 | Le braconnier de Dieu · as Cinematographer |
| 1982 | Te marre pas... c'est pour rire! · as Cinematographer |
| 1981 | Nana · as Cinematographer |
| 1980 | My Friend Winnetou · as Cinematographer |
| 1979 | Le roi qui vient du sud · as Cinematographer |
| 1977 | Richelieu · as Cinematographer |
| 1975 | Au-delà de la peur · as Cinematographer |
| 1974 | Les Brigades du Tigre · as Cinematographer |
| 1974 | Les faucheurs de marguerites · as Cinematographer |
| 1973 | La brigade en folie · as Director Of Photography |
| 1972 | Elle cause plus... Elle flingue · as Cinematographer |
| 1971 | The Black Flag Waves Over the Scow · as Cinematographer |
| 1971 | Arsène Lupin · as Cinematographer |
| 1971 | Cry of the Cormoran · as Director Of Photography |
| 1970 | Elle boit pas, elle fume pas, elle drague pas, mais... elle cause! · as Cinematographer |
| 1969 | A Golden Widow · as Cinematographer |
| 1968 | Making of a Lady · as Cinematographer |
| 1968 | Birds of Prey · as Director Of Photography |
| 1967 | The Flashing Blade · as Cinematographer |
| 1967 | Dead Run · as Director Of Photography |
| 1966 | The Saint Lies in Wait · as Director Of Photography |
| 1966 | The Second Twin · as Director Of Photography |
| 1965 | Circus Angel · as Director Of Photography |
| 1965 | Mission spéciale à Caracas · as Director Of Photography |
| 1965 | The Secret Agents · as Director Of Photography |
| 1965 | The Gentleman from Cocody · as Director Of Photography |
| 1964 | Le repas des fauves · as Director Of Photography |
| 1964 | Coplan prend des risques · as Director Of Photography |
| 1963 | Les femmes d'abord · as Director Of Photography |
| 1963 | Outpost in Indo-china · as Cinematographer |
| 1962 | The Iron Mask · as Director Of Photography |
| 1962 | Arsène Lupin contre Arsène Lupin · as Director Of Photography |
| 1962 | Assassin in the Phonebook · as Cinematographer |
| 1961 | Tout l'or du monde · as Director Of Photography |
| 1961 | Le pavé de Paris · as Cinematographer |
| 1960 | Fortunate · as Cinematographer |
| 1960 | The Youth Theater · as Cinematographer |
| 1960 | Tendre et violente Elisabeth · as Cinematographer |
| 1959 | La nuit des traqués · as Director Of Photography |
| 1959 | Eyes of Love · as Cinematographer |
| 1959 | Marie of the Isles · as Director Of Photography |
| 1959 | Ce soir on tue · as Director Of Photography |
| 1959 | This Desired Body · as Cinematographer |
| 1959 | The Tiger Attacks · as Cinematographer |
| 1959 | It Only Happens to the Living · as Director Of Photography |
| 1958 | Clara et les méchants · as Director Of Photography |
| 1958 | Les Cinq dernières minutes · as Cinematographer |
| 1957 | The Tricyclist · as Director Of Photography |
| 1957 | The Ostrich Has Two Eggs · as Cinematographer |
| 1957 | The Wheel (1957) · as Director Of Photography |
| 1957 | Escapade · as Director Of Photography |
| 1957 | Until the Last One · as Director Of Photography |
| 1956 | Club of Women · as Cinematographer |
| 1956 | Law of the Streets · as Cinematographer |
| 1956 | Daddy's Gang · as Cinematographer |
| 1955 | The Aristocrats · as Cinematographer |
| 1955 | The Doctors · as Director Of Photography |
| 1954 | Fly in the Ointment · as Cinematographer |
| 1954 | Raspoutine · as Director Of Photography |
| 1953 | The Tour of the Grand Dukes · as Cinematographer |
| 1953 | Koenigsmark · as Director Of Photography |
| 1951 | With André Gide · as Cinematographer |