Abel Gance

Abel Gance was born in Paris on 25 October 1889, the son of a doctor who was not married to his mother; he took the name of Adolphe Gance, whom she had married. A stage actor in Brussels from the end of his adolescence, he directed his first films in 1911 and constantly sought new techniques: hand-held cameras, superimpositions, and a system of three juxtaposed screens. The arrival of sound reduced his freedom. He saw his work regain attention thanks to Kevin Brownlow's restorations, and died in Paris on 10 November 1981.

In the catalogue 1

• CinemaNapoleon by Abel GanceNapoléonAbel Gance · 1927Cinema