Born Claude Langman in Paris, France. Multi-faceted maverick of contemporary French cinema. Berri began his career as an actor and moved behind the camera in the early 1960s, earning critical praise for short films like LE POULET (1964). After the formation of his production company Renn in 1968, Berri was involved with an impressive array of quality films, directed by Claude Zidi, Bertrand Blier and Maurice Pialat, among others. In 1973 he developed a distribution arm, AMLF, which has since handled over 150 films. As a director-writer, Berri's output ranged from the lush pointlessness of SEX-SHOP (1973) to the lyrical power of JEAN DE FLORETTE and MANON OF THE SPRING (writer, both 1986). As a producer, his credits include TESS (1979), L'OURS (THE BEAR, 1988), L'AMANT (THE LOVER, 1992), GERMINAL (1993), LA REINE MARGOT (QUEEN MARGOT, 1994), LE TROIS FRÈRES (THE THREE BROTHERS, 1995), OSTÉRIX ET OBÉLIX CONTRE CÉSAR (ASTERIX AND OBELIX TAKE ON CAESAR, 1999), LES ENFANTS (2005) and BIENVENUE CHEX LE CH'TIS (WELCOME TO THE LAND OF SHTIS, 2008).  Short Subjects (Live Action Subjects) 1965: LE POULET (THE CHICKEN) - Producer  Nominated for Best Picture 1980: TESS - Producer at Renn-Burrill S.F.P. (w. Timothy Burrill) 2 nominations, 1 Award