François-Marie Banier

François-Marie Banier

Born: June 27, 1947
in Paris, France
François-Marie Banier (born 27 June 1947) is a French novelist, playwright, artist, actor and photographer. He is particularly known for his photographs of celebrities and other public figures and for his friendships with members of high society. In a prominent legal case, in 2016 he was convicted of 'abuse of weakness' of the elderly billionaire Liliane Bettencourt.

Banier was born in Paris, France. He grew up in a middle-class family in the 16th arrondissement of Paris. He has claimed he had been "completely incomprehensible to [his] parents".

Despite his modest background, from an early age he was a precocious and hyperactive talent, who was able to develop friendships with some of Paris' wealthiest arts patrons and artists. At the age of 16, he met Salvador Dalí, who would send his car to bring Banier to his suite at the Hotel Meurice to discuss art. At the age of 19, he befriended the wealthy heiress and patron of the arts Marie-Laure de Noailles who was then 64.

Banier published his first novel, Les Résidences secondaires ou la Vie distraite (Second Homes or Distracted Life), at the age of 22. Around the same time, a well-known Parisian designer and antique dealer Madeleine Castaing collected some of his photographs.

Over the years, Banier befriended many well-known public figures and celebrities, including Yves Saint Laurent, Pierre Cardin, Françoise Sagan, Samuel Beckett, Vladimir Horowitz, Louis Aragon, François Mitterrand, Kate Moss, Mick Jagger and Princess Caroline of Monaco. He is a friend of Johnny Depp and his ex-wife Vanessa Paradis, whom he met at his home in the south of France. Banier is godfather to their daughter, Lily-Rose. As of 2008 he shared his house with actor Pascal Greggory and his nephew Martin d’Orgeval.

In 1987, Banier was commissioned to photograph Liliane Bettencourt and Federico Fellini for the French magazine Egoiste. Bettencourt was one of the principal shareholders of L'Oréal and one of the wealthiest persons in the world with an estimated fortune of US$40.1 billion. Over the ensuing years, Banier and Bettencourt became friends and she became his chief benefactor, bestowing gifts upon him estimated to be worth as much as €1.3 billion. These gifts included a life insurance policy worth €253 million in 2003, another life insurance policy worth €262 million in 2006, 11 works of art in 2001 valued at €20 million, including paintings by Picasso, Matisse, Mondrian, Delaunay and Léger and a photograph by surrealist Man Ray and cash. The life insurance policies were allegedly signed over to Banier after Bettencourt was recovering from two hospital stays in 2003 and 2006. ...

Source: Article "François-Marie Banier" from Wikipedia in English, licensed under CC-BY-SA 3.0.

Movies for François-Marie Banier...

Title: The Billionaire, the Butler, and the Boyfriend
Character: Self (archive footage)
Released: November 8, 2023
Type: TV
How did a conflict between the world's wealthiest woman and her daughter spiral into national scandal? This riveting docuseries tells the whole story.
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My King
Title: My King
Character: Le maire
Released: October 21, 2015
Type: Movie
Tony is admitted to a rehabilitation center after a serious ski accident. Dependent on the medical staff and pain relievers, she takes time to look back on a turbulent relationship that she experienced with Georgio.
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F.M. Banier filmé par A. Arrietta
Title: F.M. Banier filmé par A. Arrietta
Character: Self
Released: January 1, 2015
Type: Movie
A documentary about Arrieta's friend, the Parisian photographer François-Marie Banier.
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Summer Hours
Title: Summer Hours
Character: Président de la Commission des Dations
Released: March 5, 2008
Type: Movie
After the death of a septuagenarian woman, her three children deliberate over what to do with her estate.
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The Tree, the Mayor and the Mediatheque
Title: The Tree, the Mayor and the Mediatheque
Character: Régis Lebrun-Blondet
Released: February 10, 1993
Type: Movie
The socialist mayor of a small village in France dreams of building an arts center but he runs up against some opposition.
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Rosette vole les voleurs
Title: Rosette vole les voleurs
Character: Walter
Released: January 1, 1988
Type: Movie
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Four Adventures of Reinette and Mirabelle
Title: Four Adventures of Reinette and Mirabelle
Character: 1er Passant
Released: February 4, 1987
Type: Movie
Two young girls meet, Reinette from the countryside and Mirabelle from Paris, and decide to take a flat together in Paris where they attend University. Four successive stories about their daily lives illustrate the very different views, characters and relation to the world of these two friends.
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Rosette cherche une chambre
Title: Rosette cherche une chambre
Character: Guillaume
Released: January 1, 1987
Type: Movie
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The Night Wears Suspenders
Title: The Night Wears Suspenders
Released: April 20, 1985
Type: Movie
Jézabel, a worldly young woman, takes hold of Ariel, a shy and inexperienced young man, and leads him by hook or by crook through the wild side of Paris nightlife.
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L'Argent
Title: L'Argent
Character: le compagnon de cellule d'Yvon
Released: May 16, 1983
Type: Movie
A forged 500-franc note is passed from person to person and shop to shop, until it falls into the hands of a genuine innocent who doesn't see it for what it is—which will have devastating consequences on his life.
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The Adventures of Rosette
Title: The Adventures of Rosette
Released: April 2, 1983
Type: Movie
A series of stories told by Rosette about her vacation. Filmed in super 8 by Eric Rohmer.
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Chassé-croisé
Title: Chassé-croisé
Released: March 24, 1982
Type: Movie
Passionate about music, Julien nevertheless works with a sculptor. One day, he meets young Hermine at a religious bookseller.
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Title: Apostrophes
Character: Self
Released: January 10, 1975
Type: TV
Apostrophes was a live, weekly, literary, prime-time, talk show on French television created and hosted by Bernard Pivot. It ran for fifteen years (724 episodes) from January 10, 1975, to June 22, 1990, and was one of the most watched shows on French television (around 6 million regular viewers). It was broadcast on Friday nights on the channel France 2 (which was called "Antenne 2" from 1975 to 1992). The hourlong show was devoted to books, authors and literature. The format varied between one-on-one interviews with a single author and open discussions between four or five authors.
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Barbara ou ma plus belle histoire d'amour
Title: Barbara ou ma plus belle histoire d'amour
Character: Self
Released: December 31, 1969
Type: Movie
In the early 70s, Barbara discovered herself backstage on her French tour. The artist plays with intimacy and camera glances. Between concerts, she talks to herself and the men in her life.