Cast & creator
Chris Marker
Best known for Twelve Monkeys, The Owl's Legacy, The Owl's Legacy
Christian François Bouche-Villeneuve, better known as Chris Marker (France, 29 July 1921 – 29 July 2012), was a French writer, poet, activist, critic, photographer, traveler, journalist, film essayist, multimedia artist, and documentary filmmaker. He began his career as part of the French Rive Gauche group—parallel to but distinct from the Nouvelle Vague—with which he would later share certain themes and collaborators. Marker is credited with developing the subjective documentary and is considered a pioneer of collective cinema in France. His films are known for their poetic, essayistic, and often experimental qualities, blending a reflective voice with a fascination for memory, art, war, politics, culture, and nature. Over six decades of work, he observed the world with meticulous curiosity, irony, and compassion, continually experimenting with new forms of image manipulation and montage. He was also famously elusive. For many years, few people knew what Chris Marker looked like—he disliked being photographed, and no confirmed portraits were publicly available. He often amused himself by giving contradictory accounts of his life in the rare interviews he granted. As Philippe Dubois observed, “Chris Marker is, in a way, the most celebrated of the unknown filmmakers.” His official website adds: “Rather than a man without qualities, he is a man without biography.” Marker also worked under numerous pseudonyms, including Hayao Yamaneko, Jacopo Berenzini, Kosinki, Michel Krasna, Sandor Krasna, and Guillaume-en-Égypte (his feline avatar), though his best-known identity remains Chris Marker. Among his most significant works are La Jetée (1962), Sans Soleil (1983), Far from Vietnam (1967), A Grin Without a Cat (1977), A.K. (1985), Level Five (1997), and One Day in the Life of Andrei Arsenevich (1999). He also explored interactive and digital media with the CD-ROM Immemory (1997), maintained a website titled Gorgomancy, a YouTube channel called Kosinki, and created a virtual gallery, Ouvroir, within the online world Second Life.
Also known as: 크리스 마르케, Крис Маркер, クリス・マルケル, Christian Bouche-Villeneuve, Christian François Bouche-Villeneuve
222
film credits
7
television credits
24
1947–2026 · acting roles
6.8
average across scored titles
Signature credits
Known for
Across film & television
Filmography (229)
Showing 229 of 229 credits
Twelve Monkeys
Original Film Writer
1995
The Owl's Legacy
Director
1989The Owl's Legacy
Producer
1989The Owl's Legacy
Writer
1989The Owl's Legacy
Creator
1989
Night and Fog
Assistant Director
1956Night and Fog
Script Editor
1956
The Beaches of Agnès
Self (archive footage)
2008
If I Had Four Dromedaries
Director
1966If I Had Four Dromedaries
Writer
1966If I Had Four Dromedaries
Editor
1966If I Had Four Dromedaries
Director of Photography
1966
La Jetée
Director of Photography
1962La Jetée
Director
1962La Jetée
Screenplay
1962
Django Reinhardt
Screenplay
1957
The Case of the Grinning Cat
Director
2006The Case of the Grinning Cat
Writer
2006The Case of the Grinning Cat
Editor
2006The Case of the Grinning Cat
Music
2006The Case of the Grinning Cat
Cinematography
2006
The Battle of Chile: Part II
Producer
1976
The Spiral
Editor
1976
Valparaiso
Screenplay
1964La Jétee
Story
2013
The Confession
Still Photographer
1970
The Embassy
Director
1973The Embassy
Writer
1973The Embassy
Cinematography
1973
Havre
Thanks
1986
Description of a Struggle
Director
1960Description of a Struggle
Writer
1960
Sans Soleil
Self (uncredited)
1983Sans Soleil
Director
1983Sans Soleil
Writer
1983Sans Soleil
Director of Photography
1983Sans Soleil
Visual Effects
1983Sans Soleil
Editor
1983Sans Soleil
Music
1983
Nostalgia for the Future
Self (Archive footage)
2026
A Grin Without a Cat
Writer
1977A Grin Without a Cat
Director
1977A Grin Without a Cat
Editor
1977
Far from Vietnam
Director
1967Far from Vietnam
Writer
1967Far from Vietnam
Producer
1967Far from Vietnam
Editor
1967
Berlin 1990
Director
1990Berlin 1990
Editor
1990Berlin 1990
Writer
1990
Be Seeing You
Director
1968
20 Little Films
Director
2012
Report on Brazil: Carlos Marighella
Director
1970Report on Brazil: Carlos Marighella
Writer
1970Report on Brazil: Carlos Marighella
Editor
1970
The Lovely Month of May
Self / Interviewer (voice)
1963The Lovely Month of May
Director
1963The Lovely Month of May
Writer
1963
One Day in the Life of Andrei Arsenevich
Self (voice) (uncredited)
1999One Day in the Life of Andrei Arsenevich
Director
1999One Day in the Life of Andrei Arsenevich
Writer
1999One Day in the Life of Andrei Arsenevich
Editor
1999One Day in the Life of Andrei Arsenevich
Director of Photography
1999
Kino
Director
2011
The Train Rolls On
Director
1971The Train Rolls On
Writer
1971The Train Rolls On
Editor
1971
The Invention of Chris Marker
Self
2020
The Mystery of Workshop 15
Writer
1957
Green Vinyl
Thanks
2004
Rush - Voyage à Moscou
Self
1990Rush - Voyage à Moscou
Director
1990
You Speak of Prague: The Second Trial of Artur London
Director
1971
La Traversée du désir
Self
2009
The Last Bolshevik
Self (uncredited)
1994The Last Bolshevik
Director
1994The Last Bolshevik
Writer
1994The Last Bolshevik
Editor
1994The Last Bolshevik
Director of Photography
1994
Tokyo-Ga
Self (uncredited)
1985
Agnès Varda: From Here to There
Self
2011
Ten Lives of a Cat: A Film about Chris Marker
Kaibyō (archive footage)
2023
Statues Also Die
Director
1953Statues Also Die
Writer
1953
Overnight
Director
2011Overnight
Writer
2011
Junkopia
Director
1981Junkopia
Writer
1981Junkopia
Original Music Composer
1981Junkopia
Editor
1981Report on Brazil: Torture
Director
1969Report on Brazil: Torture
Writer
1969
Remembrance of Things to Come
Director
2001Remembrance of Things to Come
Writer
2001Remembrance of Things to Come
Music
2001
When the Century Took Shape (War and Revolution)
Director
1978
Les Deux mémoires
Editor
1974
Zoo Piece
Director
1990
The Heat of a Thousand Suns
Editor
1965
Tokyo Days
Self (voice) (uncredited)
1988Tokyo Days
Director
1988Tokyo Days
Editor
1988Tokyo Days
Writer
1988Tokyo Days
Director of Photography
1988
L’indispensable
Photos/Extrait
2026
Des Hommes Dans Le Ciel
Writer
1958
Concours de rêve : La Clé des songes
Director
1950Concours de rêve : La Clé des songes
Writer
1950Concours de rêve : La Clé des songes
Creator
1950
America as Seen by a Frenchman
Writer
1960
The Sixth Side of the Pentagon
1968The Sixth Side of the Pentagon
Director
1968The Sixth Side of the Pentagon
Producer
1968The Sixth Side of the Pentagon
Director of Photography
1968
Les hommes de la baleine
Writer
1958
May Days
Self
1978Détour Ceausescu
Director
1990Détour Ceausescu
Writer
1990
Cuba: Battle of the 10,000,000
Director
1971
From a Distant Gaze
Director of Photography
1964Berlin 1990
Director
1990
Congo Oyé (We Have Come Back)
Editor
1971
Sunday in Peking
Director
1956Sunday in Peking
Writer
1956Sunday in Peking
Director of Photography
1956
Eclipse
Director
1999
2084: Video Clip for the Trade Unions' Reflection and Pleasure
Director
19842084: Video Clip for the Trade Unions' Reflection and Pleasure
Writer
19842084: Video Clip for the Trade Unions' Reflection and Pleasure
Editor
1984
The Loneliness of the Long Distance Singer
Director
1974The Loneliness of the Long Distance Singer
Editor
1974
The Sea and the Days
Writer
1958Leila Attacks
Director
2007Leila Attacks
Director of Photography
2007Owl Gets in Your Eyes
Director
1994
A Year of TV Seen by Guillaume
Director
2007A Year of TV Seen by Guillaume
Editor
2007
A. K.
Self - Narrator (voice)
1985A. K.
Writer
1985A. K.
Director
1985A. K.
Editor
1985
The Battle of Chile: Part III
Producer
1979The Battle of Chile: Part III
Other
1979
Petite Ceinture
Director
1994
The Koumiko Mystery
Narrator
1965The Koumiko Mystery
Writer
1965The Koumiko Mystery
Director
1965The Koumiko Mystery
Director of Photography
1965The Koumiko Mystery
Editor
1965Theory of Sets
Director
1991Theory of Sets
Producer
1991
Level Five
Self (voice) (uncredited)
1997Level Five
Director
1997Level Five
Writer
1997Level Five
Original Music Composer
1997Level Five
Director of Photography
1997Tchaïka
Director
1994Tchaïka
Editor
1994
Metrotopia
Director
2008Metrotopia
Writer
2008
Chris Marker: Never Explain, Never Complain
Self (archive footage)
2015
Lluvia de jaulas
Thanks
2019An Owl Is an Owl Is an Owl
Director
1990
Guillaume Movie
Director
2008Guillaume Movie
Writer
2008
Life and Freaky Times of Uncle Luke
Writer
2012
You Speak of Chile: What Allende Said
Director
1973
Blue Helmet
Director
1995Blue Helmet
Writer
1995Blue Helmet
Editor
1995
In Chris Marker's Studio
Self
2011
Cat Listening to Music
Director
1988The Forbidden Volcano
Writer
1966The Forbidden Volcano
Screenplay
1966
From Chris to Christo
Director
1985
Letter from Siberia
Stargazer (uncredited)
1957Letter from Siberia
Director
1957Letter from Siberia
Writer
1957
¡Cuba Sí!
Writer
1961¡Cuba Sí!
Screenplay
1961¡Cuba Sí!
Director of Photography
1961¡Cuba Sí!
Director
1961
Cinétracts
Director
1968Cinétracts
Writer
1968
Lumière Award to Chris Marker
Self
1962
Imagine
Director
2011
Olympia 52
Director
1952Olympia 52
Writer
1952Tempo Risoluto
Director
2011Tempo Risoluto
Editor
2011
The Andrei Tarkovsky Companion
Director
2007
Playtime in Paris
Editor
1962
iDead
Director
2011
Pictures at an Exhibition
Director
2008
Henchman Glance
Director
2008
The Astronauts
Director
1959We Maintain It Is Possible
Director
1973
Three Haiku Videos
Director
1994Three Haiku Videos
Writer
1994Three Haiku Videos
Producer
1994
Slon Tango
Director
1993
A Mayor in Kosovo
Director
2000Matta '85
Director
1985
Broadway by Light
Writer
1958Zapping Zone
Director
1990
The Zone
Short Story
2017
Three Cheers for the Whale
Director
1972Three Cheers for the Whale
Writer
1972Three Cheers for the Whale
Editor
1972Three Cheers for the Whale
Sound
1972Silent Movie (Edit 2)
Director
1995
Ouvroir the Movie
Director
2010Ouvroir the Movie
Writer
2010The End of the World Seen by the Angel Gabriel
Director
1947The End of the World Seen by the Angel Gabriel
Writer
1947The End of the World Seen by the Angel Gabriel
Editor
1947The End of the World Seen by the Angel Gabriel
Director of Photography
1947You Speak of Paris: Maspero. Words Have Meaning
Director
1971
Mémoires pour Simone
Director
1986
Prime Time in the Camps
Director
1993
ROYAL POLKA.mov
Director
2011The Morning After
Editor
2008The Morning After
Director
2008Jour de tournage
Director
1969
Bullfight in Okinawa
Director
1994
Stopover in Dubai
Director
2011Stopover in Dubai
Editor
2011
Kashima Paradise
Narrator (voice)
1973Kashima Paradise
Writer
1973