Alain Shaba: famous French filmmaker and actor

French films have always been famous for their unconventional style and humor. A huge number of paintings were then adapted and reshuffled in Hollywood, however, without much success. Not the least in the series of comedic directors of recent decades is Alain Shaba, whose filmography as an actor and the author has more than twenty works. Especially successful was the highest grossing French film of the two thousand years "Asterix and Obelix: Cleopatra's mission." It became popular not only at home, but all over the world.

From Oran to Paris

Alain Shaba was born in 1958 in a Jewish family living in Algeria, which was still at that time a French colony. Five years later, the Shab family moved to Massy, a small town near Paris, with the whole staff.

From the earliest years, Alain Shaba showed the inclinations of a creative personality, he was notable for his wit and unusual thinking. However, his inclinations were poorly suited to traditional education. During his studies, the obstinate teenager has replaced more than a dozen schools, where he was constantly excluded.

At the same time, Alain Shaba fell in love with comics, but after school he concentrated on working with a microphone. In his youth, the future director worked as a musician, DJ on the radio.

Finally, a talented guy was noticed by the specialist on personnel of the main French channel Canal +. Semi-nomadic life was replaced by a stable work on television, where Alain Shaba was the leading weather forecast in the program "Monsieur Meteo".

Zero No. 3

Dull work by the usual announcer did not suit the ambitious Alain. He made friends with the actors Bruno Caret, Chantal Lobi, Dominique Farruja, and in the early eighties together with them organized a comic band, which was ironically called "Zeros". Something similar then appeared in Russia, when the "Mask-Show", "OSB-studio" were formed.

Funnels and enchanting parodies of "Zeros" on a variety of topics were successfully shown on Canal +, young artists became insanely popular in their homeland.

In 1989 the composition of the group was reduced after the death of one of the participants - Bruno Careta. Nevertheless, the guys continued to work and on the wave of their popularity decided to aim at creating a full-length film. In 1994, the actors wrote a script for the movie "The City of Fear: Family Comedy." In full force they acted in their tape, and Alain Shaba played the main role of Inspector Serge Karamazov. True, in the credits he was listed not under his own name, but as "Zero No. 3".

Self-sailing

Despite the success of the joint picture, Alain Shaba decided to leave the famous trio and start an independent career. He starred in the comedic Josiana Balasko "The Damned Grass". Here the actor appeared in the form of an unfaithful husband, whose wife decided to have a lesbian novel on the side. Alen Shaba's work appealed to viewers and film critics, who immediately nominated him for the main French award "César".

A native of Algeria is not satisfied with the role of an actor and already in 1997 he was shooting his first film as a director. In the picture "Didier" told the story of a dog that was in the human body, the main role played by Alain Shaba himself. By the way, on a secondary role, he invited Josiana Balasco, who first starred, starting an independent career.

Shaba's debut as a director was received favorably, and he received his first prize "Cesar" for "Didier."

Successes and failures

At some point, Alain decided to get rid of the stereotypical image of the comedian and starred in the grim film "Cousin". The role of a policeman became the first characteristic image of a famous actor and director.

However, he looked more organic in his usual role. Comedy films by Alain Shaba enjoy great success. He starred in the comedy "For someone else's taste," voiced by the French version of "Shrek."

In 2002, the director, together with producer Claude Bury, is plotting an ambitious project called Asterix and Obelix: Cleopatra's mission. Alain Shaba writes the script for the picture, acts as a director, and also plays the role of Julius Caesar. This comedy film has become the most expensive French project in the field of cinema, it took more than forty million euros to create it. However, the story of Asterix and Obelix was a great success not only in France, but all over the world, gathering a huge number of spectators.

In 2004, Alain Shaba shoots his next film "For a Million Years BCE", but he was received coolly by spectators and critics. In 2009, the Frenchman starred in the Hollywood movie "Night at the Museum 2", where he played the role of Napoleon.

The well-known director and actor continues to work actively, steadily releasing his new films.