Anne-Marie Etienne

French writer/director Anne-Marie Etienne began her career as an actress, making her first appearance in 1981 in the French television series "Médecins de nuit." For the next seven years she was cast in a number of TV programs and feature films, including "Bonjour l'angoisse" (1988), "Par ordre du Roy" (1983) and "Story of Women" (1988). Beginning in 1990, Etienne turned her focus from acting to working behind the camera. She made her directorial debut with the comedy-drama "Un été après l'autre" (1990). In addition to directing, Etienne also wrote the film, a practice she would continue throughout her career. Etienne followed up this first effort by directing "Le petit qui attend le facteur"(1994), and a pair of romantic comedies, "Sooner or Later" (1999) and "Perfect Match" (2007); she wrote the latter two films as well. "Perfect Match" focused on the romance between an unemployed man and a writer in Paris; Etienne's next film also dealt with the grounding nature of personal relationships. "Sous le figuier" (2012), again written and directed by Etienne, is a bittersweet story about a circle of friends, one of whom is very ill. While struggling with life's challenges, the group decides to take an idyllic summer vacation together to a riverside village, where they confront their personal fears and draw strength from their friendships.