Henri Decaë

After Raoul Coutard, the most distinguished cinematographer to have come to prominence with the French New Wave. Decae directed several films through the 1940s before becoming the regular cinematographer for Jean-Pierre Melville ("Bob le Flambeur" 1955, etc.). He shot the debut features of both Claude Chabrol ("Le Beau Serge" 1958) and Francois Truffaut ("The 400 Blows" 1959) and also worked frequently for Louis Malle ("Elevator to the Gallows" 1957, etc.). Decae began shooting international production in the late 1960s and remained active until a few years before his death. He demonstrated a special flair for atmospheric nighttime sequences.