Early Influences and Academic Work

Jean-Baptiste Thoret began his career as a film student with a fascination for genre films, shaped in part by the rise of VHS and access to works by directors like George A. Romero and John Carpenter. His academic background and early writings laid the foundation for his later exploration of American cinema and its cultural context.

Co-Authoring a Carpenter Book

In 1998, Thoret co-authored Mythes et Masques : Les fantômes de John Carpenter with Luc Lagier, a book that examined the themes and styles of John Carpenter's films. This collaboration marked an early focus on the influence of American genre cinema on broader cultural narratives.

Transition to Filmmaking

Following the 2015 attacks in France, Thoret shifted from film criticism to filmmaking. He began producing documentaries on American cinema, including the Giallo genre of Dario Argento, and explored the intersections of film, history, and social change in his work.

Documentary on American Landscape and Politics

Thoret's 2016 documentary We Blew It examined the American landscape and people during the 2016 presidential campaign. Drawing from his earlier book on the Zapruder film, the documentary used wide and tracking shots to capture the tension and fear that defined the political climate at the time.

Exploring Cimino's Cinematic Legacy

In 2021, Thoret released Michael Cimino - Un mirage américain, a documentary that retraced the filming locations of Michael Cimino's films in California and Montana. The film highlighted how geography and environment influenced the director's storytelling and visual style.

Focus on Las Vegas Tunnels and Cinema Formats

Thoret's latest feature film, The Neon People, explores the lives of individuals living in the tunnels beneath Las Vegas. Using the CinemaScope 2.35:1 format, the film contrasts the dark, enclosed world of the tunnels with the vibrant surface of the city, emphasizing the visual and thematic duality of its subjects' lives.