**René Clément** (1913-1996) was an influential French film director, known for his versatility and stylistic rigor.

Emerging in the post-war period, he debuted with a sharp realism, evident in *La Bataille du Rail* (1946), a neorealist drama about the French Resistance. His masterpiece, *Jeux Interdits* (Forbidden Games, 1952), earned him the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film, exploring the innocence of childhood devastated by war with poignant sensitivity.

Clément demonstrated great skill in psychological drama and literary adaptation, as seen in *Gervaise* (1956), based on Zola, and the celebrated thriller *Plein Soleil* (Purple Noon, 1960), which introduced the character of Tom Ripley. His style is characterized by precise direction, attention to detail, and the ability to explore human frailties in often somber or suspenseful contexts. He ranged from neorealism to sophisticated thrillers, leaving a lasting imprint on French cinema.