Humbert Jean René Balsan (21 August 1954 – 10 February 2005) was a French film producer and chairman of the European Film Academy. He was known for securing financing and distribution for diverse and often challenging films. In February 2005, Balsan was found dead in the offices of his production company, Ognon Pictures, in Paris. He was known to have suffered from depression, and killed himself by hanging. Description above from the Wikipedia article Humbert Balsan, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.
Read moreShow less
Biography from TMDB.
- August 21, 1954
- February 10, 2005 (aged 50)
- Arcachon, Gironde, France
- Producer and actor
- 24 on MovieCove · 68 credits in all
What are Humbert Balsan's films like?
Across their 21 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Self.
Genres
Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.
Themes
What they feel like to watch
Ironic 1 · Wry 1 · Earnest 19
A split, not a type: Light 8 · Serious 5 · Dark 8
A split, not a type: Grounded 10 · Stylized 7 · Heightened 4
Gentle 3 · Charged 14 · Intense 4
Steady 9 · Shifting 10 · Whiplash 2
Straight-faced 16 · Some laughs 4 · Funny 1
Slow burn 15 · Even-paced 6 · Relentless 0
Casual 7 · Engaged 11 · Full focus 3
A split, not a type: Easy watch 4 · Affecting 8 · Heavy 9
Resolved 5 · Open-ended 12 · Ambiguous 4
Roles they play
- Allyas Gawain in Lancelot of the Lake (1974)
Moods and endings
- Happy2
- Bittersweet10
- Tragic4
- Ambiguous5
AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.
Where can I watch Humbert Balsan's films?
As of October 24, 2026, 11 of their 24 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service.
Subscription and free streaming for Humbert Balsan's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.
Filmography
68 credits, 24 with a MovieCove page.
The Man from London(2007)
Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films
A Perfect Friend (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)
Manderlay(2005)
Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all films
The Intruder (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)
Housewarming(2005)
Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all films
The Great Journey (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)
When the Sea Rises(2004)
Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films
When A Woman Sings (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)
Alexandria... New York (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)
The Gate of the Sun (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)
Seekers of Oblivion (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)
The Kite (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)
Process (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)
Grande École(2004)
Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all films
La vie nue (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)
Mimi (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)
The Bathers(2003)
Midcredits score: 5th percentile of all films
Divine Intervention(2002)
Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all films
The Adversary(2002)
Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films
Women Who Loved Cinema (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2002)
The Legend of Rose Al-Youssef (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2002)
Transfixed (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)
Every Night (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)
Paris, My Little Body Is Very Tired of This Big World (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)
The City (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)
Victor... (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1998)
Terminale (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1998)
After Sex(1997)
Midcredits score: 34th percentile of all films
Destiny (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)
Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films
The Proprietor(1996)
Midcredits score: 34th percentile of all films
Surviving Picasso(1996)
Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all films
Lumière and Company(1995)
Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films
Jefferson in Paris(1995)
Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all films
Boys and Girls (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)
La Lumière des étoiles mortes (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)
Mercedes (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)
The Surveyors of Montmarte (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)
Sabine (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)
Walking a Tightrope (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1991)
Mr. & Mrs. Bridge(1990)
Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all filmsL'amour (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)
Alexandria Again and Forever (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)
Un médecin des lumières (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1988)
Frequent Death (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1988)
The Veiled Man (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)
The Sixth Day (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1986)
Adieu Bonaparte (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)
Thieves After Dark(1983)
Midcredits score: 29th percentile of all filmsHistoire du caporal (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1984)
A Brutal Game(1983)
Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films
Liberty Belle (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1983)
I Married a Shadow(1983)
Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films
Le Jour le plus court (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1983)
Aspern (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)
All Fired Up(1982)
Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films
Quartet(1981)
Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all films
Chanel Solitaire (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1981)
Merry-Go-Round (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1981)
Une femme au bout de la nuit (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1980)
Loulou(1980)
Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films
Swimming Instructor (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1979)
Un Balcon en forêt (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1978)
The Devil, Probably(1977)
Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all films
A Dream Longer Than the Night (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1976)
Noroît (Une Vengeance) (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1976)
Les conquistadores(1976)
Lancelot of the Lake(1974)
Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all films
Career shape
A full career of 67 titles from 1974 to 2008.
Biggest box office
Mr. & Mrs. Bridge (1990)
Highest rated
The Man from London (2007)
Most popular right now
Manderlay (2005)
Film career
- 1974Screen debut· Lancelot of the Lake
Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30.
How do Humbert Balsan's films land?
Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 65th percentile, the median of the 23 of 24 with a score; across their 21 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 66th percentile for acclaim.
- 75th and up5
- 50th to 74th9
- 25th to 49th8
- Below 25th1
Shape of the crowd
14 of their 23 titles are Crowd Pleasers.
- Cult Classic1
- Crowd Pleaser14
- Broadly Agreed1
- Mixed7
Reviewers score the acting 68/100 in their films, across 17 reviewed titles; fans 75, detractors 50. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.
Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.
Is Humbert Balsan's work okay for kids?
Across a limited sample of up to 4 MovieCove titles with content scores.
Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted.
Who does Humbert Balsan work with?
People who share at least 2 of Humbert Balsan's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Ismail Merchant shares the most, 5.
Directors
- James IvoryShared titles: Surviving Picasso (1996), Lumière and Company (1995), Mr. & Mrs. Bridge (1990), Quartet (1981)See all 4 shared titles with James Ivory
- Ismail MerchantShared titles: Surviving Picasso (1996), The Proprietor (1996), Lumière and Company (1995), Mr. & Mrs. Bridge (1990), Quartet (1981)See all 5 shared titles with Ismail Merchant
- Brigitte RoüanShared titles: Housewarming (2005), After Sex (1997)See all 2 shared titles with Brigitte Roüan
Writers
- Ruth Prawer JhabvalaShared titles: Surviving Picasso (1996), Mr. & Mrs. Bridge (1990), Quartet (1981)See all 3 shared titles with Ruth Prawer Jhabvala
- Jean-Marie BessetShared titles: Grande École (2004), The Proprietor (1996)See all 2 shared titles with Jean-Marie Besset
Actors
- Austin PendletonShared titles: The Proprietor (1996), Mr. & Mrs. Bridge (1990)See all 2 shared titles with Austin Pendleton
- Richard BohringerShared titles: I Married a Shadow (1983), Les conquistadores (1976)See all 2 shared titles with Richard Bohringer
- Isabelle AdjaniShared titles: All Fired Up (1982), Quartet (1981)See all 2 shared titles with Isabelle Adjani
Composers, cinematographers and editors
- Richard RobbinsShared titles: Surviving Picasso (1996), The Proprietor (1996), Mr. & Mrs. Bridge (1990), Quartet (1981)See all 4 shared titles with Richard Robbins
- Laurent RouanShared titles: Housewarming (2005), After Sex (1997)See all 2 shared titles with Laurent Rouan
- Jacques LoiseleuxShared titles: The Bathers (2003), Loulou (1980)See all 2 shared titles with Jacques Loiseleux
- Andrew MarcusShared titles: Surviving Picasso (1996), Mr. & Mrs. Bridge (1990)See all 2 shared titles with Andrew Marcus
Producers
- Donald RosenfeldShared titles: Surviving Picasso (1996), The Proprietor (1996)See all 2 shared titles with Donald Rosenfeld
- Paul BradleyShared titles: Surviving Picasso (1996), The Proprietor (1996)See all 2 shared titles with Paul Bradley