Pierre-Henri Deleau is a French actor, producer, and festival director, best known as the co-founder of the Directors’ Fortnight at the Cannes Film Festival in 1969. Created in the wake of May 1968, this parallel section aimed to offer an independent alternative to the official selection, often perceived as too academic. At only 26 years old, Deleau organized the first edition in just two months, featuring 68 feature films and 40 short films from 25 countries. As artistic director of the Directors’ Fortnight until 1998, he played a pivotal role in discovering many now-celebrated filmmakers, including Theo Angelopoulos, Denys Arcand, Ken Loach, Michael Haneke, the Dardenne brothers, Atom Egoyan, and Spike Lee. Under his direction, the Fortnight became a springboard for emerging talent, providing international exposure to daring and innovative works. After leaving the Fortnight, Deleau continued his commitment to cinema by directing the FIPA (Festival International des Programmes Audiovisuels) in Biarritz from 1987 to 2009. He also served as the general delegate of the Festival international du film d’histoire de Pessac from its creation in 1989 until 2024. A passionate lover of baroque music and opera, Deleau is also recognized for his discerning cinematic taste, often highlighting films directed by women, such as I Am Not a Witch by Rungano Nyoni and On Body and Soul by Ildikó Enyedi. Pierre-Henri Deleau remains an emblematic figure of French cinephilia, having profoundly shaped the international film landscape through his commitment, curiosity, and artistic vision.