---
name: "Jean-Pierre Kalfon"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/jean-pierre-kalfon"
fi1m_id: "jean-pierre-kalfon"
imdb_id: "nm0435726"
tmdb_id: 16350
wikidata_id: "Q961525"
roles: ["Actor"]
born: "30 October 1938"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 1
average_as: "actor"
average_over: 1
updated: "2026-09-26T16:26:59.528149+00:00"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Jean-Pierre Kalfon

## Identity

Jean-Pierre Kalfon

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/jean-pierre-kalfon
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** jean-pierre-kalfon
- **IMDb ID:** nm0435726
- **TMDB ID:** 16350
- **Wikidata ID:** Q961525
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean-Pierre_Kalfon, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q961525, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0435726/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/16350

Actor. Born 30 October 1938 in Paris, France.

## Details

- **Work:** Actor
- **Born:** 30 October 1938, Paris, France
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean-Pierre_Kalfon, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q961525, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0435726/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/16350

## Streaming the US now

- **HBO Max:** [*Weekend*](https://film.one/film/weekend-1967.md) (81)

For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country.

## Fi1m on Jean-Pierre Kalfon

> Jean-Pierre Kalfon brings physical force to outsiders and makes men in charge feel suspect. We value his rough, instinctive acting most when directors give it room, rather than simply asking him to look dangerous.

Kalfon's authority figures are seldom reassuring. His physical force and distinctive voice make him useful casting when the man giving orders should worry us. In Jean-Luc Godard's *Weekend* (1967), he plays a revolutionary leader, and his raw presence belongs in this fierce comedy about people and their possessions. We found the traffic jam frightening even while we were laughing at it, because Godard makes those people look so ugly. The film earns our recommendation, though its speeches sometimes try our patience.

That roughness has roots in stage work and rock music, and it needs a director willing to leave him some freedom. Marc'O's *Les Idoles* (1968), adapted from the stage show, brings him together with Pierre Clémenti and Bulle Ogier. In Jacques Rivette's *L'Amour fou* (1969), his central performance sits within an examination of theatre-making and a disintegrating relationship. Rivette's mixture of precision and freedom is a good fit for an actor who works so physically.

Through the 1970s and 1980s, Kalfon moved between auteur films and popular cinema, working repeatedly with Claude Lelouch. Commercial thrillers also kept finding villains and shady men for him to play, casting that could reduce a distinctive performer to an early warning of trouble. Sometimes his force seems too much for a formulaic part, and the thinness of the writing does not entirely excuse it. Chabrol's *Le Cri du hibou* (1987) makes better use of that unease, casting him as the police commissioner.

Later supporting work includes a cameo as himself in Bertolucci's *The Dreamers* (2003) and the ensemble role of Max in *I Always Wanted to Be a Gangster* (2008). The cameo makes sense in Bertolucci's look back at 1960s Paris, but it gives us little time with Kalfon. Start with *Weekend*, then try *L'Amour fou* for a central performance.

## Biography

Jean-Pierre Kalfon is a French actor and singer. He was born on 30 October 1938 in Paris.

He studied acting at the Cours Dullin and founded the Théâtre 15 company. Early in his career he appeared in avant-garde theatre with Marc'O and began working in film in the mid-1960s.

Kalfon is known for roles in Jean-Luc Godard's *Weekend* (1967), Jacques Rivette's *L'Amour fou* (1969), François Truffaut's *Confidentially Yours* (1983) and Bernardo Bertolucci's *The Dreamers* (2003). He has also worked frequently with Claude Lelouch and appeared in films such as *Condorman* (1981) and *The Rabbi's Cat* (2011).

*Sources: en.wikipedia.org, watch.plex.tv, allocine.fr.*

## On Fi1m (1)

- *Weekend* (1967), Fi1m 81, as Le Chef du Front de Libération de la Seine et Oise — [page](https://film.one/film/weekend-1967.md)

## Complete filmography (117)

Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page.

- *Blind Willow, Sleeping Woman* (2023), as Old Man (voice)
- *Finale* (2020), as Jean-Pierre
- *Film Français* (2017), as The director
- *Panthéon Discount* (2016), as M. Bove
- *Demain si j'y suis* (2016), Actor
- *This Summer Feeling* (2015), as Faris
- *Miroir mon amour* (2012), as le roi Jacob
- *The Rabbi's Cat* (2011), as Malka of the lions (voice)
- *Parc* (2009), as le propriétaire
- *Asylum* (2008), as Le grand patron
- *I Always Wanted to Be a Gangster* (2008), as Max
- *Heartbeat Detector* (2007), as Karl Rose
- *American Vertigo* (2007), as Narrator
- *On The Ropes* (2007), as Henri
- *Suzanne* (2007), as Max
- *Mafiosa* (2006), series, as Toussaint
- *S.A.C. : Des hommes dans l'ombre* (2005), as Pierre Debizet
- *Philippe Nahon, de l'acteur fétiche à l'icône* (2005), as Narrator (voice)
- *Don't Do That!* (2004), as le monologuant au comptoir
- *The Dreamers* (2003), as Jean-Pierre Kalfon
- *The Bathers* (2003), as Lebel
- *Lulu* (2002), as Simon
- *Replay* (2001), as Walter Amar
- *Gamer* (2001), as Albert
- *Total Western* (2000), as Ludo
- *The King's Daughters* (2000), as Louis XIV
- *What I Did for Love* (1998), as Anderson
- *Day and Night* (1997), as Lucien
- *La Rivière Espérance* (1995), series, as Corentin
- *God, My Mother's Lover and the Butcher's Son* (1995), as Henri Larrieux
- *One Hundred and One Nights* (1995), as The First Jean-Pierre (uncredited)
- *Et demain... Hollywood* (1992), as Jean-Philippe Chaumont
- *Jesuit Joe* (1991), as Le vautour (Récitant) (voice)
- *Les Hordes* (1991), series, as Salomon
- *The Expert Halima* (1991), as Narrator
- *Le Retour d'Arsène Lupin* (1989), series, as Lenormand, Sergueï, Le colonel
- *Plato's Banquet* (1989), as Eryximaque
- *La Garçonne* (1988), as Marly
- *Corps z'à corps* (1988), as President-Director
- *The Ray Bradbury Theater: And So Died Riabouchinska* (1988), as Lt. Krovitch
- *Septième ciel* (1987), as Eddie
- *Vent de panique* (1987), as Humphries
- *The Cry of the Owl* (1987), as Le commissaire / Police commisionneer
- *Funny Boy* (1987), as Aboulkian
- *Public Security* (1987), as Francis
- *No Goal* (1987), series, as Examinateur du permis de conduire
- *Le Cimetière des durs* (1986), as Rayner
- *Softly from Paris* (1986), series, as Narrator (voice)
- *L'Amour ou presque* (1985), as Max
- *The Night Wears Suspenders* (1985), Actor
- *The Click* (1985), as Dr. Fez
- *In the Shadow of the Blue Rascal* (1985), as Captain Speed
- *Love on the Ground* (1984), as Clémont Roquemaure
- *The Twin* (1984), as Ernest Volpinex
- *Laisse béton* (1984), as Gilles More
- *Dog Day* (1984), as Marcel Torontopoulos
- *Street of the Damned* (1984), as Paul Chetman, dit 'Rocky Malone', un rocker has been, frère de Chet
- *Liberty Belle* (1983), as Brinon
- *Hughie* (1983), as Alex Leclerc
- *Confidentially Yours* (1983), as Massoulier's brother (The Priest)
- *Rock* (1982), as Serge
- *Hecate* (1982), as Massard
- *Nestor Burma, détective de choc* (1982), as Delpierre
- *Chassé-croisé* (1982), Actor
- *A Thousand Billion Dollars* (1982), as Bronsky, then Stan Hankins, the informant
- *Strange Affair* (1981), as François Lingre
- *Condorman* (1981), as Morovich
- *Bolero* (1981), as Père Antoine
- *The Boy Soldier* (1981), as Commandant de la Mazardière
- *Jetzt und alles* (1981), as Rudy Smirak
- *The Dogs of War* (1980), as Benny, Benny Lambert
- *La Tisane de sarments* (1980), as Sabbas
- *La Femme flic* (1980), as Backmann, le directeur de la MJC
- *New Old* (1979), Original Music Composer
- *The Police War* (1979), as Marc
- *Le coup du singe* (1979), Director
- *Destins parallèles* (1979), Actor
- *The Song of Roland* (1978), as Marsile / Turold / Charlemagne
- *The Sorceror's Apprentice* (1977), as Robespierre
- *The Apprentice Heel* (1977), as Robert Forelon, le directeur du journal
- *A Second Chance* (1976), as Le bijouter
- *Police Commissioner Moulin* (1976), series, as Antoine Brunetti
- *Visa de censure n° X* (1976), as (uncredited)
- *The Good and the Bad* (1976), as Lafont
- *Zig Zig* (1975), as Le guitariste
- *An Angel Passes* (1975), Actor
- *La Dolce Vita Grande* (1973), Actor
- *The White Gloves of the Devil* (1973), as Le député Caron
- *The Valley* (1972), as Gaëtan
- *The Inner Scar* (1972), as Fire-keeper / King
- *Le Maître du temps* (1971), Actor
- *Jupiter* (1971), as Hippie
- *Paul* (1969), as Evariste
- *Les Gauloises bleues* (1969), as Ivan à 30 ans
- *The Virgin's Bed* (1969), as Horseman
- *L'Amour fou* (1969), as Sébastien-Pyrrhus
- *Bonnot's Gang* (1968), as Garnier
- *Birds in Peru* (1968), as Chauffeur
- *The Idols* (1968), as 'Simon le Magicien'
- *The Revolution Is Only a Beginning. Let's Continue Fighting.* (1968), Actor
- *Weekend* (1967), as Le Chef du Front de Libération de la Seine et Oise — Fi1m 81, [page](https://film.one/film/weekend-1967.md)
- *My Love, My Love* (1967), as Yan
- *Mamaia* (1967), as Balthazar
- *Les grands moments* (1966), as Jean Mafitte
- *Diamond Safari* (1966), as Éric
- *Long March* (1966), as Pitou
- *Et la femme créa l'amour* (1966), as Kardec
- *Je ne sais pas* (1966), Actor
- *La vie très étrange de Madame Anastasie* (1966), Actor
- *To Be a Crook* (1965), as Jean-Pierre
- *Bayard* (1964), series, as Caretti
- *Night Women* (1964), as 2nd friend at the funeral (uncredited)
- *Night of Lust* (1963), as Sacha Markriff
- *Le 7ème jour de Saint-Malo* (1960), as The young priest
- *Les Cinq Dernières Minutes* (1958), series, as Le premier tueur
- *Trois Soldats Allemands*, as Narratteur
- *Histoires ordinaires et extraordinaires*, Actor

## Gallery

- ![Jean-Perre Kalfon, Paris, May 2026](https://film.one/media/person/3913610/gallery-b40751ab78da.jpg) Jean-Perre Kalfon, Paris, May 2026 — Romain Novarina, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/62/Jean-Perre_Kalfon%2C_Paris%2C_Mai_2026.jpg/1280px-Jean-Perre_Kalfon%2C_Paris%2C_Mai_2026.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Jean-pierre kalfon in Paris, april 2026](https://film.one/media/person/3913610/gallery-39ae54be3f47.jpg) Jean-pierre kalfon in Paris, april 2026 — Romain Novarina, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/fa/Jean-pierre_kalfon%2C_Paris%2C_2026.jpg/1280px-Jean-pierre_kalfon%2C_Paris%2C_2026.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Actor Jean-Pierre Kalfon at a signing of his autobiography at the Cinémathèque française. (2019)](https://film.one/media/person/3913610/gallery-106b6b5a0bef.jpg) Actor Jean-Pierre Kalfon at a signing of his autobiography at the Cinémathèque française. (2019) — Os Court 21, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d3/Jean-Pierre_Kalfon_cin%C3%A9math%C3%A8que_2019.jpg/1280px-Jean-Pierre_Kalfon_cin%C3%A9math%C3%A8que_2019.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Jean-Pierre Kalfon en showcase à Gibert Joseph, en avril 2023.](https://film.one/media/person/3913610/gallery-bec6ff6119d8.jpg) Jean-Pierre Kalfon en showcase à Gibert Joseph, en avril 2023. — ManoSolo13241324, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/bc/Jean-Pierre_Kalfon_2023.jpg/1280px-Jean-Pierre_Kalfon_2023.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Jean-Pierre Kalfon](https://film.one/media/person/3913610/gallery-0f448490b864.jpg) Jean-Pierre Kalfon — Image via TMDB
- ![Jean-Pierre Kalfon](https://film.one/media/person/3913610/gallery-d45489a877d1.jpg) Jean-Pierre Kalfon — Image via TMDB

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/jean-pierre-kalfon