Alain-Gilles Viellevoye

Alain-Gilles Viellevoye isn’t exactly a household name, but if you’re the kind of person who actually watches the credits roll, you might have stumbled across his work in some seriously stylish films. Take Suite Francaise from 2014, for one—there’s this haunting atmosphere running through the whole movie, set smack in the middle of Nazi-occupied France. The story’s loaded with tension: forbidden romance, villagers trying to survive, and the suffocating presence of German soldiers everywhere you look. Viellevoye’s touch is all over the vibe, helping pull you into that world where every look and gesture has something simmering underneath. Then there’s High Rise, released in 2015. Wildly different setting—forget the countryside, now you’re trapped in this towering concrete monolith with a bunch of well-dressed maniacs. Things start off all sleek and shiny, but the story slowly spirals into chaos: class warfare, wild parties, neighbors turning on each other. It’s as if society crumbles floor by floor. The visuals are lush and unsettling, and Viellevoye’s sense for atmosphere is right at home with all the madness. And hey, don’t sleep on Coco Avant Chanel from 2009. This one’s a whole other energy—following the early days of fashion icon Coco Chanel. It’s elegant, a little melancholic, and full of those subtle details that make history feel real. Viellevoye helps craft that Parisian look, giving you both the glamour and grit of Chanel’s world before she became a legend. These movies show off his knack for creating worlds you want to get lost in—or maybe escape from, depending on the day.