Nina Companeez came from a Russian Jewish family that had fled two regimes, communism and then Nazism, before landing in Paris; she would make a television film of it in 2008. The daughter of a screenwriter, she was an editor, then wrote for Michel Deville for twelve years before going behind the camera. It was television that gave her her format: serials that millions of viewers followed.
The story
Her family, Russian and Jewish, had fled two regimes before reaching Paris in 1936: Russian communism, then German Nazism. The name Kompaneyetz was frenchified there into Companeez. In 2008 Nina would draw a three-part television film from it, Voici venir l'orage.
Born at Boulogne-Billancourt on 26 August 1937, daughter of the screenwriter Jacques Companeez, she began as a film editor in 1956 — the year her father died — then wrote for Michel Deville from 1959 to 1971. Twelve years of collaboration before she moved behind the camera with Faustine et le Bel Été, in 1972.
Television gave her her format: Les Dames de la côte in 1979, L'Allée du Roi in 1995 — series that millions of French viewers followed. Younger sister of the singer Irène Companeez, mother of the actress Valentine Varela, she died in Paris on 9 April 2015.
The stone in Division 97 lines up five names and two spellings — Stein and Companeez: the whole history of an exile. One detail can be read there without comment: she was born on a 26 August, like her mother Tamara.
The grave
A family grave in which a story of exile can be read: Léon Stein (1884-1937), Jacques COMPANEEZ (5-3-1906, 13-9-1956) — her father, a screenwriter — Eugénie Stein (1905-1945), Tamara Companeez (1906-1993), then “Nina COMPANEEZ, 26-8-1937, 9-4-2015”. One detail: she was born on 26 August, like her mother. Nothing there says that she made films.
On site, do not miss
Five names and two spellings of a single family — Stein and Companeez. Her line is the last: “Nina COMPANEEZ, 26-8-1937, 9-4-2015”. She was born on the same day as her mother.
Visitors' questions
Where is Nina Companeez's grave?
In Division 97, avenue Circulaire, third row, in the family grave: her father Jacques Companeez (1906-1956) rests there, as do Léon and Eugénie Stein and her mother Tamara Companeez, who died in 1993.
Marie-Louise CarvenWhich series did Nina Companeez direct?
Les Dames de la côte in 1979 and L'Allée du Roi in 1995, two great historical series of French television. In 2008, Voici venir l'orage, in three parts, told the story of her own family.
Claude CabanesWho was Nina Companeez's father?
The screenwriter Jacques Companeez (1906-1956), who rests in the same grave. She started as an editor the year he died, in 1956, then wrote for Michel Deville for twelve years before stepping behind the camera herself in 1972.
Robert ChambeironWhere did her family come from?
From Russia: Jewish, the family fled Russian communism and then German Nazism before reaching Paris in 1936, where the name Kompaneyetz was gallicised into Companeez. Her daughter is the actress Valentine Varela, and her elder sister was the singer Irène Companeez.
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