Vautier, who claimed to be the “most censored director in France”, is best known for “Avoir 20 ans dans les Aures”, which depicted young French conscripts being turned into killing machines during the war in Algeria.

It won the international critics’ prize at the Cannes Film Festival in 1972.

He died in hospital in his native Brittany, his wife, fellow director Soazig Chappedelaine Vautier told AFP.