Edouard Molinaro, who directed classic French farce La Cage aux Folles and other much-loved films, has died in Paris at the age of 85, reports the BBC.
After starting out in crime films, he switched to comedies, notably starring the actor Louis de Funes.
La Cage (1978), about a gay couple's hilariously ill-starred attempt to pass themselves off as straight, was remade in the US as The Birdcage (1996).
French President Francois Hollande paid tribute to Molinaro's popular appeal.
"Edouard Molinaro possessed the talent for attracting a broad public to quality films," a statement from the Elysee Palace said.
Read more of this report from the BBC.