Claude Autant-Lara, French director, screenwriter, and politician (died 2000)

Claude Autant-Lara was a French film director, screenwriter, set designer and costume designer who worked in films for over 50 years. He made films characterised by bourgeois realism, anti-clericalism and sexual frankness, often from literary sources. His career was frequently marked by controversy. Even though he was considered left-wing during most of his life, in his late 80s he was elected to the European Parliament as a member for the far-right National Front: he stepped down two months later after making antisemitic statements.

August 5 is the 217th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar; 148 days remain until the end of the year.