Jeannot Szwarc

His features have often been overshadowed by similarly-themed movies, but his "Somewhere in Time" (1980) has developed a cult following.

After earning a master's degree in political science, Szwarc, a lifelong cinema buff, decided to pursue a career in features in lieu of obtaining a doctorate from Harvard. Settling in Paris, he landed work at a production company that specialized in documentaries and commercials. Working his way up the ranks …