Romain Goupil worked as an assistant cameraman from 1970 to 1973, then as assistant director from 1974 to 1990, notably with Robert Menegoz (L'Orchestre électrique, 1974 / Paris Abadan, 1977), Nelly Kaplan (Néa, 1976), Jacques Deray (Le Gang, 1976), Coluche (Vous n'aurez pas l'Alsace et la Lorraine, 1977), Chantal Akerman (Les Rendez-vous d'Anna, 1978), Roman Polanski (Tess, 1979) and Jean-Luc Godard (Allemagne année neuf zéro, 1990). He directed his first short in 1968, then worked in cinema and television. His first feature, Mourir à trente ans won the Caméra d'Or at Cannes in 1982 and the French César as best first film.