Painlevé first came to the cinema as an actor, alongside Michel Simon, and also as assistant director in the René Sti unfinished film L'inconnue des six jours (The Unknown Woman of Six Days), 1926.
Painlevé kom först till filmen som skådespelare, vid sidan av Michel Simon, men även som regiassistent i René Stis ofullbordade film L'inconnue des sex jours, 1926.