"He was a friend, creative partner and an older brother to me," Nathan Ross, a partner in Vallée's production company Crazyrose, said in a statement. "The maestro will sorely be missed but it comforts knowing his beautiful style and impactful work he shared with the world will live on."
His breakthrough film in the United States was "Dallas Buyers Club," the 2013 film based on the true story of an AIDS patient who becomes a distributor of experimental treatments. Although Vallée's direction was not recognized by the Academy, the film was nominated for Best Picture, while stars Matthew McConaughey and Jared Leto both won Oscars for their performances.