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Alexandre Astruc & the Artist Powers of Cinema
Alexandre Astruc publishes The Birth of New Avante-Garde: La camera-stylo. He outlined the artistic powers that cinema offers and the creative possibilities of filmmaking that could lead it to rival literature, painting, or other traditional art forms. Alexandre Astruc emphasizes the importance of the director. He considers the director as the “author,” more so than the writer of the screenplay. -
The Overlooked Pioneer & Little Fugitive
Morris Engel kickstarts the French New Wave with Little Fugitive by influencing independent filmmaking concepts. Filmed with a 35 mm camera, its naturalistic aesthetic and groundbreaking improvisation and untrained actors nominated it for an Academy Award. -
Lovers and Lollipops
Morris Engel and Ruth Orkin release Lovers and Lollipops. The film was shot on 35 mm film and was made entirely on location. The film’s meandering plotline resembled real life, New York situations, and resonated with audiences skyrocketing its popularity. -
Departing From Studios & the Start of Independent Filmmaking
French New Wave pioneers began criticizing big studios for controlling the entire filmmaking process and wanted to gain creative control over their stories. The filmmakers include: François Truffaut, Jean-Luc Godard, Éric Rohmer, Claude Chabrol, and Jacques Rivette. Departing from studios resulted in decreased budgets, and smaller budgets demanded innovative storytelling techniques: natural lighting, natural sound, portable equipment, untrained actors, and much more. -
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The French New Wave
The artistic revelations of aspiring writers, directors, and cinematographers during the early 1950s and late 1960s. -
Weddings and Babies
Weddings and Babies was written, directed, and produced by Morris Engel. The film was with a 35 mm camera that also recorded synchronized sound, possibly the first fictional movie. Morris Engel also financed and booked the movie at theaters, essentially distributing the movie on his own. -
Le Beau Serge
Le Beau Serge, directed by Claude Chabrol, is the first feature film to define the French New Wave movement. It used many techniques associated with the movement: real locations, natural light, and a realistic or meandering plotline. Claude Chabrol used Charles Bitsch, Claude de Gray, and Philippe de Broca as assistant directors for collaboration purposes. Le Beau Serge’s success would help form AJYM Productions, which would later fund movies from Éric Rohmer and Jacques Rivette. -
Hiroshima mon amour
Hiroshima mon amour is a film about two former lovers who are now friends. One is a Japanese architect and the other being a French actress. The two of them are recounting the past, events that led up to, and the aftermath of the bombing of Hiroshima. -
The 400 Blows
The 400 Blows, directed by François Truffaut, is a drama film made during the French New Wave movement. François Truffaut’s directorial debut is an excellent example of the stylistic innovations coming out of the movement. Not only was the story personal to Truffaut, like many other French New Wave films, but it was artistic, realistic, and was reflexive. The French New Wave kept viewers guessing with the departure from telling narrative stories. -
Alain Resnais
One of the other most famous directors from the French New Wave. Alain Resnais trained as a video editor in the mid 1940s with his first short film being released to moderate success. Although his first big hit was his film known as Hiroshima mon amour which was released in 1959. -
Jean-Luc Godard
One of the most famous directors Jean-Luc Godard is French New Wave. Jean-Luc Godard was a nobody who did small-time writing for magazines until his big break with his first film called Breathless releasing on February 7th of 1961 which became one of the most famous French New Wave films. -
Adieu Philippine
Directed by Jacques Rozier. Adieu Philippine is a film following Michel who is a TV technician who is a few months away from being forced into mandatory military service who beings going on dates with two of his best friends separately without the other knowing. -
Claire’s Knee
Claire’s Knee is a story that follows the character Jerome who is a soon-to-be-married man that decided to go on one last vacation. Upon arriving at his lakeside getaway Jerome encounters one of his past lovers who is staying nearby. Jerome is also introduced to two sisters and one, in particular, being Claire who's knee ends up fascinating Jerome. -
True end of French New Wave
Most people credit 1973 as the true end of the French New Wave although it had been done for some time. The biggest reason for the change was due to the political climate and lack of interest in films from an average audience who had grown tired of this genre.