French New Wave Films

Fri, 10/30/2015 - 11:31am by Eahagen

If you love movies, take note! AADL has an exciting collection of foreign language films, including several seminal titles from the French New Wave - a period in film-making that was categorized by energy, technique, rebellion and reflexivity.

“Tidal wave” would have been a more appropriate name for this explosion of vibrant, innovative, and highly self-conscious films by young French directors in the late 1950’s and early 1960’s.” – Criterion

BREATHLESS (1960) was acclaimed director Jean-Luc Godard’s first feature-length film. It stars Jean-Paul Belmondo and Jean Seberg as young lovers on the run. It’s a playful romp, an unpolished and spirited film that was inspired by American genre films, but follows none of the cinematic conventions American directors were beholden to. Instead, the editing and styling of the film matches the detached and sexy attitude of its stars. The film is just plain cool.

THE 400 BLOWS (1959) by Francois Truffaut is a personal film that portrays both the struggles and small joys of boyhood. Jean-Pierre Leaud plays Antoine Doinel, a recurring character in Truffaut’s work. Here, the young Antoine is a dogged schoolboy whose life is burdened by discouraging situations and unsympathetic adults. The 400 Blows is a touching film, with moments of poignancy and pure feeling.

CLEO FROM 5-7 (1962) by Agnes Varda follows a singer named Cleo (Corrine Marchand), in simulated real time as she anxiously waits for news regarding her health. Cleo carries an air of superficiality; she is young, beautiful and stylish. The film follows her, minute by minute, as she wanders through Parisian streets and shops looking for distractions. The film offers a glamorous glimpse of Parisian life in the sixties.

For more French New Wave Films, see this list!