The French New Wave is arguably one of the most influential film movements in history. Taking place in the late 1950s through the 1960s, the French New Wave was intended to rework the mold of French cinema and create new, different styles. The French New Wave is a primary reference for the look and film of Indie films today. This movement broke a lot of ‘rules’ established by preceding and conventional filmmakers. Experimental choices were made in the production and post production phases by directors. Popular directors leading this movement include Jean-Luc Godard, Agnes Varda, François Truffaut and Claude Chabrol.
The films during this movement were way more youthful in their subject matter, crews and actors. French New Wave films were all about shooting on location, using handheld cameras and natural lighting, having smaller crews, low-budgets, amateur / non-actors and disjointed narratives. Eventually, these experimental ideas became mainstream and make up what a lot of movies are today.
The French New Wave was also all about the director and their distinct style brought to a movie. During this time, the Auteur Theory was developed and highlighted a new perspective on directors. Summed up, this theory states that the director is the author of (and the main artist for) a film with a specific aesthetic, style and thematic consistency to their work. Prior to this, movies were mainly acknowledged for their starring actors or the production studio. Today’s auteurs are often the directors who sell you on their movie with their name being attached to it. As the audience, we begin to have certain expectations for their films. I think it’s a good and bad thing.
Last super important about the French New Wave are the Cahiers du Cinema. Cahiers du Cinéma was a French film magazine started in 1951 founded by André Bazin and other film cinephiles in Paris. These magazines were revolutionary in filmmaking and spread the Auteur Theory as they analyzed and critiqued cinema. Most of the criticism in Cahiers du Cinema was rooted in Auteur Theory. Its writers included French New Wave directors like Godard and Truffaut.
The French New Wave was a breath of fresh air for cinema and the French film scene. As filmmaking became more accessible, its impact allowed for exploration in storytelling. The movement encouraged artists to take risks that paid off in big ways.