Film studiesLesson 2 of 2 in the course Genre and history of film

French New Wave: Origins, Style, Left Bank, and Legacy

5 flashcards · 5 quiz questions · 5 match pairs · 5 fill-in sentences · English

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Summary

This lesson introduces the historical setting and artistic ideas behind the French New Wave. It explains how critics became filmmakers and why they challenged established French cinema.

The French New Wave (French: Nouvelle Vague) emerged in the late 1950s as an art-film movement that rejected familiar filmmaking conventions. Its filmmakers challenged the Tradition de qualité (“Tradition of Quality”), a mainstream approach associated with polished craft, prestigious literary adaptations, and conventional storytelling. New Wave artists argued that films could be safe and technically accomplished yet lack originality or a distinctive point of view.

All flashcards

Auteur theory
The view that a director’s personal vision can be recognized through recurring artistic choices across films.
Caméra-stylo
Alexandre Astruc’s idea that cinema can express personal ideas as flexibly as writing.
Jump cut
An edit that creates a visible break in the continuity of action or time.
Left Bank
A French New Wave community linked to modernist experimentation, literature, visual art, and political or social ideas.
Narrative ambiguity
Storytelling that leaves questions unresolved and invites viewers to interpret meaning.

Quiz questions

  1. Which description best characterizes the Tradition of Quality challenged by French New Wave filmmakers?Answer: Mainstream cinema emphasizing polished craft, prestigious literary adaptations, and conventional storytelling.
  2. In Godard’s 1960 film Breathless, what effect do jump cuts have on the continuity of action?Answer: They interrupt smooth continuity with abrupt changes within a scene.
  3. Which group of filmmakers is associated with the Left Bank community of the French New Wave?Answer: Agnès Varda, Alain Resnais, and Chris Marker.
  4. Which film is known for a long tracking shot through a traffic jam?Answer: Jean-Luc Godard’s Weekend.
  5. How do many French New Wave films encourage viewers to engage with their stories?Answer: They leave narrative gaps that invite viewers to interpret and make meaning.

Based on the Wikipedia article French New Wave, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Adapted into a summary, flashcards and quizzes.

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