La Nouvelle Vague Cinéma

Are you passionate about film and want to understand one of the most revolutionary movements in the history of cinema? This French course explores the French New Wave (La Nouvelle Vague), a post-war film movement (late 1950s–1960s) that transformed how films are made, seen, and understood. Through iconic directors, stylistic innovations, and enduring influence in contemporary cinema, we will journey from Parisian streets to global screens.

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What will we cover?

Origins and key figures of the French New Wave:

• The historical and cultural context of post-war France.

• An overview of key directors such as Jean-Luc Godard, François Truffaut, Agnès Varda, Claude Chabrol, and Alain Resnais, and their contributions to the movement.

Styles and techniques of the Nouvelle Vague:

• New approaches to filming, editing, and storytelling.

• A more spontaneous, personal, and experimental cinematic style.

Core values and themes:

• Auteur theory and the idea of the director as creative author.

• Realism and authenticity in representing everyday life.

The legacy of the French New Wave:

• The movement’s lasting influence and examples of its continued relevance in contemporary filmmaking, including Richard Linklater’s Nouvelle Vague (2025).

By the end of this course, you should be able to:

• Identify the major directors and defining films of the French New Wave.

• Understand and describe key cinematic techniques pioneered by the movement.

• Discuss the philosophical and cultural values expressed in New Wave films.

• Analyse how the New Wave influenced later filmmakers and continues to resonate in contemporary cinema.

• Express your knowledge and opinions about film history and analysis in French, with improved terminology and fluency.

This course is delivered entirely in French and is designed for learners at level 4 (B2) or students who have studied French for about five years. No specific background in film studies is required—only an interest in cinema and culture.