Considered one of the most powerful movements in the history of cinema, French New Wave started in the 1950s and sent waves across Europe and the globe. The experimentation with editing and narrative was considered revolutionary and its long-lasting influences can still be seen on screen today.
French New Wave features:
- Portable equipment
- Long takes
- Jump cuts
- Location shooting
- Direct sound and available light
- Dialogue sometimes improvised
The style has been compared to documentary and questioned conventional cinema because Hollywood cinema didn’t reflect what it was like to live in France, it led to the rise of open-minded filmmakers such as Francois Truffaut and Eric Rohmer, cinema critics who started making films with no training whatsoever. There were more differences to Classical Hollywood Narrative than just non-linear and fragmented editing, the narratives of the French New Wave were also unique, far more focused on realism and ultimately being a medium for a conversation between the “auteur” and their audience.
PCA Isobel Wilkinson - BA Film 