Remembering New Wave Cinema
My time at George Mason University feels like a distant memory, but one experience stands out: a course on French New Wave cinema, or La Nouvelle Vague. To be blunt, I wasn’t a fan of the class—or the professor. I also had her for Advanced French Grammar and Composition, which felt like tackling intermediate algebra in its complexity. The material wasn’t the issue; her stern demeanor and impatience with students made the experience grueling. I barely passed, scraping by with just enough effort to survive.
Fast forward a couple of decades, and I’m revisiting La Nouvelle Vague with fresh eyes. I’m developing a product for a small niche of film studies students eager to explore this iconic movement. My project focuses on ten French films that define the French New Wave, a revolutionary period in cinema known for its bold cinematic techniques, like handheld camera work, filming on location rather than in studios, and breaking the fourth wall.
As I dive into this project, names like François Truffaut and Jean-Luc Godard immediately come to mind. They’re titans of the movement, known for films like The 400 Blows and Breathless. There’s also a female director, Agnès Varda, whose work, like Cléo from 5 to 7, I’m less familiar with but eager to explore. Other directors, like Éric Rohmer and Claude Chabrol, also deserve mention, but Truffaut and Godard remain my focus. Fun fact: last night, my husband and I watched Close Encounters of the Third Kind, where Truffaut memorably played a scientist—a delightful reminder of his versatility.
To me, French New Wave is eternally cool. It’s edgy, innovative, and created by visionaries who dared to break the mold. A framed French New Wave poster in an apartment instantly elevates the vibe, sparking witty conversations with guests eager to flex their knowledge of this cinematic movement. It’s not just about films; it’s about a cultural moment that still resonates.
Through this project, I’m rediscovering the magic of La Nouvelle Vague—not as a struggling student, but as someone inspired to share its brilliance with a new generation of film lovers.
