Cinema of France
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| - | :"In [[1939 in film|1939]] Renoir directed ''[[The Rules of the Game|La Règle du Jeu]]'' (The Rules of the Game). Several movie critics have cited this film as one of the [[Films that have been considered the greatest ever|greatest of all-time]]." --Sholem Stein | + | | style="text-align: left;" | |
| - | The art of [[film]]making within the nation of [[France]] or by French filmmakers abroad is collectively known as '''French cinema'''. | + | Related: [[Cinéma vérité]] - [[Cahiers du cinéma]] - [[Cinémathèque]] - [[Eurociné]] - [[French exploitation films]] - [[film noir]] - [[Midi Minuit Fantastique]] - [[Nouvelle Vague]] |
| - | == Context == | + | Titles: [[Fantômas]] - [[Eyes without a Face]] - [[Jules and Jim]] - [[Going Places]] - [[Pussy Talk]] - [[Je t'aime moi non plus]] - [[Betty Blue]] - [[Sitcom (film)|Sitcom]] - [[Seul contre tous]] - [[Amélie]] - [[Irréversible]] |
| - | France, especially [[Paris]], has long been a [[Bohemianism|gathering spot for artists]] from across [[Europe]] and the world. For this reason French cinema is sometimes intertwined with the cinema of foreign nations. Directors from nations such as Poland ([[Krzysztof Kieslowski]], [[Andrzej Żuławski]]), Argentina ([[Gaspar Noe]], [[Edgardo Cozarinsky]]), and the Soviet Union ([[Alexandre Alexeieff and Claire Parker|Alexandre Alexeieff]], [[Anatole Litvak]], [[Gela Babluani]]) are equally prominent in the ranks of French cinema as the native Frenchmen. | + | Producers: [[Anatole Dauman]] |
| - | ==History== | + | Critics and curators: [[André Bazin]] - [[Jean-Pierre Bouyxou]] - [[Ado Kyrou]] - [[Henri Langlois]] |
| - | ===Late 19th century to early 20th century=== | + | |
| - | In the late [[19th century in film|19th century]], during the early years of cinema, France produced several important pioneers. [[Auguste and Louis Lumière]] invented the [[cinématographe]] and their screening of ''L'Arrivée d'un train en gare de la Ciotat'' in [[Paris]] in [[1895 in film|1895]] is marked by many historians as the official birth of cinema. During the next few years, filmmakers all over the world started experimenting with this new medium, and France's [[Georges Méliès]] was influential. He invented many of the techniques now common in the cinematic language, and made the first ever [[science fiction film]] ''[[Le Voyage dans la Lune|A Trip to the Moon]]'' (''[[Le Voyage dans la Lune]]'', [[1902 in film|1902]]). | + | |
| - | Other early individuals and organizations of this period included [[Gaumont Film Company|Gaumont Pictures]] and [[Pathé Frères]]. [[Alice Guy Blaché]] was one of the first pioneers in cinema. She made her first film in [[1896 in film|1896]], ''[[La Fée aux Choux]]'', and was head of production at Gaumont [[1897 in film|1897]]-[[1906 in film|1906]], where she made in total about 400 films. Her career continued in the [[United States]]. Several pioneers such as [[Maurice Tourneur]] or [[Léonce Perret]] continued their career in United States after World War I. | + | Actors: [[Stéphane Audran]] - [[Brigitte Bardot]] - [[Michel Blanc]] - [[Patrick Dewaere]] - [[Isabelle Huppert]] - [[Gerard Depardieu]] - [[Jeanne Moreau]] - [[Janine Reynaud]] - [[Delphine Seyrig]] |
| - | During the period between [[World War I]] and [[World War II]], [[Jacques Feyder]] became one of the founders of [[poetic realism]] in French cinema. He was also a dominating character within [[French Impressionist Cinema]] as well as [[Abel Gance]], [[Germaine Dulac]] and [[Jean Epstein]], see [[Cinéma Pur]]. | + | Director A-list: [[Bertrand Blier]] - [[Catherine Breillat]] - [[Louis Feuillade]] - [[Georges Franju]] - [[Alain Robbe-Grillet]] - [[Patrice Leconte]] - [[Georges Méliès]] - [[Gaspar Noé]] - [[François Ozon]] - [[Jacques Tati]] |
| - | After World War I, the french film industry was weak, because of missing assets. As every european war leading country, France suffered of a strong financial lack, which was very hard for the film industry to find investors. So the french film production decreased as well as the production of the most other european countries too. This was the chance for the US film industry to enter the european cinema market with their own production, which could be sold cheaper than the european productions, because the studios had already recouped their investments in the home market. So, even more film studios in Europe, and also in France, crashed, which was the impulse for many european countries to install barriers to import. In view of the quota-rules of neighbour states such as Great Britain or Germany, France installed a import quota of 1:7, which means, that for every seven foreign films imported to France, one french film has to be produced and shown in french cinemas. | + | Directors: [[José Bénazéraf]] - [[Bertrand Blier]] - [[Robert Bresson]] - [[Catherine Breillat]] - [[Claude Chabrol]] - [[Jean Cocteau]] - [[Guy Debord]] - [[Louis Delluc]] - [[Bruno Dumont]] - [[Marcel Duchamp]] - [[Germaine Dulac]] - [[Jean Epstein]] - [[Louis Feuillade]] - [[Georges Franju]] - [[Abel Gance]] - [[Serge Gainsbourg]] - [[Jean-Luc Godard]] - [[Alain Robbe-Grillet]] - [[René Laloux]] - [[Patrice Leconte]] - [[Michel Lemoine]] - [[Louis Malle]] - [[Georges Méliès]] - [[Claude Mulot]] - [[Gaspar Noé]] - [[François Ozon]] - [[Max Pécas]] - [[Jean Renoir]] - [[Alain Resnais]] - [[Jacques Rivette]] - [[Jean Rollin]] - [[Barbet Schroeder]] - [[Jacques Tati]] - [[François Truffaut]] - [[Roger Vadim]] |
| - | Beginning in [[1935 in film|1935]], renowned playwright and actor [[Sacha Guitry]] directed his first film. He made more than 30 films that are seen as the precursor to the new wave era. | + | |} |
| + | [[Image:Le Voyage dans la lune.jpg|200px|thumb|left|''[[A Trip to the Moon]]'' ([[1902]]) [[Georges Méliès]]]] | ||
| - | In [[1937 in film|1937]] [[Jean Renoir]], the son of famous painter [[Pierre-Auguste Renoir]], directed what many see as his first masterpiece, ''[[The Grand Illusion (movie)|La Grande Illusion (The Grand Illusion)]].'' In [[1939 in film|1939]] Renoir directed ''[[The Rules of the Game|La Règle du Jeu]]'' (The Rules of the Game). Several movie critics have cited this film as one of the [[Films that have been considered the greatest ever|greatest of all-time]]. | + | [[Image:Arrival of a Train at La Ciotat, 1895.jpg|thumb|right|200px| |
| + | '''''L'arrivée d'un train en gare de La Ciotat''''' ('''''The Arrival of a Train at La Ciotat Station''''' is an [[1895 in film|1895]] [[France|French]] [[Short subject|short]] [[black-and-white]] [[silent film|silent]] [[documentary film]] directed and produced by [[Auguste and Louis Lumière]]. It was first screened on [[December 28]] [[1895]] in [[Paris]], [[France]], and was shown to a paying audience [[January 6]] [[1896]].]] | ||
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| - | [[Marcel Carné]]'s ''[[Children of Paradise|Les Enfants du Paradis (Children of Paradise)]]'' was filmed during [[World War II]] and released in [[1945 in film|1945]]. The three-hour film was extremely difficult to make due to the conditions during the Nazi occupation. Set in Paris in 1828, the film was voted "Best French Film of the Century" in a poll of 600 French critics and professionals in the late [[1990s in film|1990s]]. | + | The art of [[film]]making within the nation of [[France]] or by French filmmakers abroad is collectively known as '''French cinema'''. One of the best-known French films today is ''[[Amélie]]''. |
| - | ===Post-World War II: [[1940s in film|1940s]]-[[1970s in film|1970s]]=== | + | == Context == |
| - | :''[[Post-World War II French cinema]]'' | + | |
| - | In the critical magazine ''[[Cahiers du cinéma]]'' founded by [[André Bazin]], critics and lovers of film would discuss film and why it worked. Modern [[film theory]] was born there. Additionally, ''Cahiers'' critics such as [[Jean-Luc Godard]], [[François Truffaut]], [[Claude Chabrol]], etc. went on to make films themselves, creating what was to become known as the French ''[[French new wave|New Wave]]''. Some of the first movies of this new genre was Godard's ''[[Breathless (1960 film)|Breathless]]'' (''À bout de souffle'', [[1960 in film|1960]]), starring [[Jean-Paul Belmondo]] and - the leading movie - Truffaut's ''[[The 400 Blows]]'' (''Les Quatre Cent Coups'', [[1959 in film|1959]]) starring [[Jean-Pierre Léaud]]. From [[1959]] till [[1979]] Truffaut followed Léaud's character [[Antoine Doinel]], who falls in love with Christine Darbon ([[Claude Jade]] from [[Alfred Hitchcock|Hitchcock]]'s ''[[Topaz (1969 movie)|Topaz]]'') in ''[[Stolen Kisses]]'', marries her in ''[[Bed & Board]]'' and separates from her in the last Post-New-Wave-Movie ''[[Love on the Run]]''. The french film comedy with Louis de Funes is a best film of box office french. [[Don't Look Now - We're Being Shot At]] "[[La Grande Vadrouille]] (1966) " ( 17 000 000 entré french ) for [[Gerard Oury]] with [[Bourvil]], [[la folie des grandeur]] with [[Yves Montand]]... | + | France, especially [[Paris]], has long been a [[Bohemianism|gathering spot for artists]] from across [[Europe]] and the world. For this reason French cinema is sometimes intertwined with the cinema of foreign nations. Directors from nations such as Poland ([[Krzysztof Kieslowski]], [[Andrzej Żuławski]]), Argentina ([[Gaspar Noe]], [[Edgardo Cozarinsky]]), and the Soviet Union ([[Alexandre Alexeieff and Claire Parker|Alexandre Alexeieff]], [[Anatole Litvak]], [[Gela Babluani]]) are equally prominent in the ranks of French cinema as the native Frenchmen. |
| - | ===Personalities from this period=== | + | ==History== |
| - | ====Actors==== | + | |
| - | *[[Brigitte Bardot]] | + | ===Late 19th century to early 20th century=== |
| - | *[[Sarah Bernhardt]] | + | |
| - | *[[Marcel Marceau]] | + | |
| - | *[[Jeanne Moreau]] | + | |
| - | *[[Michel Piccoli]] | + | |
| - | *[[Jacques Tati]] | + | |
| - | *[[Jean-Louis Trintignant]] | + | |
| - | *[[Jean-Pierre Leaud]] | + | |
| - | ====Directors==== | + | In the late [[19th century]], during the early years of cinema, France produced several important pioneers. [[Auguste and Louis Lumière]] invented the [[cinématographe]] and their screening of ''L'Arrivée d'un train en gare de la Ciotat'' in [[Paris]] in [[1895]] is marked by many historians as the official birth of cinema. During the next few years, filmmakers all over the world started experimenting with this new medium, and France's [[Georges Méliès]] was influential. He invented many of the techniques now common in the cinematic language, and made the first ever [[science fiction film]] ''[[A Trip to the Moon]]'' (Le Voyage dans la Lune, [[1902]]). |
| - | *[[Olivier Assayas]] | + | |
| - | *[[Jacques Becker]] | + | |
| - | *[[Robert Bresson]] | + | |
| - | *[[René Clément]] | + | |
| - | *[[Claude Chabrol]] | + | |
| - | *[[Henri-Georges Clouzot]] | + | |
| - | *[[Jacques Demy]] | + | |
| - | *[[Arnaud Desplechin]] | + | |
| - | *[[Jean Eustache]] | + | |
| - | *[[Philippe Garrel]] | + | |
| - | *[[Charles Gerdes]] | + | |
| - | *[[Jean-Luc Godard]] | + | |
| - | *[[Sacha Guitry]] | + | |
| - | *[[Claude Lelouch]] | + | |
| - | *[[Louis Malle]] | + | |
| - | *[[Chris Marker]] | + | |
| - | *[[Jean-Pierre Melville]] | + | |
| - | *[[Maurice Pialat]] | + | |
| - | *[[Jean Renoir]] | + | |
| - | *[[Alain Resnais]] | + | |
| - | *[[Jacques Rivette]] | + | |
| - | *[[Éric Rohmer]] | + | |
| - | *[[Claude Sautet]] | + | |
| - | *[[Coline Serreau]] | + | |
| - | *[[François Truffaut]] | + | |
| - | *[[Roger Vadim]] | + | |
| - | *[[Agnès Varda]] | + | |
| - | ===[[1980s in film|1980s]]=== | + | In 1937 [[Jean Renoir]], the son of famous painter [[Pierre-Auguste Renoir]], directed what many see as his first masterpiece, ''[[The Grand Illusion (movie)|La Grande Illusion (The Grand Illusion)]].'' In 1939 Renoir directed ''[[The Rules of the Game|La Règle du Jeu]]'' (The Rules of the Game). Several movie critic's have cited this film as one of the [[Films that have been considered the greatest ever|greatest of all-time]]. |
| - | *In 1979 [[La Cage aux folles]] is a [[Golden Globe Award]] winner with [[Michel Serrault]]. | + | |
| - | *When [[Jean-Jacques Beineix]] made ''[[Diva (film)|Diva]]'' ([[1981 in film|1981]]) it sparked the beginning of the 80s wave of French cinema. Movies which followed in its wake included ''[[Betty Blue]]'' (''37°2 le matin'', [[1986 in film|1986]]) by Beineix, ''The Big Blue'' (''Le Grand bleu'', [[1988 in film|1988]]) by [[Luc Besson]] and ''[[The Lovers on the Bridge]]'' (''Les Amants du Pont-Neuf'', [[1991 in film|1991]]) by [[Léos Carax]]. | + | |
| - | ===[[1990s in film|1990s]]=== | + | [[Marcel Carne]]'s ''[[Children of Paradise|Les Enfants du Paradis (Children of Paradise)]]'' was filmed during [[World War II]] and released in [[1945]]. The three hour film was extremely difficult to make due to the conditions during the Nazi occupation. Set in Paris in 1828, the film was voted "Best French Film of the Century" in a poll of 600 French critics and professionals in the late 1990s. |
| - | *In 1991, [[Jean-Pierre Jeunet]] made ''[[Delicatessen (movie)|Delicatessen]]'', followed by the [[1995 in film|1995]] ''[[The City of Lost Children]]'' (''La Cité des enfants perdus''). Both films featured a distinctly fantastic style. | + | |
| - | *In 1992, [[Claude Sautet]] wrote (with [[Jacques Fieschi]]) and directed ''[[Un Coeur en Hiver]]'', considered by many to be a masterpiece. | + | ===Post-World War II: 1940s-1970s=== |
| - | + | ||
| - | *In the mid-1990s, [[Krzysztof Kieślowski]] released his ''Three colors'' trilogy, ''[[Three Colors: Blue|Blue]]'', ''[[Three Colors: White|White]]'' and ''[[Three Colors: Red|Red]]''. | + | |
| - | + | ||
| - | *[[Mathieu Kassovitz]]'s film ''Hate'' (''[[La Haine]]'', 1995) made [[Vincent Cassel]] into a star. | + | |
| - | + | ||
| - | *[[Luc Besson]]'s ''[[The Fifth Element]]'' became a cult favorite. | + | |
| - | + | ||
| - | *In [[2001 in film|2001]] after a brief stint in [[Hollywood]] with the fourth ''[[Alien (movie)|Alien]]'' film (''[[Alien: Resurrection]]''), Jeunet returned to France with ''[[Amélie]]'' (''Le fabuleux destin d'Amélie Poulain'') starring [[Audrey Tautou]] and [[Mathieu Kassovitz]]. | + | |
| - | + | ||
| - | ==Current situation== | + | |
| - | As the advent of [[television]] threatened the life of [[film|cinema]] itself, countries were faced with the problem of reviving cinema-going. The French cinema market, and more generally the French-speaking market, is smaller than the English-speaking market, one reason being that some major markets such as the [[United States]] are fairly reluctant to import foreign movies. As a consequence, French movies have to be amortized on a relatively small market and thus generally have budgets far lower than their American counterparts, ruling out expensive settings and [[special effect]]s. Interestingly, the once prospering filmmaking industry of countries such as [[Italy]] has now largely been eliminated. The French government has therefore implemented various measures aimed at supporting local film production and movie theaters, including: | + | |
| - | * the [[Canal+]] TV channel has a broadcast license imposing that it should support the production of movies; | + | |
| - | * some taxes are levied on movies and TV channels for use as subsidies for movie production; | + | |
| - | * some tax breaks are given for investment in movie productions; | + | |
| - | * the sale of [[DVD]]s and [[videocassette]]s of movies shown in theaters is prohibited for six months after the showing in theaters, so as to ensure some revenue for movie theaters. | + | |
| - | + | ||
| - | ==French films== | + | |
| - | :[[List of French films]] | + | |
| - | :[[List of French cinema personalities]] | + | |
| + | In the critical magazine ''[[Cahiers du cinéma]]'' founded by [[André Bazin]], critics and lovers of film would discuss film and why it worked. Modern [[film theory]] was born there. Additionally, ''Cahiers'' critics such as [[Jean-Luc Godard]], [[François Truffaut]], [[Claude Chabrol]], etc. went on to make films themselves, creating what was to become known as the French ''[[French new wave|New Wave]]''. Some of the first movies of this new genre was Truffaut's ''[[The 400 Blows]]'' (Les Quatre Cent Coups, [[1959]]) starring [[Jean-Pierre Léaud]] and Godard's ''[[Breathless]]'' (À bout de souffle, [[1960]]), starring [[Jean-Paul Belmondo]]. | ||
| == See also == | == See also == | ||
| + | :''[[French contemporary cinema]], [[history of French cinema]], [[Nouvelle Vague]], [[list of French films]]'' | ||
| * [[List of French films]] | * [[List of French films]] | ||
| * [[Culture of France]] | * [[Culture of France]] | ||
| * [[World cinema]] | * [[World cinema]] | ||
| * [[History of cinema]] | * [[History of cinema]] | ||
| - | * [[List of French language films]] | ||
| - | * [[Cinema of Quebec]] | ||
| - | |||
| {{GFDL}} | {{GFDL}} | ||
Revision as of 11:12, 9 August 2019
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The art of filmmaking within the nation of France or by French filmmakers abroad is collectively known as French cinema. One of the best-known French films today is Amélie.
Contents |
Context
France, especially Paris, has long been a gathering spot for artists from across Europe and the world. For this reason French cinema is sometimes intertwined with the cinema of foreign nations. Directors from nations such as Poland (Krzysztof Kieslowski, Andrzej Żuławski), Argentina (Gaspar Noe, Edgardo Cozarinsky), and the Soviet Union (Alexandre Alexeieff, Anatole Litvak, Gela Babluani) are equally prominent in the ranks of French cinema as the native Frenchmen.
History
Late 19th century to early 20th century
In the late 19th century, during the early years of cinema, France produced several important pioneers. Auguste and Louis Lumière invented the cinématographe and their screening of L'Arrivée d'un train en gare de la Ciotat in Paris in 1895 is marked by many historians as the official birth of cinema. During the next few years, filmmakers all over the world started experimenting with this new medium, and France's Georges Méliès was influential. He invented many of the techniques now common in the cinematic language, and made the first ever science fiction film A Trip to the Moon (Le Voyage dans la Lune, 1902).
In 1937 Jean Renoir, the son of famous painter Pierre-Auguste Renoir, directed what many see as his first masterpiece, La Grande Illusion (The Grand Illusion). In 1939 Renoir directed La Règle du Jeu (The Rules of the Game). Several movie critic's have cited this film as one of the greatest of all-time.
Marcel Carne's Les Enfants du Paradis (Children of Paradise) was filmed during World War II and released in 1945. The three hour film was extremely difficult to make due to the conditions during the Nazi occupation. Set in Paris in 1828, the film was voted "Best French Film of the Century" in a poll of 600 French critics and professionals in the late 1990s.
Post-World War II: 1940s-1970s
In the critical magazine Cahiers du cinéma founded by André Bazin, critics and lovers of film would discuss film and why it worked. Modern film theory was born there. Additionally, Cahiers critics such as Jean-Luc Godard, François Truffaut, Claude Chabrol, etc. went on to make films themselves, creating what was to become known as the French New Wave. Some of the first movies of this new genre was Truffaut's The 400 Blows (Les Quatre Cent Coups, 1959) starring Jean-Pierre Léaud and Godard's Breathless (À bout de souffle, 1960), starring Jean-Paul Belmondo.
See also
Unless indicated otherwise, the text in this article is either based on Wikipedia article "Cinema of France" or another language Wikipedia page thereof used under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License; or on research by Jahsonic and friends. See Art and Popular Culture's copyright notice.
